New player in the bed stiffener game...?

$70 Hooke Road Tacoma Bed Channel Stiffener Support Brackets Compatible with Toyota Tacoma 05-23 2nd & 3rd Gen Pickup Truck - Pair

https://www.amazon.com/Hooke-Road-T...ke+road+tacoma+rear+bed&qid=1594220936&sr=8-2

Anyone have these yet? Good, bad, same as any other brand?

These say 9 gauge steel, but I don't know how that compares to the others. At SUCH a price reduction, it seems like a "get what you pay for" situation, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has opinions good or bad...and if anyone has tried them.

 

I seem to have seen Hooke Road mentioned here before...so maybe they be decent?

 

I don’t know much about all of the other ones, but I do know they look MUCH better than these.

IMO I’d spend the money to get a product that the manufacturer cares about.

9 gauge = 5/32”

 

Their roof rack has gotten mixed reviews, with most seeming to say it's worth it for the price but not super awesome. Haven't seen anything about their bed stiffeners though.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hooke-road-roof-rack-ubox-offroad-com.598910/

 

Agreed on all counts...I got an email from Amazon...ya know..."we found something for you", I presume because I've looked at TC and CR bed stiffeners before. Just wondered if anyone had tried them or heard good or bad about them.

Even for a $40-$100 "discount", I'M not gonna be the guinea pig lol.

 

Interesting. Other brackets are about the same: Victory4x4 stiffeners are also 3/16 and cost $119; Total Chaos stiffeners are 3/16 and cost $160. Couldn't find a thickness for Cali raised.

So the thickness difference between the major brands and the Amazon ones is 1/32", or about .03". For comparison, a U.S. penny is about .06" thick.

 

Do we need bed stiffeners on just a regular basis? Like some off-roading, trailer towing? No overhead campers?

 

Probably not if you're staying on-road and no camper shell/bed rack/etc

 

The Hookers, based on geometry, assuming the same steel properties, will without a doubt be stiffer than either the Total Chaos or Cali stiffeners. That is not at all to say the others are not as stiff as needed. The locations of the holes in the "corner web" don't help any of the designs as far as strength goes. Biggest issue/difference I see is the distance the web protrudes into the bed. The Hookers are going to get in the way more often.

 

5/32 = .156"

My Cali Raised are .202" thick.

Just for comparison.

 

That's the tradeoff with any of these. The bigger the web, the better/stronger the stiffener. But when you make the web bigger, it will protrude more.

I thought the Hookers looked pretty similar to the Cali Raised design. Both have the tab facing away from the bed allowing one bolt to be placed in shear.

 

Thanks for measuring. Presumably Cali uses the same 3/16 steel as Total Chaos and Victory4x4. 3/16 steel is .1875" thick; the remaining .0145" (.202-.1875) is likely paint/powder coating.

 

What geometry are you saying is different, and why is it stiffer?

 

that is what I assumed, coating thickness.

 

I don't like they only provide you with one bolt to attach the upright to the bed. There are 2 more holes so I'd probably use my own.

I don't know how much support stiffeners need but I don't like that these don't meet in the corner.

I prefer using the vendors here on TW versions.

 

I believe he's saying the gusset at the corner of the bracket is larger the the others. Therefore it's going to protrude into bed space more and be an obstacle when loading things.

Edit: to answer the question directly, the hypotenuse is longer. LOL

 

I dont know about the hippopotamus being longer, but these look like almost exact copies of Cali Raised.

 

I enjoy using my tie down points on my Total Chaos stiffeners. The holes are large enough to be easy to work with. Beyond that, I do like that the TC's run all the way up the bed side. I have racks and frequently carry two kayaks and gear up there so having my stiffeners help a lot. My bed sides definitely move without them. I'd say most of the brands out there are just fine for helping with the movement of the bed sides, so you can't go wrong really. Anything there will help. Go for it if the price is right. You could probably make one for much cheaper too with a welder and be just as functional.

 

My bad - I was looking at the Victory4x4's not Cali's. Yeah, pretty much knock offs.

 

What’s the point of bed stiffeners?