Truck bed

[Bobart]

Hi
I have a 1991 chev pu 1500, an my truck bed fleetside fender
is hard to dent.
But a friend of mine has a 2004 chev pu 1500, fleetside bed fender
that is easy to dent.
I think the new trucks are tuffer drive line wise, but not the body.
Did GM change the way fleetside fenders are made ?

[327]

the use a lighter guage of sheetmetal now

[F14CRAZY]

The newer metal is much more resistant to corrosion though, note like the 80s Chevy pickups with big "pock marks" of rust in the middle of the body panels

[suburbanfoo]

the flarside bed for the 800's didnt look like metal when I seen a wrecked one, looked like fiberglass. is it metal as the other ones as well??

[USA1Fan]

Weight savings.. Not necessarily a good thing unless designed properly to deal with the loads trucks will be carrying without allowing damage.

[likearock00]

Originally Posted by USA1Fan

Weight savings.. Not necessarily a good thing unless designed properly to deal with the loads trucks will be carrying without allowing damage.

I think you mean "money" savings....that is the bottom line. It is cheaper to use a lighter guage metal.

Flaresides are made of fiberglass, another money and easier saving product.

Whatever happened to the other GM innovation..the dent resistant panels? I know they made them a few years ago on some trucks, but it went away very quickly. I thought that was a great idea.