Bed Extender, Custom. Check out my Nice Rack!

Check out my voluptuous rack!

I bought my Tacoma with the intent of carrying sheet goods (plywood, drywall, other 4'x8' items) or camping gear on trips. I also wanted the tighter turning radius of the short-bed version. So a bed extender made a lot of sense for occasionally carrying items longer than five feet.

Problem is that most commercial bed extenders are as tall as the tailgate. I didn't want plywood to sit up as high as the tailgate in the back; instead, I wanted the height of the bed extender to match the height of the interior wheel wells. That way sheet goods would ride flat, hanging out about a foot, but supported by the bed extender.

I also saw on Tacoma World "Bok's" awesome post Double Cab Short Box Bed storage showing how well Rubbermaid Action-Packer Plastic Bins fit in the back of a short-bed. See post here: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ble-cab-short-box-bed-storage.html#post105637 That got me to thinking about using the bed extender in conjunction with the Action Packers.

It turns out that the given dimensions fall in place pretty well to use the flipped-in (stored position) of the bed extender to hold the Action Packer 24 Gallon Bins in the back of the bed against the tailgate. And when you open it up, you can put two more totes out on the tailgate.

The rack is made from 80/20 brand extruded aluminum, 1 inch square with three sides slotted (cross-section 1002). It is bolted together with SS cap head screws locked in place with Henkel Loctite 243 Threadlocker. All of the aluminum is pre-treated with Henkel 5007 Tectalis Wipes for corrosion resistance and painted with a clear acrylic. One continuous piece of plastic-coated stainless steel wire passes back and forth through the uprights to make the squares a little smaller. At the ends of the wires, there are stainless snap-swivels to keep the extender in place.

It isn't obvious, but there are also two 5/16” SS bolts that stick out of the top inside. When the bed extender is flipped into the open position, these bolts catch in the gap between the tailgate and the bed. Thus, when the extender is open, the cables are NOT what is holding the frame in place. The bolts provide a strong positive lock against loads trying to fall out the back; the swivels are attached, but only as a back-up.

There is also a little piece of aluminum that sticks out of the center to keep the Action Packer totes from sliding side-to-side. No matter how bad my driving, they never move.

I've been using the system for about six months now and I have to say it fits and works fairly well. My only complaint? It was relatively expensive. Commercial bed extenders generally run in the $160 to $190 range. The extruded aluminum alone for my voluptuous rack cost me $215. And although you could argue that my time is cheap, I probably spent a solid day cutting, threading, bonding and painting my rig. You are welcome to copy the design and build one for your truck, but it won't be cheaper than Ebay.

I'll post some pictures and the drawings for reference. Thanks much to all the other contributors who have provided so many good ideas on Tacoma World!

 

More pictures of details of the custom bed extender

 

A few more images to show how it fits in all normal use positions. I never take it out unless I'm going to get a load of mulch....

 

Here is a very simple drawing of the cuts required to size the extruded aluminum frame used on the custom bed extender rack. It might not seem like a lot of information, but the truth is that all you really need is a pencil and a hack saw to get it right.

One other note I'll make on the function of the rack; this rack does not flip over. I DO have to disconnect the snap swivels to change the position. It only takes a second, but there isn't enough length to allow the corners to clear as it rotates.

Also, when the tailgate is shut, the swivels are pulled tight against the ends. The rack can't move back and forth in normal traffic motion; it is held tightly to the corners. I also added some rubber feet to keep it quiet...

 

Nice, I like 80/20 stuff. I was going to make a step stool for my rv for the outside, and seriously, it was going to cost me over 200 buck with all the special fittings. Great job.

 

looks good

 

Awesome Mike - weren't you going to try to sell these?

 

Too expensive to sell; the raw materials alone are more than any commercial bed extender.

For reference, here's a link to one of the many commercial offerings:
http://www.realtruck.com/amp-research-bed-x-tender-hd-max/

I paid $215 for the aluminum alone. Maybe I could be cheaper than the Toyota OE extender, but only those six very expensive letters on the front could allow me to be competitive after you add up the build time.

The other issue with selling them is the liability of having honey boo-boo riding in the back as the old man flys down a washboard road in north Georgia. I worry enough about plywood becoming airborne on the highway; I don't want to get a call from Animal Planet saying that they got the whole accident on film, starting at the point where the wire snapped and the honey mother's butt dragged the rest of her family out the back...

 

This is a great idea! I am going to attempt creating something similar, perhaps in steel instead. i have hauled plywood and drywall in my box before and it was pretty sketchy. Plus when its folded it it looks like it would hold some firewood nicely. Look good!

EDIT: Would you be able to send me the ACAD file to save me some measuring?

 

To JSCHATTE and anyone else who might have a simple version of AutoCad to view the file with, here's the rough inside dimensions for a short bed and bed extender. Good luck and please ask if you think I might offer some other help.

 

Thanks mike!

 

Bump

 

Hey buddy....nice rack!

 

For your purpose that rack works better than stock. The OEM rack has rubber snubbers sticking up, therefore there is no flat surface to lay the sheetrock on.

Did you make provision like the OEM that holds it down by connecting into the tailgate latch? That keeps it and the tailgate from bouncing up when the road gets rough.

 

The only thing that attaches it to the truck is the cable snaps on the side walls of the bed. I've been using it for quite a while now and it doesn't seem to bounce too much; however, I don't really go off-roading either...

On one trip home from Vermont I forgot to clip the cables. Just the steel bolts were keeping it from sliding out the back. I drove 2 hours down the interstate and didn't realize it until I got home to unpack. No problem, no worries...

 

I like your design height that doubles as a second layer for hauling. I use one of those extenders that fits in the hitch receiver but it's just something else to store when not in use. Nice job...

 

bump

 

Nice.

 

Nice rack indeed!

 

If you can build one for my new 2019 Toyota Tacoma double cab with a 5-foot bed willing to pay $400 +