Metal Tube Bed Racks - ideas and options

[GlacierGladiator]

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Overall I’m very happy with how the All Pro Off Road (Tacoma) Pack Rack lines up. My expectation was that I was going to have to widen the tube midsections to gain more width to fit the Gladiator bed rails, but I don’t have to do so!

The tube height sits flush with the hardtop. This is great for daily use as it isn’t higher than the hardtop - both for reduced wind noise and regular home/office garage access. This means the rack can stay installed 100% of the time.

But this limits my roof top tent options. My goal is a 4 person RTT as I have 3 sons who camp with me. A hard shell pop-up RTT that fits 3-4 people is 78”-86” long - so it has to be situated 20”-24” over the rear of the hard top (similar issue Jeep had to address on the Wayout concept).

At the current height of the rack, I’m limited to a soft shell folding RTT that only sits over the bed.

So before I weld up the rack I need to select my RTT. A pop up RTT is my preference as all bedding and pillows can be stored inside (one less item to take up space in the truck bed) and setup is ~1 minute (valuable when trying to solo manage 3 boys while remote camping).

But to fit a pop up RTT means I have to add 2”-3” of height to the base of the main tubes so the length of a pop up RTT will clear the roof line.

Decisions...

Don't forget to leave a little bit of room between the RTT & hard top for bed and body flex when on the trails.

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[2020 SCRAMBLER]

Don't forget to leave a little bit of room between the RTT & hard top for bed and body flex when on the trails.

Thanks. I’ll have room between rear of cab and rack...but yours is a valid concern on the overall rack height and whether 2-3” of additional height is enough to compensate for tent clearance AND off-road flex if I run a longer hardshell over the roof. So maybe I need 6” additional height?

That consideration alone may help make up my mind on soft shell or hard shell RTT as I don’t want the tent another 6” higher further throwing off my center of gravity.

 

[Longleaf]

Any updates on this build? I wish I'd seen it before I started mine. Would've saved me some time learning how to use a tube bender ?

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

@Longleaf since this thread I’ve started my own build thread for this truck.

Updates HERE

 

[Zephyr]

Other threads mix up toppers, covers, and racks.

Creating one thread just for full height bed racks made from metal TUBE. Either round or rectangle tube welded or partially bolted together. No flat metal all bolt together 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 height rack units that look like universal fit or a couple of saw horses stacked on top of your bed rails (apologies in advance if that offends anyone).

Starting this off with the Gladiator's Grandfather, older AEV Brutes...

 

[Zephyr]

Other threads mix up toppers, covers, and racks.

Creating one thread just for full height bed racks made from metal TUBE. Either round or rectangle tube welded or partially bolted together. No flat metal all bolt together 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 height rack units that look like universal fit or a couple of saw horses stacked on top of your bed rails (apologies in advance if that offends anyone).

Starting this off with the Gladiator's Grandfather, older AEV Brutes...

Other threads mix up toppers, covers, and racks.

Creating one thread just for full height bed racks made from metal TUBE. Either round or rectangle tube welded or partially bolted together. No flat metal all bolt together 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 height rack units that look like universal fit or a couple of saw horses stacked on top of your bed rails (apologies in advance if that offends anyone).

Starting this off with the Gladiator's Grandfather, older AEV Brutes...

Thanks for starting this thread Scrambler! I'm hoping to identify custom fabricators in my neck of the woods (New England, eastern seaboard) to build welded tube

Other threads mix up toppers, covers, and racks.

Creating one thread just for full height bed racks made from metal TUBE. Either round or rectangle tube welded or partially bolted together. No flat metal all bolt together 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 height rack units that look like universal fit or a couple of saw horses stacked on top of your bed rails (apologies in advance if that offends anyone).

Starting this off with the Gladiator's Grandfather, older AEV Brutes...

Scrambler, thank you for starting this thread! I hoping to identify custom fabricators in my area (New England, eastern seaboard) yo build a full height & full length welded tube bed cage with a design that borrows heavily from the welded tube cage w/molle panels made by Signature - Off-road Gear Bed Rack
https://www.signatureautosports.com...ar-bed-rack-for-ineos-grenadier-quartermaster

Would greatly appreciate any leads for custom fabricators you or others may have.

Other threads mix up toppers, covers, and racks.

Creating one thread just for full height bed racks made from metal TUBE. Either round or rectangle tube welded or partially bolted together. No flat metal all bolt together 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 height rack units that look like universal fit or a couple of saw horses stacked on top of your bed rails (apologies in advance if that offends anyone).

Starting this off with the Gladiator's Grandfather, older AEV Brutes...

 

[2020 SCRAMBLER]

My guy was in SoCal for this tube rack build. Follow the above links to my build thread for more insights on this rack.

 

[smlobx]

@Zephyr since you’re near the coast let me suggest you look at marinas that build platforms for sport fishing boats etc. I had a rack built for my construction pic up out of welded and bent aluminum tubing that turned out fantasticly form a shipyard in the Outer Banks on NC.
Theres probably a place like that near you.

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