Bed Stiffener Alternative Solution???

I would just watch how much weight is on the bedsides. Other then that, just enjoy your truck. Things happen and you can prevent it as much as possible but really the only way to keep it new is not to drive it. So might as well enjoy.

This is my bed, it split. Second pic shows how the bed stiffeners didn’t help as the bedside pulled away from the support.

can see the total chaos bed stiffener is in the right place, but the sheet metal is what pulled away.

 

That's one of the reasons I am leaning toward the overland bars, keeps the weight down lower. I thought about just putting the tent over the cab and not worrying about it at all. But not sure I'd like the way that looked. Thanks for the information!

 

Good approach. Thanks!

 

I am good with not having a project if I don't have too
But I may go ahead and do it.

What you're describing sounds a lot like what I have heard people say about hiking boots and the way they turn what would have been a twisted ankle into a twisted knee.

 

Wow... that's interesting. Thanks for sharing the pic!

 

Oh wow... sounds like what JdevTac was saying about creating a new point of failure.

But you bring up a good point about just enjoying the truck. That's probably what I need to do instead of worrying about this

Thanks for the advice!

 

Do the bars. very versatile and well priced. plus having the tent on the cab is pain to open/close. It'll save your fuel economy too

 

No worries.

I was loaded with what I thought was normal. Contractor cap, rtt, rack, some tools in the tool box of the cap. Setup looked like a lot of others setups around here. Whether it was my truck or the way I wheeled or something it happened. So my words of wisdom are try to keep the weight of the rails as much as possible. Rtt and a light cap probably is fine. I had a heavy roof rack, and tools in the side boxes. Thought it was normal but meh. It is what it is.

 

The bars are going to tie the bed sides together very well, so bowing out is probably not something that will happen until you have so much weight that the rack/bars/joints are stressed to the point of yield. The one piece welded tube type racks (All-Pro bed bars for example) are probably better for this type of strength, but any should help. The weight on the bars, when cornering or bouncing around will try to move the weight and the rack from side to side, flexing both bed sides with it. Your crossed ratchet strap setup will certainly help, but only on one strap at a time because you cant push a strap, and over tensioning them may induce inward flex on the bed sides that could hurt more than it helps, so be mindful of how much tension you set them up with.

 

Agree with all of that! Plus they are super easy to remove if I need the whole bed for something.

 

I've had bars. They don't necessarily keep the bed together. Sometimes the bumps and rough terrain will push it out. I noticed my bed was way out of shape so I did the ratchet strap thing too. But bed stiffeners are just a way better solution. You never have to think about it again..

 

Good stuff here! Thank you! I am thinking to check the tailgate on both sides after installing the straps to make sure the gaps remain unchanged.

 

That would only be the case if the strap was from bed rail to bed rail creating a square structure from a C structure. His straps are rail to floor, which creates two triangle structures, which is stable. The only issue with this would be a strap is tension only, so it only prevents rolling the bed rail outward, vice a gusset that supports inward and outward.

 

Makes me feel better that someone else has at least tried this. I hear what you are saying about the stiffeners being a better solution. Definitely wouldn't forget to do them as I know I would at some point with the straps.

 

Do you think the overland bars along with the straps will help keep the bed from rolling inward? Seems like with the overland bars in place, one strap keeps both sides from moving one way, and the other strap keeps them from moving the other way. Does that make sense?

 

You sound like my wife I might have been accused in the past of over analyzing things! Thanks for the reminder to just enjoy it!

 

Yep, that makes sense. The rack functions to close the C structure into a square, preventing them from inward movement. The straps keep each side from outward movement, and one moving inward while the outward.

 

Yeah... I know. But just got to thinking about this. And thought I'd get some feedback. May end up installing some of the stiffeners like these.

 

Thanks for the welcome! I'm neither of those things either And you're right, $100-$160 is not a lot of money and I may go that route. Thanks for responding. Maybe this is an ok solution for a little while.