So instead of D-rings...

The other day while I was getting ready to add on my additional d-rings that I bought 5 for $5 my neighbor swings by. As I was getting ready to remove my bed bolts and start to drill a larger hole for the D-rings, my neighbor suggested that I use "I" bolts instead.

Ones that look like this, but obviously much more heavy duty


He goes on to tell me that I can just take out one of my bed bolts and bring it to a hardware store and they can match it up for me.

What do you guys think? I plan on hauling my motorcycle around a lot and these would cut out the hassle of drilling and what not.

 

They maybe stronger. However, they'll always be sticking up off the bed floor, so they'll be in the way if you try hauling something that needs the entire bed.

 

Exactly what buyobuyo said.....

Those will stick straight up into the bed. That's fine if you're OK with it.

But I'd think you should be able to find something that'll fit your original bed bolts AND fold over also.

Do you know what thread the bed bolts are? Anyone?

You gotta be careful what you get if you're towing a motorcycle - I'd make darn sure the tie-downs can handle the weight/pressure. In other words - you get what you pay for if you're not careful.

 

The rope rings that I bought are capable of holding up to 2400lbs so I think my bike is pretty safe haha.

I just figured that instead of grinding down the bed bolt and drilling a bigger hole in the d-rings to fit the bed bolt, i can simply just replace them with these bolts. I don't have any plans of towing anything other than my motorcycle and if i do I can just remove them and just put the old bed bolts on right?

 

I haven't looked at them myself... But what about the toyota factory d-rings that are located near the tailgate?

Do they have the same bolt patter/thread as the other bed bolts? If Yes, then buy a couple more of the toyota d-rings. It'll cost more, but atleast it'll look like they came that way from the factory (if that's important to you)

 

Actually those d-rings are not the same bolt size. The D-rings by the tailgate requires a Torx socket #33 I believe and the bed bolts require a #55.

 

Yeah, just went out and looked. Those bed bolts are HUGE.

Other than the oem d-rings costing a fortune from toyota - you could drill out the d-ring mounting hole to accept the belt bolt size and/or add a large washer to support it (if the hole was close to the sides)

*sorry, thinking out loud*

 

D-rings put the threads in shear only. I-bolts put the threads in bending as well. The longer the I-bolt, the worse the bending. I'd use the shortest ones possible.

Car-Lane used to sell something called "Safety Hoist Rings" that work like the D-rings but are much stouter. They're much more expensive than I-bolts though.

 

No one else has mentioned the fact that the bed bolts hold the bed on! The heads are large to distribute the pressure over the bed. With those eye-bolts you have a very small surface area, even if you use a washer. Then how do you tighten them? Can't use a wrench. A breaker bar wasn't enough for me to get the bed bolts loose, so more torque than I could apply is needed, and you probably risk bending/twisting/snapping the eyes trying to tighten the bolts. Now, lets assume the worst happens and one breaks at some point. How do you get it out?

D-rings are just better all around IMO, and there's probably other reasons truck companies use them instead of eye-bolts.

 

Pierced, i've read many post about it being tough to remove, but when I did it with my 1/2 tq wrench it was cake. I would almost say that it was quite easy. I was expecting to break a sweat but, nothing haha.
The truck is brand new and i've never touched it until that one time.

 

My original comment (or atleast what I intended) - was to buy another set of toyota D-rings....drill the hole out to accept the bigger bed bolt...and use a washer inbetween the head of the bolt and the d-ring bracketry. Atleast, that's what I'd do. Those torx bolts wouldn't go back in either!! I'd get grade-8 hex heads! Torx bolts suck!

 

Look in the cheap/free thread. I found some cheaper rings that I used, and Toyhauler (i think) found similar ones somewhere else for even cheaper. You're talking about exactly what I did and posted a DIY on. My comment was for the people thinking an eye-bolt was a good idea.

 

Yeah it was me that found the cheaper bolts. I was just thinking of trying to do it an easier way. I guess I'll just use my d-rings.

 

To be honest, I like the fact that the D-rings fold flush with the ridges in the bed. I loaded some 5ft logs last weekend and was very glad I didn't have anything for them to snag on! Even took out the bed mat so I wouldn't be fighting that trying to slide them in. Also nice if I need to load tables or something flat that would get punctured by eye-bolts. Might be a bit of work, but well worth it in the end. I now carry 8 ratchet straps in the truck.

 

8 straps?!?! haha I thought my truck was messy because I carry four! haha.

I have the weekend off this week and would like to work on these d-rings, so if you can confirm my steps it'll be great!

08 TRD sport Tacoma
No bed mats

Tools
Extended 1/2 tq wrench
#55 torx wrench
Dremel
19.2 volt drill
1/2 drill bit

1. Take off the Torx screw
2. Use a dremel to smooth off the top of the screw so that the ring can slip off.
3. Using the 1/2 drill bit, enlarge the whole of the d-ring
4. Slide the D-ring through the screw
5. Replace the ring back to the screw
6. Tq the bolt back to Xlbs (what is the tq?)

So the order should be from the top: top of screw, d-ring, o-ring, truck bed.

Is this correct?

 

That's about it. Someone mentioned you can knock the washer passed the lock ring on the bolt with a hammer so the dremel part is optional.

Not sure on the torque numbers. I used an impact to take them off and put them back on. 550ftlb impact. They ain't coming out!

 

Great! I'll be doing it this weekend, i'll keep you guys posted.

 

http://www.bedbolts.com Have at it, pull the loops when you don't need them, flush and clean.

 

I've seen those before. Always wondered if you'd have a problem with dirt, sand, etc getting in the hole and clogging the threads when you don't have the rings in.

Edit:
I kinda like the fact I can cable/U/Pad-lock things to the D-rings and know they aren't going anywhere. Not just unscrewing the ring and taking whatever's locked down.