Bed Rails On The Cheap

[Red Hot Sloth]

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

I have 4 tie-downs from my old Nissan Titan that I use.

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[Blade1668]

Thanks to you and the others that have done this, I copied it on front rail I used the half width strut. Then I added a tall "ammo can" too I'm going to modify how it's mounted some more probably and re paint the can, have can like that on my XJ I used for recovery gear. Not sure I'll use this one for that. Might be use for rachets straps and tie downs.

 

[steffen707]

Then I added a tall "ammo can" too

i added a "normal" ammo can. Never heard of a tall one. Where did you get it?

 

[Blade1668]

i added a "normal" ammo can. Never heard of a tall one. Where did you get it?

They are for rockets, mortar or NVG (night vision device's) surplus stores and such have some times.

 

[kevman65]

Red Hot,
If you want to improve/upgrade your hardware, look at Fastenal. Get button head allen cap screws and washers, all in 304 or 316 Stainless. The cadmium stuff from big box hardware stores will still corrode and make streaks.
You'll also gain space in the rails, but with using "skinny" strut you still probably won't be able to slide anything across the button heads.

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

@kevman65 Thanks for the tip, much appreciated!

 

[Gatorized]

i added a "normal" ammo can. Never heard of a tall one. Where did you get it?

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/productlist/military-surplus/ammo-cans-military-storage?d=122&c=407

 

[Blade1668]

I had to wedge a coat hanger in track to hold cam nut inline to tighten bolts for the can I mounted. One of reasons I will probably re mount it differently.

 

[kevman65]

For all you guys wanting to go this route, you can buy this strut in Stainless Steel.

Yes it raises the cost factor, but you will never have to worry about the strut rusting.

Personally, if I were going to do it, I would use all SS from strut to hardware. Also use a little dab of nickle based anti-seize on the threads. Dissimilar metals and all.

 

[steffen707]

I had to wedge a coat hanger in track to hold cam nut inline to tighten bolts for the can I mounted. One of reasons I will probably re mount it differently.

there are strut nuts with springs on them so they stay in place. Menards had em.

 

[steffen707]

For all you guys wanting to go this route, you can buy this strut in Stainless Steel.

Yes it raises the cost factor, but you will never have to worry about the strut rusting.

Personally, if I were going to do it, I would use all SS from strut to hardware. Also use a little dab of nickle based anti-seize on the threads. Dissimilar metals and all.

@Red Hot Sloth - how much did the struts cost?
@kevman65 - how much are the SS struts?

I would compare these with @BuiltRight 's kit. If the step to SS is big, it might be work just buying rails already done. I don't know if theirs are E-coated first then powder coated.

I do try to save money where I can, but I also value my time/simplicity.

EDIT: 10ft stainless superstrut on zoro is $112 each. So if @kevman65 knows where its cheaper, maybe that's a route, but for now I would say either cheap like @Red Hot Sloth posted on post 1 of this thread, or checkout @BuiltRight. Matt are they E-coated then powdercoated, or just powdercoated?

 

[kevman65]

steffen707,

You looked at and quoted 1 5/8" tall price.

Look here at 13/16" tall. $89.19 for 10'
https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-st...er-fs-500ss-st4-12000/i/G0656144/#description

 

[kevman65]

Best bet at decent pricing for SS strut is your local plumbing/piping supply house.

If they handle it, they handle a LOT of it and get a better price.

 

[Red Hot Sloth]

The basic strut I bought was $19 a stick. SS strut in my part of the country (SoCal) might be overkill, but we did just have an extremely rainy month with no sign of rust or corrosion...yet. I still haven’t painted it, but I will soon.

 

[Blade1668]

there are strut nuts with springs on them so they stay in place. Menards had em.

The small problem with them is fitting in the short rail, I had to remove the spring to fit the shorter rail. On the full size rails they worked that was the same as I got. That's a photo of the 2 different ones I used the short one on front.

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