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Radius Bed Corners for Chevy Trucks Installation Instructions

Important

Thank you for your purchase of the Apicella Designs 3100 Bed Corner Kit. Please read and review ALL instructions in this kit. Apicella Designs is not responsible for any personal or property damage deriving from the modification and/or installation of this product — all modification and/or installation should be performed by a professional.

Install Steps

  1. Mark your cut lines. Start by marking your cut lines on your factory bed.
    Marking cut lines on factory truck bed for radius bed corner install
    Figure 1 — completed marking, ready for cutting

    Two measurements: 1″ from the rear of the bed face, and 2 3/8″ from the rear of the bed face.

    Measuring 1 inch and 2 3/8 inch reference lines from rear of bed face
    Figure 2

    To locate the parallel cut lines on your bed side: use a straight edge ruler to see where the radius starts on your bed rail. Draw your parallel line across the bed rail where the radius starts to “fade away” from the ruler.

    Using straight edge ruler to find radius start point on bed rail
    Figure 3

    Do the same on your bed side — draw your parallel line where the radius starts to fade away from the ruler.

    Using straight edge ruler to find radius start point on bed side
    Figure 4

    Your parallel line locations and the 1″ and 2 3/8″ lines should now be complete and ready to cut.

    Completed cut lines on truck bed ready for cutting
    Figure 5
Stop — Double-Check Before Cutting

Double-check all measurements before moving to the next step. Double-checking assures the fit and finish of your Apicella Designs product. The customer assumes all liability for any modification to this product and/or the vehicle being modified.

  1. Cut the bed sides. Once you’ve double-checked your markings, it’s time to cut. Take your time and wear proper safety protection. Our bed sides were cut using an aluminum oxide cutoff wheel for a clean cut.
    Cutting truck bed side with aluminum oxide cutoff wheel
    Figure 6
  2. Cut the spot welds. Using a spot weld cutter or Rotabroach, cut the two spot welds from the bottom (stake pocket) side — don’t cut completely through both layers, leave the top intact.
    Cutting spot welds on stake pocket for bed corner install
    Figure 7
  3. Trim for clearance. With the stake pocket free of the top skin, trim away excess metal from underneath so the new bed corners have adequate clearance — trim the bottom skin (stake pocket) back about ½″ into the stake pocket from your new edge. Remove additional stake pocket material with a carbide burr bit, and clean and deburr all edges.
    Trimming stake pocket material for bed corner clearance
    Figure 8

    Note: if you’re not adding a reinforcement feature to your bed sides, disregard any reinforcement shown in these illustrations.

  4. Fit the bed corner. Take your time fitting the new Apicella Designs bed corner. The short side is pre-cut to 2 3/8″, so trimming can be done on the bed side. The long side is left long for a custom fit — measure and cut a little at a time.
    Fitting bed corner to bed side, ready to tack weld
    Figure 9 — bed corner fit and ready to tack weld; use an angle finder to find the proper cut angle
  5. Tack weld and align. Tack weld the bed corner in place and double-check that it’s straight with the bed rail using a straight edge across both.
    Checking bed corner alignment with straight edge
    Figure 10
    Bed corner alignment check continued
    Figure 11
    Bed corner tack welded firmly in place
    Figure 12 — tack welded firmly in place
  6. Fully weld. Stitch weld small areas at a time and let them completely cool to prevent warping. Do not weld underneath the bed corners — there’s too much gap between the corner and stake pocket to weld adequately; use a seam sealer there instead.
    Stitch welding bed corner in small sections
    Figure 13
    Completed stitch welds on bed corner
    Figure 14
  7. Grind the welds. Grind down the welds — some body work will still be needed, so don’t worry if they don’t look perfect yet. Take care not to gouge the material; blend as smoothly as possible to minimize body work.
    Grinding welds before body work, before photo
    Figure 15
    Ground welds after grinding, smooth finish
    Figure 16 — this is how they should look
    Straight edge ruler check on ground bed rail
    Figure 17
    Finished ground bed corner weld
    Figure 18
  8. Body work. If you’re not comfortable with body work, take it to a professional — it will be worth it.
    Basic body work on freshly installed bed corners
    Figure 19
    Body work in progress on bed corner
    Figure 20
    Body work nearing completion on bed corner
    Figure 21
    Finished body work on radius bed corner
    Figure 22
  9. Admire the results. You now have a custom bed that adds the perfect finishing touch to your 3100. Take pictures and share them on social media — we’d love to see your work!
    Finished truck bed with installed radius bed corners
    Finished radius bed corner installation, final result

Download PDF Instructions

For any questions or concerns with your install, don’t hesitate to email us at info@ls-fab.com

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