Tailgate / Bedside gap getting worse

If you pull it with a strap or a come along it will pull it back to where it should be but it won't be fixed . As soon as you let off it will relax back out , it's just to stabilize and keep it from getting worse .

 

Hmmmm crushed bedside and camper and relentless rear. @MTNAPEX??!

 

Who is that? Jason Sib

 

I'll try a big ratchet strap first. Thanks

 

Yep

 

At a previous job we had 3/4 ton Chevy's that spent a lot of time offroad. They would crack around the tailights if you put heavy lengthwise toolboxes on them. The running joke was that they were so thin that if you looked on the backside of the panels you'd find the Budweiser logo.


Cost engineered into oblivion, like most things these days.

 

I have the same ARE shell with the internal frame. Are you using bed stiffeners? I have been going back and forth on this.

 

I know 2nd gen here, and i`m not here to offend but maybe offer a little help.
I have @At The Helm bed stiffners on my 2nd gen. They look a lot beefier then the TC stiffners. Not sure if the 2nd gen would fit 3rd gen, but maybe Morgan could answer that? Or if he's doing third gen yet?
Use straps to put it back in position then stick in his stiffners.
It's worth a shot, plus supporting a local TW member.

Good luck on getting it solved. This would bug the shit outta me too.

 

If the box side is dented and buckled it’s moved. I’d say it has more to do with the gap than you think.

 

Understand what you mean but it was already like this before the fender damage . Not trying to have a disagreement with you. Just seeing if you have any tips on how to fix it.

 

Bed stiffeners should help yeah ?

 

No bed stiffeners. They would help though as I have seen some / / shifting depending how far sideways I go, it’s noticeable when closing the tailgate.

 

The Dakota I drove was an early 1990’s model, pretty heavy double walled steel bed. Didnt take much to crack it and it was used off-road a lot on the forest.

 

Pull the right hand bed stiffener before trying to straighten it with the come-along. A fiberglas cap isn’t rigid enough to prevent the bed rails from flexing. Check the stiffener before reinstalling it. It should be slightly less than 90 degrees inside the angle. Also check below the tail light in front of the bumper where that sole rib is attached for cracks or kinks.

 

I personally would loosen the shell fasteners at least on the side that's off as well as the bed side fasteners. THEN try and straighten it with a strap, once straightened tighten the fasteners back....the body may have shifted in the bolt holes o bit...

 

You got it . If you have the stock bed rail cleats and feel you may break it . You can always pull off of the right rear bed pillar striker that your tailgate latch closes on. But that will have less leverage . I can also confirm that the rail system has metal behind it and does not connect to just plastic fyi I checked when building my bed rack . Just go slow its easier to go slow that go buy a porta power to push it back out. If you really want to play it safe install a d ring on the large bolt that bolts your bed down . That will be your strongest mount point . You can always fab something up with a piece of steel. Drill a hole and weld on a chain link and throw in a small d ring .

 

Guessing Toyota won't do anything about it, due to liability of Off-Roading!

 

As everyone has said, it's a characteristic of the truck and how it's used...aka it's built with cost in mind and it's going to happen. If you want to "fix" it for a short time, buy a new bed. If you want to "fix" your existing one, pull the metal, flex the composite to where you want it, build an exo that'll fit under the sheeting and keep it straighter for longer.

Or save thousands of dollars and just live with it. Or buy a new truck, don't put a topper on it and don't put loads on the bed sides.

 

I am not sure if anyone has mentioned bed stiffeners? I would say once you have got things pulled back to where they should be to install bed stiffeners. I have not bought any yet, was just waiting to see evidence that I need them before I buy. You may have convinced me by your pictures.
I plan to buy some myself, and posted below what I will probably be getting.

Where to buy: https://caliraisedled.com/collectio...products/05-2018-toyota-tacoma-bed-stiffeners

 

On my previous 1st gen, I had ladder racks and noted the same widening happening around the tailgate. I used a standard orange 'Home Depot' ratchet strap attached to the tie down hooks at the corners and pretty easily pulled it back. For me... loosening the bolts on the ladder rack cross bar so that the bed sides weren't fighting the ladder rack, and then retightening once I got it where I wanted it...did the trick.

Like others have mentioned, loosen the clamps on the cap before you strap it, then retighten. Might work.