Yakima Overhaul HD panding pads causing deflection in bed rails

[TheFatPanther]

I just got the Yakima Overhaul HD adjustable bed rack and installed it on my 2021 Gladiator. To make it so the landing pads don't move, I've had to clamp it down to the point where it is causing visible deflection of the top of the bed rails. Not only does that kind of suck in terms of damaging my truck, it makes me worry that they could loosen over time. It seems like a bad design.

My potential solution is to add some still plates on top and bottom to spread out the force of the clamps across a wider area. I'm curious if anyone else has done something similar, and if so what kind of plates (thickness, material, etc) did you use and whether it was successful.

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[Rockabillyroy]

the rail caps are general hollow and soft. Like the people who run the diamondback covers, lifting the caps and placing shims underneath would probably be the remedy.

 

[Longleaf]

Are you using the trail rail brackets or the standard universal mounts?

 

[TheFatPanther]

Standard universal mounts. They kind of just eazy squeezy the top of the bed rails.

 

[Longleaf]

Interesting. I haven't noticed that with mine. Not to insult your intelligence.... but have you tried loosening the connection at the HD bars to make sure they aren't creating tension? Make all the bed connections tight first and then cinch the bolts to the crossbars.
Just a thought.

 

[TheFatPanther]

Interesting. I haven't noticed that with mine. Not to insult your intelligence.... but have you tried loosening the connection at the HD bars to make sure they aren't creating tension? Make all the bed connections tight first and then cinch the bolts to the crossbars.
Just a thought.

Definitely a good though, but the deflections were happening with the towers off unfortunately. When I had them looser, the pads actually moved. There might be a tightness level between "move" and "crush" but I missed it lol. I'm thinking shims might be the way to go

 

[Longleaf]

I have a love/ hate relationship with mine. I love that it's so freakin sturdy. When I have the RTT up there it doesn't move or flex at all. But I hate that I have to pull the trail rails off every time to use it. I should splurge for the adapters- especially since I got the rack FOR FREE from the guy I bought my RTT from. Maybe I shouldn't be complaining....

 

[lonegladiator]

I just got the Yakima Overhaul HD adjustable bed rack and installed it on my 2021 Gladiator. To make it so the landing pads don't move, I've had to clamp it down to the point where it is causing visible deflection of the top of the bed rails. Not only does that kind of suck in terms of damaging my truck, it makes me worry that they could loosen over time. It seems like a bad design.

My potential solution is to add some still plates on top and bottom to spread out the force of the clamps across a wider area. I'm curious if anyone else has done something similar, and if so what kind of plates (thickness, material, etc) did you use and whether it was successful.

how are you liking the Overhaul HD with the decked system?

i already have the Overhaul HD from my previous truck and am having no luck find a tonneau cover that works with them. Looks like this would give me the best of both worlds maybe?

 

[TheFatPanther]

how are you liking the Overhaul HD with the decked system?

i already have the Overhaul HD from my previous truck and am having no luck find a tonneau cover that works with them. Looks like this would give me the best of both worlds maybe?

It works OK. The decked system is something I'm actually trying to sell. It is just too restrictive for me, and I'm finding I need the open bed with actual side rails. I don't hunt or fish, so the hyper-storage thing actually doesn't work too well. I like how it locks though.

 

[Limestone]

I just got the Yakima Overhaul HD adjustable bed rack and installed it on my 2021 Gladiator. To make it so the landing pads don't move, I've had to clamp it down to the point where it is causing visible deflection of the top of the bed rails. Not only does that kind of suck in terms of damaging my truck, it makes me worry that they could loosen over time. It seems like a bad design.

My potential solution is to add some still plates on top and bottom to spread out the force of the clamps across a wider area. I'm curious if anyone else has done something similar, and if so what kind of plates (thickness, material, etc) did you use and whether it was successful.

I was having the same issues with the attachment of the tower bases to the bed rails. I milled some aluminum stock, bolted it to the trail rails, then bolted the tower base to the aluminum block. The tower bases no longer cause a deflection to the bed rails nor do the bases shift position on the bed rails. I realize that some have used/modified Yakima’s trail rail mounting kits for other brands of trucks to improve the attachment of the tower bases to the bed rails, but these kits were on backorder when I did this modification.

 

[RYDR]

It works OK. The decked system is something I'm actually trying to sell. It is just too restrictive for me, and I'm finding I need the open bed with actual side rails. I don't hunt or fish, so the hyper-storage thing actually doesn't work too well. I like how it locks though.

I'm actually interested in setting up my truck the same way.

