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Cleaning my AV bed.

MS03 2500

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Oct 17, 2005
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Location
Lexington KY
Had a little time today and it cooled down to 85 so I decided to clean the bed again. It's amazing how dirty it gets in a year.


First step get the crap out of it.


My big tool box
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Small tool box  and spare fuel pump
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Now the bed itself it was super dirty, not sure or not but it looked like something was growing on the right side in the back.

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The upper drains were dirty also.

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One of the drains was plugged up

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I use a garden hose and bottle of Mr Clean disinfectant with a bloom to clean it up

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Don't forget to clean these channels

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My number 2 cover couldn't hold it any longer and took a pee

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So if you don't regularly clean it you may want to.
















 
I clean mine good a couple of times a year.

I am always amazed at all the crud that ends up in there given I really don't use the bed much to haul a lot of loose stuff and it is garage parked.

When I cleaned it the first time, there was all kinds of hay, dirt, bullets, rusty razor blades and gosh knows what else all up in there.

Man, if this truck could talk, I bet it could tell some stories.

(y)
 
One more thing, if you try this when the bed gets wet it gets real slick.

Watch your step.
 
I have never removed those covers over the upper drains in 13 years of ownership of Ol' Yellar.  Do those covers just pop off / snap back in place?
 
Just pry them up, tilt the side by the bed up. It's held on by 4 clips.

Install them the same way tilt it under the sail panel until it is over the outer clip and push it down.
 
MS03 2500 said:
Just pry them up, tilt the side by the bed up. It's held on by 4 clips.

Install them the same way tilt it under the sail panel until it is over the outer clip and push it down.

(y)
 
enoniam, be aware that those clips can rust and can be difficult to pop loose.
On my 2003 some of the clips broke loose from the grid cover and I had to "JB Weld " them back in place.
On my 2009, I used a dremel to open the clip slot so they don't hold on so tight.
 
Thanks GBT.  After 13 years I think I'll just leave them be.
 
You could always take a water hose and flood the grate to make sure it is not plugged up. It should drain under the truck.
 
This time I pulled the seals from the bed cover and found not much sealer them I scraped off the old sealant and added new Marine RTV sealant.

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Hmm, that may be an idea. I've never really cleaned my bed. After the torrential rains this year, things were getting very wet every week. I park my AV outside and it was challenging.
 
Pulling those panel seals off and adding silicone helped me a whole lot.  My '03 is now always completely dry except for where panel #3 meets the tailgate because the seal has been compressed and no longer makes a tight fit.  I saw where someone (armytango i think) shoved a mini vinyl hose in the seal there to expand it a little.  I'm torn between doing that and just buying 1 new seal for the final tailgate panel.  Anyhow, if you haven't removed and re-attached the seals, you're really missing out on how dry your bed can be!  lol
 
I was working on my bed organizer and notice some water before that I didn't know it was leaking.

Clearly the old sealer was so dried out it wasn't working any longer.
 
Mine were that way too.  There was old crusty dried out flakes going everywhere when I pulled the seal off.
 
I ran into another item the rear water channels were sagging so a self-tapping screw fixed it.

Before

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After


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I always cleaned the water management system and drains every time I washed the truck. Never found much stuff in them except immediately after hauling topsoil or mulch. I also never had an issue removing the water management rails; you just have to take your time and be careful when removing each clip. I mever had to do it but I am sure they would come out easier if you sprayed them with WD40 and let it soak in for a few minutes.
 
I can't say I wash the truck a whole bunch LOL

But I did learn to clean the water management system at least twice a year, my issue is with tree seeds since I don't keep it in a garage.
 
oih82w8 said:
Photobucket strikes again...no images.  :p

Read this one

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,151626.msg2155471.html#msg2155471
 
I guess that would depend on where you are buying the seals, from a dealer, junkyard or some online place like Steele Rubber...

https://www.steelerubber.com/
 
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