Aluminum vs Steel Unistrut for bed rails/Trail Rail system

[TheDukeofLark]

For those using strut for a trail rail-like system, or any engineers looking to volunteer their services, is there any reason one would need steel strut for tie-down rails? Aluminum looks to be cheaper, and in my mind, the M6 bolts are the weak point in the system. Is steel overkill?

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[813 Fabrication & Design]

I would think the aluminum would be fine. You don't want to put a crazy amount of weight on those areas. Most Unistrut that you buy at the big box stores is 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" square, so the Unistrut will protrude slightly from the bedrail. It works fine in most cases, but there may be a possibility that some racks or bed covers get too tight when mounted. The Mopar Trail rails are 1 5/8" x 1 3/8" so they sit flush with the bed rail. Search for Unistrut P3000, it is the same size as the Mopar rails. I believe a few of the companies making their version of the bed rails are using the P3000 for their products.

https://www.atkore.com/Products/Str...and-Fittings/Strut-Channel/P3000-Series/P3000

 

[ChrisNLA]

I used steel since that is what Home Depot sold (and a 10 foot stick was only $35).

I only used it to mount a bed rack and some tie down points and those items were not affected by the DIY rails sticking out slightly further than OEM rails. Other accessories may not be as forgiving.

 

[RudeJeepin]

While I don't have the answer to your question, there are multiple options on Amazon for trail rail systems. Many for under $200 including mounting hardware and several tie-downs.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gladiator+trail+rail&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

[TheDukeofLark]

I would think the aluminum would be fine. You don't want to put a crazy amount of weight on those areas. Most Unistrut that you buy at the big box stores is 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" square, so the Unistrut will protrude slightly from the bedrail. It works fine in most cases, but there may be a possibility that some racks or bed covers get too tight when mounted. The Mopar Trail rails are 1 5/8" x 1 3/8" so they sit flush with the bed rail. Search for Unistrut P3000, it is the same size as the Mopar rails. I believe a few of the companies making their version of the bed rails are using the P3000 for their products.

https://www.atkore.com/Products/Str...and-Fittings/Strut-Channel/P3000-Series/P3000

Thanks so much for the in-depth reply. I have experimented with both the full and half strut styles, and had landed on the half strut. With the shorter height, it deflected less when using it to anchor my bed cover. I hadn't thought about finding the trail rail size itself (since it wasn't in front of me at Lowe's) so I might look at that if I'm returning/reordering anyway.

When we say "a crazy amount of weight" what are we talking about? I'm obviously not using it as a recovery point for the Jeep itself, but if my neighbor needs help moving a fridge, could they be used in concert with the lower tie downs to secure something of that weight and size?

 

[ChrisNLA]

Thanks so much for the in-depth reply. I have experimented with both the full and half strut styles, and had landed on the half strut. With the shorter height, it deflected less when using it to anchor my bed cover. I hadn't thought about finding the trail rail size itself (since it wasn't in front of me at Lowe's) so I might look at that if I'm returning/reordering anyway.

When we say "a crazy amount of weight" what are we talking about? I'm obviously not using it as a recovery point for the Jeep itself, but if my neighbor needs help moving a fridge, could they be used in concert with the lower tie downs to secure something of that weight and size?

I use the lower hooks to hold the bulk of stress / weight on heavy items in the bed. I use my DIY trail rail to help support / stabilize.

 

[TheDukeofLark]

While I don't have the answer to your question, there are multiple options on Amazon for trail rail systems. Many for under $200 including mounting hardware and several tie-downs.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gladiator+trail+rail&ref=nb_sb_noss

Yeah, this is probably what I should do. I'm not an engineer, and only kind of handy...but I'm having some fun putting it together the way I want it, and I'm all in for right around $100 at this point (once I return the rejects or repurpose them for other projects.)

 

[RudeJeepin]

Yeah, this is probably what I should do. I'm not an engineer, and only kind of handy...but I'm having some fun putting it together the way I want it, and I'm all in for right around $100 at this point (once I return the rejects or repurpose them for other projects.)

Did you find unistrut without holes on the backside. Not being able to source any local is what got me to looking online when I found the Amazon stuff. I also like the idea of the notches to help hold the tie-downs in place without having to over torque the bolts.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

Yeah, this is probably what I should do. I'm not an engineer, and only kind of handy...but I'm having some fun putting it together the way I want it, and I'm all in for right around $100 at this point (once I return the rejects or repurpose them for other projects.)

I would also agree with RudeJeepin

 

[Teqsand]

the M6 bolts are the weak point in the system.

