Ready-made L-track bed system from Mac's custom tie downs

[kd1yt]

I have no commercial connection with this company, I did previously buy some bare undrilled L-track product from them - and at the time I noticed that they had ready-made L-track systems for other make/model pickups and I suggested (back in January) that they bring out one for the Gladiator - though I have no idea whether or how much of a role my suggestion played in them bringing out this product.

I just got an email from them today that they now have ready-made L-track kits for the Gladiator (I did my DIY L-track install back in February)

I wouldn't call this a huge bargain but I really like the versatility of L-track and, if I hadn't already done my own, I might well go with this just to not have the 'fooling around factor' - and I think I had $200 in mine with the track + various hardware

https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/...m_medium=site&utm_campaign=ad-gladiatorbedkit

Sponsored

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Gee, that looks suspiciously like the track I installed for less money -
I got mine in black. I didn't buy the front rail as I've not really needed something up there - yet, but may add one later.

Looks like theirs is pre-drilled for the truck and includes the screws? I used stainless screws from Amazon. I paid 140 for the two tracks and 8 anchors (4 rings and 4 solid anchors)
I think I could have added a 4' section for the front and kept it under $200.

 

[King Nothing]

You can definitely do it cheaper, but for some people it’s worth an extra $75 for a completely bolt-in solution. I’m planning on doing what you did. I like that Jeep provided us with threaded holes already

 

[ShadowsPapa]

75??
I paid 140 shipped to my door. Mine would have been $180 shipped if I had bought another rail for the front. This one is $275 (and likely more if they don't do free shipping)
That's $135 difference at least.
So if theirs isn't shipped free you are likely $300. That's $120 difference.

It is good there's an alternative to the more bulky systems for those who just want to anchor or tie things in. It's another option and that's always good. I can imagine they'll sell a lot of these. They are low profile, simple to use, the anchors snap into place and are easily moved around and they don't add much at all to the weight of the truck - the rails are aluminum.

 

[Terminus33]

"The track is designed to a 3,000-pound Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) in vertical pull and a 2,000-pound MBS at 45°, giving you the capability to handle the heaviest load."

I think someone forgot to mention that the 4 screw points that connect it to the bed would probably rip off the side of the bed at those loads, but then again you'd already be over the payload of the bed 2x.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

"The track is designed to a 3,000-pound Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) in vertical pull and a 2,000-pound MBS at 45°, giving you the capability to handle the heaviest load."

.........................but then again you'd already be over the payload of the bed 2x.

If it were but that simple. It's not payload, it's the force you can gain with ratchet straps (which I have already proven can generate over 800 pounds just by the ratchet lever- at least my medium sized ones)
It's the force of the ratchet as you tighten it, then it's the load it's binding x whatever g-forces are generated around corners, over bumps, during acceleration or fast decel such as slamming on brakes, etc.
Seat belt webbing has a tensile strength of 3,000-6,000 pounds.
That's to endure the typical body weight of 150-200 pounds slamming forward against the belt in a sudden stop.
Granted if you smack a wall or tree you aren't going to get all bothered if the rails rip off the sides of the box, but if you have 1,000 pounds of cargo, have it tied down with a couple of straps and gave it a good go when tightening it, then hit a bump - you have well over 1,000 pounds of force on the tie-downs.
Here's a good example from seat belt science - apply this to cargo weighing several hundred pounds and even increase the stopping distance for non-accident but close-call situations - and you get thousands of pounds of force on the tie-down points ->
Take a car crash scenario the stopping distance is one foot, the force on a 160 lb driver is about 4800 lb or 2.4 tons, and the deceleration about 30 g's.

Here's another example - taking into account a 150 pound person (or load) and a 5 second stop - not an accident at all but hitting the brakes to avoid one->
The force required to stop a 150-pound person traveling at 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds is 1,800 pounds.

Wow. Take that 150 pound person times 6 for 900 pound cargo and suddenly a quick stop is thousands of pounds of force against the tie-down!
You have not even maxed out payload and yet you are ready to bust straps trying to stop in 5 seconds. Count out 5 seconds, it's a fairly long time, really.

 

[kelkolb]

You can get the OEM bed rails on eBay for $300. Not sure these are really any better and you're only saving $20

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You can get the OEM bed rails on eBay for $300. Not sure these are really any better and you're only saving $20

Yeah but the MOPAR system is apparently dangerous. This taken directly from the ad on eBay ->
WARNING: May cause cancer and reproductive harm. See www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more info.

 

[PancakeCritter]

"The track is designed to a 3,000-pound Minimum Breaking Strength (MBS) in vertical pull and a 2,000-pound MBS at 45°, giving you the capability to handle the heaviest load."

I think someone forgot to mention that the 4 screw points that connect it to the bed would probably rip off the side of the bed at those loads, but then again you'd already be over the payload of the bed 2x.

