How do you remove the rear quarter panel?

How do you remove the rear quarter panel on a third-generation Tacoma? Do you have to take the whole bed off or can you simply unbolt the one side?

My back left quarter panel was crushed and I would like to replace it without having to take the whole bed apart.

Any past experience with this to include photos would be appreciated.

 

Hi,
Nasty damage.
I am not a body repairman but i am pretty sure that the box is not bolted together ... i believe that all of the components (front, both sides and floor) are welded together.
I am sure that someone with more knowledge than i will chime in to either confirm or correct my statement.

Don

 

It's a tight squeeze but you can do it without removing the bed. There are around 6-8 bolts on the front. Then the wheel liner and brackets, then the stuff behind the tail light.

By the end you'll be cursing those front bolts.

 

Here's a diagram of the pieces.

 

Did you have any luck with this? I have the same problem, but I’m not sure if the quarter panel is welded to the bed. If it’s just bolted on, I’ll attempt to remove it myself. Got damaged in a parking garage in Brooklyn!

 

They unbolt. Not too hard.

 

Thanks, that gives me a green light, I’ll try and do it myself then

 

Huh?

It’s not a first gen. They unbolt.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I’m trying to figure out if the rear quarter panel on my 2017 Tacoma (ie 3rd generation) is welded or bolted to the bed. So far your replies are: 2 to 1:
2 say it’s bolted, 1 says I need a grinder (presumably for welds). Any other input before I attempt the tear down?

 

https://youtu.be/LDJNo2pxfHk

 

Bolted - - kinda hard to weld to a composite bed. You know it's not welded to the frame... so what else are you thinking it is welded to? All of the diagrams show the bolts. If you need more, I'll gladly get what I can.

 

I’ve taken mine off. They bolt on. There is not a single weld. Here’s my truck if you don’t believe me. Notice those aren’t stock bedsides.

 

I would look for a paintless dent removal guy that knows what he is doing. Probably $200 and it could look like new.

 

Yeah I suppose you are correct. I was thinking of a car with seam seal. Spot welds. And a precise cut

 

Thanks everyone, that settles it, I can get on with this now. I’ll post pics when it’s done. Right now this is what I have:

 

I second PDR If the paint is fine. I had something that was going to require 2k worth of body shop get fixed for 300 bucks by my PDR guy. Damn magicians they are. They really know how to work the metal. I see them using all sorts of braces and tools to bring back some massacres to showroom condition. Check it out.

Edit: it seems it got hit from the rear. Not so sure if pdr will work with the crushing near the bumper.....

 

Alright I'm curious, what happened?

 

Are you replacing with a new panel? I'm also looking to replace mine but the junkyards dont have any available. Or at least in black.

 

I haven't even been able to find the part online anywhere.

 

try searching for bedside. I think that’s the correct name for it.