Bed Rails On The Cheap

[Red Hot Sloth]

I like saving a few bucks here and there if I can justify what Im doing will work well, can handle what I want and isnt Rube Goldberg’ed, so I figured I would save a couple hundred bucks and make my own bed utility rails from parts sourced locally.

I took a trip down to my local big box store today. I picked up a couple Super Struts B Channel for $19 each, some M6 1.0x35mm bolts, lock washers and flat washers, oh, some end caps for the super struts. All told, Im into it for about $50. I need to rattle-can the struts or even take them to a powder coater. and maybe my tie-downs, which actually came with my Titan and its utility rail’s.

The only downside to using these tiedown is they need to be set into the rails prior to attaching the rails to the bed due to how friggin bulky they are.

I have the spray in bed-liner so the threads where the stock rails would have been are coated but not completely covered over.
I sacrificed one of the M6 bolts the pre-run it in and out of them all before installing the rails. This helped clean-up the threads. The sides I cut to 52”, the front I cut to 48” but could have done 48.75”.

On each of the side rails 1 hole needs to be drilled through the struts to match-up with the manufactures thread on the bed. 2 Holes fir the front strut need drilled. I used a 3/8” bit, it allows for a little wiggle room.

The bolt heads are a little taller than I like but dont pose any significant problems and the washers are a little softer or pliable than I like. But the selection at the big orange store wasnt that great, I’ll make my way over to a hardware store Im sure will have more of what I’d prefer to use and swap them out when it comes time to paint.

The pics are out of order, sorry.

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[Troybilt]

So a six pack of IPA for each rail. Got it. Thanks for the info

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

So a six pack of IPA for each rail. Got it. Thanks for the info

Yes, I find its the most important step in any process. I consider it physically preparing, like calisthenics before a workout, the beer helps with limbering up.


I feel there should be a disclaimer in here somewhere, eh, Im not an attorney, what do I know!

 

[steffen707]

I like saving a few bucks here and there if I can justify what Im doing will work well, can handle what I want and isnt Rube Goldberg’ed, so I figured I would save a couple hundred bucks and make my own bed utility rails from parts sourced locally.

I took a trip down to my local big box store today. I picked up a couple Super Struts B Channel for $19 each, some M6 1.0x35mm bolts, lock washers and flat washers, oh, some end caps for the super struts. All told, Im into it for about $50. I need to rattle-can the struts or even take them to a powder coater. and maybe my tie-downs, which actually came with my Titan and its utility rail’s.

The only downside to using these tiedown is they need to be set into the rails prior to attaching the rails to the bed due to how friggin bulky they are.

I have the spray in bed-liner so the threads where the stock rails would have been are coated but not completely covered over.
I sacrificed one of the M6 bolts the pre-run it in and out of them all before installing the rails. This helped clean-up the threads. The sides I cut to 52”, the front I cut to 48” but could have done 48.75”.

On each of the side rails 1 hole needs to be drilled through the struts to match-up with the manufactures thread on the bed. 2 Holes fir the front strut need drilled. I used a 3/8” bit, it allows for a little wiggle room.

The bolt heads are a little taller than I like but dont pose any significant problems and the washers are a little softer or pliable than I like. But the selection at the big orange store wasnt that great, I’ll make my way over to a hardware store Im sure will have more of what I’d prefer to use and swap them out when it comes time to paint.

The pics are out of order, sorry.

nicely done! I don't know if Super Strut B Channel is the same dimension as unistrut 3000, but I believe that's what BRI used, albeit 4x your cost.

 

[steffen707]

@Red Hot Sloth what tie down mounts are these? kinda look like the tacoma ones I bought off ebay.

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

@Red Hot Sloth what tie down mounts are these? kinda look like the tacoma ones I bought off ebay.

@steffen707 These came off my Nissan Titan. They’re flipping huge, overkill for these rails. I need to check out the Tacoma tie-downs which I think are more size appropriate.
The girth of the Titan tie-downs only allows installation into the rails before mounting to the bed, but once
in and rails are mounted there’s no issue.

 

[steffen707]

@steffen707 These came off my Nissan Titan. They’re flipping huge, overkill for these rails. I need to check out the Tacoma tie-downs which I think are more size appropriate.
The girth of the Titan tie-downs only allows installation into the rails before mounting to the bed, but once
in and rails are mounted there’s no issue.

Tonight I'll try to find my post about mine. Work really well.

 

[12BNNT]

@Red Hot Sloth you show M6 1.0 bolts for mounting the rails. I’m thinking I’m gonna do the same as you did on my JTR for more versatile tie down points. My question is about the threads that are pre tapped into the bed. Mainly the ones circled in the pic below. There are two holes in the corner of the bed, one is open and one is threaded. I’m thinking of using those two to mount my HAM radio antenna using an L bracket, but the threaded one is half full of bed liner spray. I’ve got a tap and die set but was hoping to make sure I use the right tap to clean it out so I don’t screw up the threads. Can you or anyone else confirm that it is m6 1.0 threads also??

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

@Red Hot Sloth you show M6 1.0 bolts for mounting the rails. I’m thinking I’m gonna do the same as you did on my JTR for more versatile tie down points. My question is about the threads that are pre tapped into the bed. Mainly the ones circled in the pic below. There are two holes in the corner of the bed, one is open and one is threaded. I’m thinking of using those two to mount my HAM radio antenna using an L bracket, but the threaded one is half full of bed liner spray. I’ve got a tap and die set but was hoping to make sure I use the right tap to clean it out so I don’t screw up the threads. Can you or anyone else confirm that it is m6 1.0 threads also??

@12BNNT I’ll try to check it tomorrow. But for what it’s worth. If it is M6 1.0 threaded, you won’t need to use a tap on that one, the bolts are cheap enough you can sacrifice one to run it in and out of the hole at speed with your drill. For the hole that’s not threaded I think I would rather nutsert it instead of tap-n-die.

 

[12BNNT]

@12BNNT I’ll try to check it tomorrow. But for what it’s worth. If it is M6 1.0 threaded, you won’t need to use a tap on that one, the bolts are cheap enough you can sacrifice one to run it in and out of the hole at speed with your drill. For the hole that’s not threaded I think I would rather nutsert it instead of tap-n-die.

The upper hole without the threads I was just gonna put a nylon lock nut on the cab side with a fender washer. Got a ton of 1/4 20’s on the tool bench. It’s the threaded one I was guessing on. Thanks for the info. Guess I’ll be buying some unistrut and m6 bolts.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Very cool. Will Gladiator/Mopar accessories work with this set up?

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

Very cool. Will Gladiator/Mopar accessories work with this set up?

Im not sure, I havent had a chance to check out the dimensions of the stock rails. Sorry man

 

[Bbannongmu]

Im not sure, I havent had a chance to check out the dimensions of the stock rails. Sorry man

NP. Thanks. Very cool mod. Be even cooler if that stuff works. I’ll have to do some research..

 

[AJ-MJ]

SWEET!!! Nice write up!

 

[Jdyowa]

What do you use in these rails? Cleats of some kind?

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