Tracrac TracOne (Universal) Review/Build for 05+ Tacoma Bed Rack

Got if from Lowes for $299.00. They offer models for our trucks, but I did not like their prices or the added hardware they give you so I decided to do it A la carte and end up with what I think is a better rack for my uses while being a little less money.





Grabbed some Tacoma bed rail clamps $79.99 online (they are cheaper now)




Beef!!!




The Tracone is a universal rack and works for a fullsize truck so it's tall and wide on a Tacoma......VVV


I didn't want to hit every tree in the woods or have a need for a rack 5" taller than my cab so I cut it down in length and width.

test fit width


Cut 9" off the width


After I cut down the horizontals I added notches to each so I never had to remove the end caps to put new hardware on it. Tracrack was smart and everything for it is the same 3/8" thread. Because of this the options for fabbing home made holders or adding other aftermarket rack hardware to it is limitless if you use a little imagination.






Had to drill one hole in each horizontal's cut side for the end caps.




I cut 4" off both the front and the back, but I would recommend 3" in the front and 4" in the back if you turn your kayak upside down like I do. My front kayak handle hits the cab offroad so I have since added 3/4" of height back to the front rack (luckily I saved all my cut offs).




handles hitting with yaks flipped at 4" of cut off before I raised it



The holes are the perfect diameter after cutting so no need for drilling. Just tap it with 3/8" and your good to go with the stock bolts.



If you mount it the way you are supposed to you loose a good 5" of bed space




So I turned my front rack around removed the front bed rail for max clearance and bed space



Tool box mounts right into the 3/8" standard threaded holes on top of the brackets. Each bracket has one. They also give you two additional brackets should your tool box be more than 12" deep. I didn't need them.












still plenty of room for the hi lift



13' & 9' yaks










I recommend swapping out the bed clamp bolts. They suck and are to long due to being universal. Use stainless 3/8" - 16 x 1-1/2" Hex heads




Recent mods.....

Sanded/primed/painted black





added 1' of airline/"L" track to each outside vertical

I put some great 3m tape on them so there wasn't metal to metal contact and to help hold them.


used 1/4-20 tap


1/4-20 x 1" stainless screws




you can get all kinds of fittings but I chose these for my uses


Added single pc of L track to each lower inside corner for strapping stuff into the bed or in the middle of the rack.




Be sure to Loctite everything and you should be good to go.

 

That looks really nice man. Good job I might try this

 

Thanks.

Another guy came up with a pretty cool topper mod for them I have been looking at and pondering about http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/193633-one-ugly-topper.html

 

This doesn't look like a motor swap

Nice work man, looks good! Love me some L track

 

I really like the addition of the L track! Paint looks good as well. I wonder how it will hold up with sliding yaks on and off? My 12 ft 75 lb sit on top has rubbed the original clear coat off after just a year.

 

Is the original finish anodized aluminum? I have the thule height adjustable racks and want to paint them black. Your racks look awesome

 

Nice thread Boyd

Just one point I'll make , my aluminum headache rack did not get along with stainless bolts

 

Can you still haul full size sheets of plywood or would they hit the cab (assuming they'd flex down) or is that not a concern for the rack?

 

Motor is coming soon. Recouping funds after wheel bearings on the dam Ford. Now I'm just working on the crap I accrued for it over the past year

Thanks. No the paint will not hold up. The original powder coat didn't either. The yaks wore down to raw aluminum. I didn't post it yet because I didn't take pics, but on the front in the middle I didn't paint it and put down rubber roof flashing. I just painted the rear today so in a day or two when it's cured Ill do that one and take pics. I looked all over for a good rubber and even got some 1" x 4' strips I was going to glue down. One day I was walking by my tape shelf and saw the flashing and a light went off so I said screw glue and rubber just use the easy stuff.

Powdercoat & crappy at that. I got pics of it bubbling up on my camera Ill post when I'm done with the rear rack. I sanded the bubbles down and primer/filled them before paint.

I know it won't hold up with tree's scraping it up, but a touch up every year or so is easy now.

 

Would an anti-seize compound help with the steel/aluminum reaction? Or maybe the Loctite?

Loving the black!

Great ideas Boyd!

 

x2

 

Wonder if bathing them in loctite will help me

Never tried a sheet of plywood. I did have (2) 5' x 15' skids up there last winter and wheeled with them for about a mile with no straps on them and never heard anything hit. My roofs already dented from hitting trees anyway so if it did hit it's no biggie

 

Like.

 

Great review. Thank you!

 

No more slippery silver

 

What's the width of the track on the top of the bars , looks like it's the same as my DeWalt ProRac on my cap

 

exactly 4" at it's widest

very possible to have a similar extrusion die used for both products.

 

better view of cut off I saved

 

Sorry , I meant the actual T slot track

 

11/16"W x 1/4"H ID with a 3/8" wide slot