Bob La Londe wrote:

"dpb" wrote in message ...
On 7/5/2012 10:39 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
...

They make a screw specifically for mounting 2 by deck boards to truck
and trailer beds. Its drill point with a couple ears that make a larger
hole through the wood then break off when they hit the metal so the
screw can thread in. I have a half box of them ont eh shelf.

Those don't have enough drill to them to make it into a regular structural
channel flange, though, will they? IIUC, Karl's replaced at least most of
the original rolled steel supports w/ channel...

I tried at least a variant of that before shooting the old truck bed here
and didn't have much (as in any) joy. It is a 38-series grain bed with
rails which were also rolled but somewhat heavier than a factory pickup
support rail.

There's undoubtedly one that will work but the ones I got which were
supposed to be able to do the job weren't up to the specific task at hand.

I used them to do a boat trailer I converted to flat bed and added several
pieces of C channel cross members, but I cheated. I predrilled all the
holes. When I redid the boards on my dad's flatbed I just shot them
straight in though.

Pre-drilling the holes and then following up with the self threading
fasteners is likely the best option. Load up two drills with the
appropriate pilot drill and driver bit and it should go reasonably
quickly. Unlike the power-actuated option the fasteners will still be
removable.