DIY bed racks

Good evening everybody!

I have a bunch of 1x1 (I think, maybe 1.5x1.5) square tubing. Im thinking of utilizing said material to make some bed bars for a tent. I was just curious as to how to make the mounts? The bars themselves are pretty straight forward although Im not sure if I shuold make the angled or 90 degrees. Anyways, how should I make the mounts and how do I go about mounting them on the bed? Do I just drill anywhere I see fit? Do I drill from the top or side or both? 2 bolts or 1? If yall could help me out and upload pics of you mounts and where they are bolted on it would help me out a lot. TIA

 

Perhaps look at how the fabricators/vendors have designed the bed racks they sell.

 

Ive seen some, but there are no up-close pics of how they are mounted. I will keep researching, but I wouldn't want to go up to a company and ask how to replicate their product.

 

Have you looked for installation documentation from rack vendors? Some may post up such info.

 

Most just sit on top of the bed rails, but bolt into the track system on the sides of the bed.

Don’t drill into the bed, there is no need to when the bed has a track system to bolt to.

 

I think I used 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" or 4" x 4" Angle to fit over the rail and bolt into the track.

 

Does this give you any idea? T bolts in the track. You should be able to zoom in.

 

Could you upload some pics?

 

Let me see if I have anything stashed on my phone.

 

Yessir, thats very helpful thank you. Would you be able to tell me more or less how long those bolts are? Do they have a nut on the other side? Self tapping?

 

Thanks

 

This is a decent shot as it shows how the angle fits over the bed rail, it also gets bolted into the track with tamper proof stainless bolts. I went with no rise over the bed but you could fab any height you wish

 

I think I commented a few days ago on the exact t nuts you want in a different thread. The bolt length is going to depend on the thickness of the stuff you are bolting down. These bolts are 1.5” long grade 8.

 

yep... https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/black-horse-roll-bar-question.631352/#post-21661150

I purchased at https://www.zoro.com/te-co-tap-thru-t-slot-nut-38x12-41405t/i/G1717033/?q=41405t

Bolts and washers came from homedepot or boltdepot. I forget which.

 

Those appear to be one inch bolts, unless they are Metric, then they appear to be a 25mm M8? Typically you don't count the "head thickness" just the thread length.

 

Yes, they are 1.5 with the head. Your application determines actual length so this is just an example of what I used.

Most people recommend the t nuts that aren’t threaded all the way through. Those will hose your bolts if you aren’t precise. Hence the reason I recommend and use fully threaded t nuts.

 

$13 T Slot Nuts for Toyota Bed Deck Rail, 4 PCS Stainless Steel Nuts for Tacoma & Tundra Cleats, Tie Downs and Accessories 3/8"-16 Thread 304 Steel

https://www.amazon.com/GZSJY-Toyota...?keywords=Toyota+T+nuts&qid=1573444755&sr=8-2
These were the Stainless T Nuts I went with.

 

Per your pic, they are 1.25” with the head included...

 

You’re a picky mother fucker aren’t you? Did you account for camera angel, shadows and wine.

I think the OP gets the idea. You can butt out now.