Did you have any issues with mounting the Yakima OverHaul HD Towers along with the Decked system? From your pictures, it looks like you don't but I was curious as to how mounted them. Did you use the Track Kit for your install? Did you have to do any cutting or Macgyver-ing?

The reason I was looking at both the Decked and Yakima systems was because I want something easy to install with basic tools and that doesn't require me to modify anything.

I know you said that the Decked system isn't working for you so you were getting rid of it but I wanted your opinion on its quality for the length of time that you owned it.

 

[TheFatPanther]

I'm actually interested in setting up my truck the same way.

Did you have any issues with mounting the Yakima OverHaul HD Towers along with the Decked system? From your pictures, it looks like you don't but I was curious as to how mounted them. Did you use the Track Kit for your install? Did you have to do any cutting or Macgyver-ing?

The reason I was looking at both the Decked and Yakima systems was because I want something easy to install with basic tools and that doesn't require me to modify anything.

I know you said that the Decked system isn't working for you so you were getting rid of it but I wanted your opinion on its quality for the length of time that you owned it.

So I should start off by saying, I ended up selling my truck to move to a different vehicle. But some insights from when I had this setup.

- Decked system for me wasted a huge amount of space in the bed. You get locking storage, sure. But I felt like I was always finding things that did not fit. Eventually I sold it and got a bunch of heavy duty storage bins.
- The HD rack was good but once I sold my rooftop tent, it was just overkill. It worked fine for what it was. No jerry-rigging needed to run it. And it was quite a solid platform. I trusted it more than I trusted the Gladiator bed tbh.
- Eventually I got a sliding bed cover. That was the business. Everything I needed was in a bin under the sliding cover. It locked. It was metal. Truck got slightly better MPG. I installed it myself with basic tools.

All that said, I ended up trading the truck straight across for a 2 month old Subaru Outback Wilderness. For me, a much more appropriate vehicle. It is faster, more nimble, gets way better MPG, can hold way more stuff in a locked area (plus I have a platform on top). Can't rock crawl, but I wasn't anyhow. Loved my Glad for what it was, but what it wasn't made it hard to live with.

 

[RYDR]

So I should start off by saying, I ended up selling my truck to move to a different vehicle. But some insights from when I had this setup.

- Decked system for me wasted a huge amount of space in the bed. You get locking storage, sure. But I felt like I was always finding things that did not fit. Eventually I sold it and got a bunch of heavy duty storage bins.
- The HD rack was good but once I sold my rooftop tent, it was just overkill. It worked fine for what it was. No jerry-rigging needed to run it. And it was quite a solid platform. I trusted it more than I trusted the Gladiator bed tbh.
- Eventually I got a sliding bed cover. That was the business. Everything I needed was in a bin under the sliding cover. It locked. It was metal. Truck got slightly better MPG. I installed it myself with basic tools.

All that said, I ended up trading the truck straight across for a 2 month old Subaru Outback Wilderness. For me, a much more appropriate vehicle. It is faster, more nimble, gets way better MPG, can hold way more stuff in a locked area (plus I have a platform on top). Can't rock crawl, but I wasn't anyhow. Loved my Glad for what it was, but what it wasn't made it hard to live with.

I appreciate your thorough and brutally honest answer. I'm glad you're enjoying your Subaru. Funny thing is, I too was looking into a Subaru Crosstrek. I sat in one with my wife at a car show and the wife kinda wasn't impressed and wasn't a fan of the size. For what it offers at its price point is tempting but at the end of the day, I'm 6'2" so I felt it would be a bit small, not that it mattered much because I would be probably making trips and camping/overlanding solo. It's size and the 182 hp power of the motor just felt like it wouldn't be enough for me. If it ever came in a manual, it could still be an option though.

The Outback definitely was nicer, more spacious and had better options for more hp. I was trying to get the wife to buy one because she eventually upgrades every few years and I could inherit the vehicle, lol, but she's currently looking at other options.

I ended up getting the Gladiator in March because of the 15% off of MSRP they were offering earlier this year and I got a good deal on a demo unit that had an extra $3,000 off plus I negotiated and additional $3,000 so the deal was too good to pass on. I've owned a few Cherokee XJs and still have a '99 that I'm working on. Always wanted a small pickup truck and a Wrangler so this kinda gives me the best of both worlds but is definitely a jack of all trades but master of none sort of vehicle. I am enjoying it though and a heating steering wheel is revolutionary!

Pardon my excitement. I'm a guy that tends to drive older, analog vehicles with manual transmissions...

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