Piano action clamping surface or something

I built a thing. It may not look like much but I plan to clamp piano actions to it so I don’t destroy one when I slam on the brakes.

Anyone got an idea of how to secure it to the bed? I’d like it to be easy to remove so I can go camping when I’m not banging on pianos.

I’ve got the two tie downs as an anchor point. And I see those star tip bolts on the floor...

anyone got any ideas?

 

It depends on how secure you need it to be. You could add tracks to the bed floor to bolt it to, or you could run brackets off the existing bolts made out of steel strap. Otherwise you may make a carriage to hold it that indexes with the wheel wells.

 

Idk what I'm looking at...but it looks like a piece of plywood

 

It’s a piece of plywood with a frame to bring it just high enough to get some C clamps under it.

 

Does drilling into the bed bother you?

 

it doesn’t make me feel great.

 

Then how about just a rubber bed mat?

 

You could used the small areas in the bed sides that are for cross boards, then, use a upright board to pin them into place against the bed rail. Then clamp or screw your jig to that.

I added two more tie downs on the front bed mounts, and that makes a big difference when securing things.

 

Actually installing tracks looks like a solid plan @Artruck, which I’m guessing requires some drilling @Amanelot

 

I haven’t seen this. Will look in the morning.

 

do you have to drill through the whole bed or just the liner?

 

There is no bed liner, only composite bed.

 

I just did this last week when I mounted a tool box to the bed of my Taco. LHT123 is right, the whole bed is composite. I would drill it, just be careful where you drill as the Driver's side seems to have most of the emissions stuff. Oh and watch-out for the vertical reinforcing 'blocks' (for lack of a better term). I was careful (or lucky) and drilled between them however if you drill too close to them it'll make installing a fastener hard, if not impossible.

Here is a link to my tool box install:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-old-tool-box-for-my-taco.699273/#post-24760804

 

IMO, forget compromising the bed of your truck. It looks like you already have the ability to fabricate an insert for your bed, design your ideal piano action clamp and fabricate an insert that you can drop into your bed, fitting around your wheel wells, to lock it in. Removable for camping.

 

Put eyes on your platform then use hooked turnbuckles to the factory D rings, add two more D rings up front, extra D rings are a pretty common mod.

 

You should use the existing bed bolts with the Torx head that you're already eyeballing.

 

This will be the easiest way. Just take out the middle bed bolts by the wheel wells and add some D rings to them.

 

Winner winner chicken dinner.

OP, if you go this route take the liberty of putting some neversize on the big T55 Torx bolts while you have them out. Id do all four, but for your purpose youd only need the front two.

 

How did I never see this thing? The notch for a cross board.

anyway, I’m going with the bed bolts. Will update!

 

Yup, I have two 1x6 cut for them, (and always forget I have them) take note they are different lengths the front and the rear between the bedsides the rear of the bed is slightly wider IIRC.