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Bed side panel warping

Aerohokie

SM 2020
PM 2017
Full Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
249
Location
Pensacola, FL
This concerns the sides of the bed, the panels with the 3 hole retainers and tie downs are.

The panels are bowing out in between the retainers. It?s pushing on the gutters causing them to tilt out. I put an inch and a half of 3M tape behind one, put it still popped loose. Any suggestions besides more tape or drilling holes for more retainers?

Has this happened to anyone else?
 
can you post a couple of pix

is it the inner liner


7e344242f75001c3553bcc236f57d9d8.png
 
It's the plastic piece that makes the bed wall where your bed lamp is mounted. In the pics you see the tilt on the gutter from being pushed outward. The other pic shows the shadow line where you can see the curve. Best I can think of is using self tapping screws and a washer to hold it in place unless someone has a better idea.
 

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yeah that is crazy.  i think you night have to use screws but get the kind that have the adhesive on them to ensure it protects the body panel behind the plastic. 

https://www.ndindustries.com/products/inert-sealing/biseal-0630/
BiSeal 0630 is a pre-applied process in which wax based materials are coated onto fasteners making them self-sealing. As parts are installed, the wax migrates along the threads, filling any holes between the fastener and joined parts. Highly effective on self-tapping screws for use with thin metal where typical sealants would not have enough thread engagement or material thickness to properly seal.


biseal0630_group-300x240.png
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THat is new one....
 
ygmn said:
THat is new one....

Sweet, 18 years of Avalanche existence and I find a new issue! I was wondering about using my wife?s heat press to press it flat, but it?s probably not big enough.

I?ve never seen the wax threads before. What will that buy me over a little silicone on the head?
 
Aerohokie said:
Sweet, 18 years of Avalanche existence and I find a new issue! I was wondering about using my wife?s heat press to press it flat, but it?s probably not big enough.

I?ve never seen the wax threads before. What will that buy me over a little silicone on the head?

That might work too but I think the wax would do better getting in the threads.  ??? you could put silicone on the threads and that should add protection against rust :D
 
Will they work it they replace existing screws? I have self taping. I?d have to acquire wax ones.
 
I noticed one of the bed sides on my Avalanche pooches out a bit.

Not so much I am going to mess with it at the moment.

I do not see this on my EXT.

I'll keep an eye on your progress.
 
Aerohokie said:
Will they work it they replace existing screws? I have self taping. I?d have to acquire wax ones.

That's why I think you can use what you have and just put silicon over the threads.  not sure if using the existing screw locations would do anything
 
No, the existing plugs are tight. It went on great with 1.5 inches of 3M tape. Ten minutes later I heard a pop and it had broken loose of the tape. Any more tap and it'll be a PITA to get off again. I used self taping screws. Its tight now. I just finished coating the panel anchors with bed liner. Once they are dry, I'll reassemble and take pics.

The panel anchors were all chipping and corroded. Soaked in vinegar for 3 days while I ran the wires for the bed lights. Then used a razor to trim all the peeling original coating and painted with bed liner. Not professional looking, but not corroded anymore.
 
That is just a cover over the plastic underneath. Before you go to drastic measures I suggest just pulling off that outer cover and see what is behind it. I suspect something got behind it and is pushing it out. Otherwise there is nothing that I am aware of there that can cause it to do that.

If you remove the 4 tie downs and all of the plastic rivets (The center piece pops out then the whole piece will pop out) this section will pop right off. Can't remember if the rain gutters are connected to the inner piece or the piece you are talking about.

When pulling be careful because once you remove the metal tiedowns the side panels behind that cover panel are then only held in place with a small screw that holds the saddle bag latch to the side of the truck. To remove the whole side panel also requires removing the sail panels. But you should be able to remove the cover that is giving you the issues without removing the whole side panels or the sail panels... 

If you don't know what I am talking about let me know...

But again, the plastic piece you are talking about just clips to the actual side panel. The actual side panel is also plastic. I suspect if you pull it apart you will find someone carried a load of sand or something and a bunch of it got behind the panel and has worked it to the point it put pressure on it and now you are seeing separation. Won't know for sure until you actually pull that cover off.

When i install my amplifiers in the saddle bags I expect to leave these covers intact to cover the access to the amplifiers... :)

For more information check out my thread here and it should explain things better and show you what you are getting into...

https://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php?topic=142196.msg2119090#msg2119090

Do NOT use any sort of screws... Just fix the problem... Hopefully with the thread around this message you will understand what you are in for better.

Rodney

 
Unfortunately Rodney, the panels themselves are bowed. I had them completely out and there was nothing behind them. I did end up using screws and sealed everything up. The lights work, the gutters are flush, good times.

However, panel 2 broke. I had to remove the handle to clean the corrosion and 1 screw broke. Unless I can rotate it out with vice grips, I don't know what I'm going to do besides JB weld or permanently on.

Here's some pics.
 

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Did you actually take off the outer piece? No way they should bow unless something was behind them.

GUess it is possible for it to get hot and warp if the truck has been in a southern state and you don't have bed covers but shouldn't happen.

Rodney
 
Well I did buy it in Mississippi and I live on the coast on the Florida panhandle. Heat and humidity are in no short supply. I?m looking at buying a parts truck EXT for the engine and Trans swap. May be using the bed trim too. I water checked my work today. Adjusting the panels mounts closed the leak at the tailgate. Gutter fixed the sides, but there still a leak between panels 2 and 3 in the middle and right hand side. Going to pull that seal off and resilicone tomorrow.
 
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