If it were but that simple. It's not payload, it's the force you can gain with ratchet straps (which I have already proven can generate over 800 pounds just by the ratchet lever- at least my medium sized ones)
It's the force of the ratchet as you tighten it, then it's the load it's binding x whatever g-forces are generated around corners, over bumps, during acceleration or fast decel such as slamming on brakes, etc.
Seat belt webbing has a tensile strength of 3,000-6,000 pounds.
That's to endure the typical body weight of 150-200 pounds slamming forward against the belt in a sudden stop.
Granted if you smack a wall or tree you aren't going to get all bothered if the rails rip off the sides of the box, but if you have 1,000 pounds of cargo, have it tied down with a couple of straps and gave it a good go when tightening it, then hit a bump - you have well over 1,000 pounds of force on the tie-downs.
Here's a good example from seat belt science - apply this to cargo weighing several hundred pounds and even increase the stopping distance for non-accident but close-call situations - and you get thousands of pounds of force on the tie-down points ->
Take a car crash scenario the stopping distance is one foot, the force on a 160 lb driver is about 4800 lb or 2.4 tons, and the deceleration about 30 g's.

Here's another example - taking into account a 150 pound person (or load) and a 5 second stop - not an accident at all but hitting the brakes to avoid one->
The force required to stop a 150-pound person traveling at 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds is 1,800 pounds.

Wow. Take that 150 pound person times 6 for 900 pound cargo and suddenly a quick stop is thousands of pounds of force against the tie-down!
You have not even maxed out payload and yet you are ready to bust straps trying to stop in 5 seconds. Count out 5 seconds, it's a fairly long time, really.

Keep in mind the rail is secured with four m6x1.0 fasteners. A 10.9 m6 can take over 3,500lb before a tensile failure. With cargo secured to two rails, there's not really much to worry about. Even a 1,000lb payload can safely survive a 5-10G impact, assuming your rigging is good and can distribute the load. If anything, the truck's sheet metal holding the fasteners will yield, maybe even tear.

I'd be more worried about the user properly securing the load.

 

[Gatorized]

Yeah but the MOPAR system is apparently dangerous. This taken directly from the ad on eBay ->
WARNING: May cause cancer and reproductive harm. See www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more info.

Only if you eat it...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Only if you eat it...

Well people have to be warned where to not put certain things these days, so......... LOL

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Keep in mind the rail is secured with four m6x1.0 fasteners. A 10.9 m6 can take over 3,500lb before a tensile failure. With cargo secured to two rails, there's not really much to worry about. Even a 1,000lb payload can safely survive a 5-10G impact, assuming your rigging is good and can distribute the load. If anything, the truck's sheet metal holding the fasteners will yield, maybe even tear.

I'd be more worried about the user properly securing the load.

Yes - but - two rails doesn't double the capacity as they are still equally weak links. You don't double the capacity by saying, there, I have one end of the strap on each rail, each can handle 3,000 so I'm good to 6,000. You are still limited to the weakest link - either the rail at 3,000 pounds of force (force, mass, not weight) or the bed itself, which would indeed likely give first. But at least in that case the force should be distributed over more than just one screw.

With your last sentence - unfortunately these days that's the bigger concern.

 

[Terminus33]

Keep in mind the rail is secured with four m6x1.0 fasteners. A 10.9 m6 can take over 3,500lb before a tensile failure. With cargo secured to two rails, there's not really much to worry about. Even a 1,000lb payload can safely survive a 5-10G impact, assuming your rigging is good and can distribute the load. If anything, the truck's sheet metal holding the fasteners will yield, maybe even tear.

I'd be more worried about the user properly securing the load.

True for whatever grade fastener it is but my guess is the nutsert will fail and separate from the bed before the fastener will.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

True for whatever grade fastener it is but my guess is the nutsert will fail and separate from the bed before the fastener will.

Great, now I have to go get some 1/2" steel stock and drill and thread holes and put on the backside of the bed walls to screw the rail screws into. Thanks.

 

[PancakeCritter]

Yes - but - two rails doesn't double the capacity as they are still equally weak links. You don't double the capacity by saying, there, I have one end of the strap on each rail, each can handle 3,000 so I'm good to 6,000. You are still limited to the weakest link - either the rail at 3,000 pounds of force (force, mass, not weight) or the bed itself, which would indeed likely give first. But at least in that case the force should be distributed over more than just one screw.

With your last sentence - unfortunately these days that's the bigger concern.

It all just depends on how you're loading them. In certain load cases, yes they will nearly double if properly sharing loads. But I made plenty of my own assumptions and didn't really lay those out. Unfortunately I can't sit around and provide free body diagrams for the million different scenarios.

Sponsored