Repairing holes in the bed of my 2001 Ram

[Daniel Andrews]

I have a 2001 5.9L Ram truck and when I first purchased the truck I also had a 32 foot fifth-wheel trailer that I had pulled with a Chevy 1/4 ton truck. Of course I had to install a fifth-wheel hitch in the 2001 but now that I don't have the trailer and hitch I now have 8 holes thru the bed of my truck where the hitch was bolted in. I sold the hitch with the trailer.

Now it is going on 2021 and the truck still has the mounting holes in the bed of the truck and I would really like some input on what would be the best method of patching or fixing those holes. The bed of the truck was sprayed with a liner when I purchased the truck so overall the bed is in really good shape with the exception of those dang 8 holes.

I am going to have the bed of the truck completely resprayed come spring time of 2021 but I would really love an idea or two on what to do with the holes.

 

[Fast69Mopar]

I have a 2001 5.9L Ram truck and when I first purchased the truck I also had a 32 foot fifth-wheel trailer that I had pulled with a Chevy 1/4 ton truck. Of course I had to install a fifth-wheel hitch in the 2001 but now that I don't have the trailer and hitch I now have 8 holes thru the bed of my truck where the hitch was bolted in. I sold the hitch with the trailer.

Now it is going on 2021 and the truck still has the mounting holes in the bed of the truck and I would really like some input on what would be the best method of patching or fixing those holes. The bed of the truck was sprayed with a liner when I purchased the truck so overall the bed is in really good shape with the exception of those dang 8 holes.

I am going to have the bed of the truck completely resprayed come spring time of 2021 but I would really love an idea or two on what to do with the holes.

Here is one method I use...

I find a small washer that will fit just inside the holes. Then, I clean the underside of the bed around the holes so I can put several small squares of painters tape under the hole.

Next, I put the washers in the holes and I use a 2-part epoxy to fill in the gaps and let it harden and then spray bedliner on too of it.

I have a 2005 Ram 2500 that had holes drilled all over the bed. I used this method 12 years ago before having the bedliner sprayed and they are still there to this day.

The other way I do this is with my TIG Welder. I still use the small washers to fill in as much of the gap as possible and then I fill in the rest with my TIG Welder and welding rod. To me this leaves the best and most reliable repair.