Bed Rails On The Cheap

[iflyimpilot]

These all look great! Totally going to make these on my JT to mount my bike with the RockyMounts LoBall.

This will sound very "newb-ish" but is there a specific model or spec strut that everyone is using? Is there a certain width measurement? For example doing a search on the Home Depot site, I see struts with different looking heights among them, and also perhaps different sized gaps. If anyone could point me to the specific ones, I'd very much appreciate it!

Hope the above is making sense. Thanks in advance!

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[Roguesalt]

These all look great! Totally going to make these on my JT to mount my bike with the RockyMounts LoBall.

This will sound very "newb-ish" but is there a specific model or spec strut that everyone is using? Is there a certain width measurement? For example doing a search on the Home Depot site, I see struts with different looking heights among them, and also perhaps different sized gaps. If anyone could point me to the specific ones, I'd very much appreciate it!

Hope the above is making sense. Thanks in advance!

So I used unistrut from home depot and i used 1 inch or the thicker gauge for sides and the smaller for everything else

 

[msugeek]

Really glad I saw this thread. I wanted the trail rail system but it just wasn't worth the price for me. This setup works perfect as a DIY solution. I sourced all of my material from McMaster-Carr. I ordered white powder coated but I'm 99% sure they had black as well.

 

[iflyimpilot]

Really glad I saw this thread. I wanted the trail rail system but it just wasn't worth the price for me. This setup works perfect as a DIY solution. I sourced all of my material from McMaster-Carr. I ordered white powder coated but I'm 99% sure they had black as well.

Looks super clean! Drilled the holes I assume?

 

[Roguesalt]

Very nice

 

[msugeek]

Looks super clean! Drilled the holes I assume?

Yes. I Used painter's tape to make a template that I laid on the back of the strut to mark the hole locations and drilled by hand.

 

[tcracing]

Really glad I saw this thread. I wanted the trail rail system but it just wasn't worth the price for me. This setup works perfect as a DIY solution. I sourced all of my material from McMaster-Carr. I ordered white powder coated but I'm 99% sure they had black as well.

Do you happen to have the part numbers on what you ordered from McMaster-Carr?

 

[PancakeCritter]

In aircraft, we have a modular track system that works really well. I'll probably try to fit something similar. Search McMaster for "L-Track"

https://www.mcmaster.com/39695T41/

https://www.uscargocontrol.com/collections/aircraft-style-seat-l-track

https://www.cargoequipmentcorp.com/Heavy-Duty-L-Track?quantity=1&l_track_profile=Regular&l_track_mounting_option=0.3125 Inch Mounting Holes&custcol_l_track_length_hd=1

 

[King Nothing]

In aircraft, we have a modular track system that works really well. I'll probably try to fit something similar. Search McMaster for "L-Track"

https://www.mcmaster.com/39695T41/

https://www.uscargocontrol.com/collections/aircraft-style-seat-l-track

https://www.cargoequipmentcorp.com/Heavy-Duty-L-Track?quantity=1&l_track_profile=Regular&l_track_mounting_option=0.3125 Inch Mounting Holes&custcol_l_track_length_hd=1

I feel like this is the way to go

 

[PancakeCritter]

I feel like this is the way to go

It’s nice because it’s a common standard. Many accessories for it, and you get a physical locked position that can’t slide. It would be fun to get it anodized to match.

 

[Kevin_D]

With any of these, or the OEM, rail systems, keep in mind that the track/rail is only held in with M6 bolts, which are a bit smaller then SAE ¼" bolts.
If you go using 3/8" or ½" hardware on Unistrut, you're going to really stress the M6 bolts!

Kevin

 

[PancakeCritter]

With any of these, or the OEM, rail systems, keep in mind that the track/rail is only held in with M6 bolts, which are a bit smaller then SAE ¼" bolts.
If you go using 3/8" or ½" hardware on Unistrut, you're going to really stress the M6 bolts!

Kevin

I do agree its good to consider. However, there are 4 on each rail. M6x1.0 10.9 tensile strength is around 3,500lbf. (with sufficient threads to avoid pull-out) Using multiple points on two rails, you could have the entire payload rating with a significant shock load and still be okay. Just be careful with significant localized ratcheting loads.

 

[King Nothing]

With any of these, or the OEM, rail systems, keep in mind that the track/rail is only held in with M6 bolts, which are a bit smaller then SAE ¼" bolts.
If you go using 3/8" or ½" hardware on Unistrut, you're going to really stress the M6 bolts!

Kevin

One of the places I looked had black powder coated track. Matches for me since I have the sprayed in liner

 

[msugeek]

Do you happen to have the part numbers on what you ordered from McMaster-Carr?

3310T604 - White Powder Coated Solid Unistrut (You'll need one 4 ft piece for front of the bed and two 5 ft pieces for the sides. You'll have to trim them with a chop saw or hack saw)

3312T23 - White end caps (6x)

99186A125 - EPDM Rubber washers to put between the rail and the bed (no real reason other than I thought it would provide a little protection for the paint and noise/vibration damping)

93635A218 - 316 stainless M6 30mm long hex head bolts (12x)

95211A160 - 316 stainless oversize washers

92153A426 - 316 stainless split washers

 

[tcracing]

3310T604 - White Powder Coated Solid Unistrut (You'll need one 4 ft piece for front of the bed and two 5 ft pieces for the sides. You'll have to trim them with a chop saw or hack saw)

3312T23 - White end caps (6x)

99186A125 - EPDM Rubber washers to put between the rail and the bed (no real reason other than I thought it would provide a little protection for the paint and noise/vibration damping)

93635A218 - 316 stainless M6 30mm long hex head bolts (12x)

95211A160 - 316 stainless oversize washers

92153A426 - 316 stainless split washers

Thank you very much!!

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