Steel or aluminum doesn't matter, it's not the M6 bolt that is the week point, it's the non reinforced updates in the wall of the bed that's the week point in the system

 

[Bugeater]

I would think the aluminum would be fine. You don't want to put a crazy amount of weight on those areas. Most Unistrut that you buy at the big box stores is 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" square, so the Unistrut will protrude slightly from the bedrail. It works fine in most cases, but there may be a possibility that some racks or bed covers get too tight when mounted. The Mopar Trail rails are 1 5/8" x 1 3/8" so they sit flush with the bed rail. Search for Unistrut P3000, it is the same size as the Mopar rails. I believe a few of the companies making their version of the bed rails are using the P3000 for their products.

https://www.atkore.com/Products/Str...and-Fittings/Strut-Channel/P3000-Series/P3000

813 Fab,

Any idea where to order the P3000 from and not pay an arm and a leg for shipping? I have tired most of my local supply houses and no luck finding any or getting them to order it.

Thanks

 

[Sigz]

I bought a trail rail system on amazon. Probably from China - but it is stainless steel and coated nicely. Have been using it without any issues. And its only like 125$

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7FLCCMC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HankB]

A lot of replies, a lot of helpful advice, unfortunately not much accurate information beyond what will fit, be of reasonable cost, or look nice. Let’s talk about the important stuff: how well is any of this stuff going to work actually holding cargo down.

The starting point is how much weight is going to be carried? The gross payload of the Glad is 1725 pounds (less I believe for the manual diesel), which if we assume only a 200 pound driver , 1500 ish pounds in the back.

if we look at the performance criteria of the North American Cargo Securement Standard, you’ll see that cargo in commercial vehicles needs to secured to withstand accelerations/deccelerations of 0.8g in the forward direction, 0.5 g sideways, 0.5 g rearwards, and 0.2g (in addition to support 1.0 g weight) vertically for open vehicles e.g. pickup beds. The term ”g” in this discussion means weight. While this standard does not have a regulatory implication for consumers, it does provide a baseline should a consumer be involved in a motor vehicle accident related litigation involving shit falling out of their vehicle. This is the performance criteria for ON ROAD OPERATION. For off road things get worse. For rail car transport the numbers triple, and for marine container shipments the loads can reach 6-8 g. Obviously none of us will be subjecting our Glads to rail or containership shipments, my point is to show that on road movement in North America is quite mild.

How do we apply this information? First off determining when and how a specific lump of something will move in the back of a truck is complicated. It depends on its geometry, center of gravity, the friction coefficients between it and the floor, whether it’s restrained, or loose, and even temperature.

if we were using our glads to move 1725 pound blocks of stuff on a regular basis, each lashing point would need to have a strength capacity of 1380 pounds forward, 860.5 pounds sideways and rearward, and 345 pounds vertically in addition to being able to support the weight. That assumes a near frictionless interface between bed and cargo (in real life cold painted steel and wet pallets is pretty darn close). It also assumes that only one lashing point will be effective. Yes there is a cumulative effect of multiple points, but in reality if one is looser than another, the tighter one carries the load, so safest bet is to overkill the tie down.

What is the takeaway? Well for starters, very few of us are going to transport a 1750 pound lump on a pallet. But that said, I do regularly move 25 to 30 40 pound bags of wood pellets in mine. But they all fit tightly in the bed and don’t need tie downs.

having tested cargo tie downs using forensic protocols, my guess is the factory u bolts in the rear barely meet the 1380 pound capacity suggested by the securement requirements (that the vehicle is NOT REQUIRED to meet), and the bolted D rings in the front are questionable (I don’t really know what they’re bolted into.

As for the Trail Rail “securing system” and any DIY bolted on setup, fine for light loads, e.g. ladders, cut limbs, a few boards, etc.

 

[Bugeater]

I bought a trail rail system on amazon. Probably from China - but it is stainless steel and coated nicely. Have been using it without any issues. And its only like 125$

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7FLCCMC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sigz,
Good info, I have looked at these as well. What is the "depth" of this rail system? Seems like the factory ones are right at 1-3/8" deep so when the side rails are mounted the face of the rail is flush with the inside face of the plastic bed rail cap. Is this the same? What do you use for additional nuts for the rails if needed?

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

813 Fab,

Any idea where to order the P3000 from and not pay an arm and a leg for shipping? I have tired most of my local supply houses and no luck finding any or getting them to order it.

Thanks

Apologies, I don't know of anywhere to order it.

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