Bed Molle Comparisons? Pros & cons.

Well, my third gen didn't come with the cab rail track, but this is what mine look like:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-3rd-gen-today.399305/page-9476#post-25088101

 

I added the cab bed rail. very useful for for me!
Would you be able to measure the distance from the top of the molle panel to the bottom of the square bar for me? I can measure against mine to see if there is space for the LEDs....
Thanks!

 

1 1/8 inch

 

Love this!

 

I have the Rough Country Molle Panel set. It’s 1/3 of the price of the Cali Raised.
The only difference I know of is that the RC side panels don’t reach all the way to the back like the Cali Raised. They stop like, halfway above the wheel well.
I love my RC set though!

 

Just installed the @BuiltRight Industries cab-end Molle and it's as easy and strong as one would ever expect. 2 panels bolt together with supplied hardware, then they use existing truck hardware and locations to lock into the header rail and under the bed bolts. I have a BakFlip cover which didn't interfere save some routing of the enormous drain tubes behind the Molle panels. Definitely looking into the bedside panels next provided I can verify they'll fit on the mounting brackets for the BakFlip. Very satisfied with the purchase so far.

https://builtrightind.com/products/bedside-rack-system-cab-wall-kit-toyota-tacoma-2005-2021

 

BAMF seems like a pretty good alternative, especially since RC says theirs are for short beds only.
What do you guys do about tying stuff down? Some of this hardware is pricey, but would some velcro not be feasible?

 

Cali raised powerd coating sucks. Unless they have a different vendor or method, I would be cautious of them.

I bought ditch light brackets and bed reinforced bracket and they are pealing and rusting.

Don't k ow if it's normal after 5 years, but that seems bad too me... Perhaps I'm being over judgmental....

 

Kolpin Rhino Grip Flex mounts in 1.5” or 3” versions. You can also use Quick Fist mounts, though I think that QF mounts are garbage.

 

I used M6 rivnuts & the same OEM torx bolts as found on the passenger side cubby. You don’t use any washers for a rivnut. The rivnut is compressed with the rivnut tool and becomes a permanent threaded attach point. Mark your holes, drill, install M6 rivnut, and you have an OEM looking attach point for your driver side MOLLE panel. I also added a rubber grommet on the bolt between the panel & the bed so there is no metal-to-composite contact. Super simple. Takes 15 mins. You just need a rivnut tool to do this. If you’re concerned down the road about leaving threaded holes, you can just leave two M6 torx bolts installed in them.

 

Anyone know the bolt sizes for the @CaliRaisedLed bed molle panels? Specifically the big ones down the center that hold the panels together. I can't seem to find a hex head in my toolbox that fits it, perhaps it's torx? At least the little ones have a hex wrench that fits them. I already stripped two so will be replacing them with real bolts after I figure out how to get them off...

 

I love the hex cut on the Rough Country panels. I wish they made them for long beds. Nobody else sells a cut like that that I know of. I'll have to get some fabricated. Good choice!

 

Center is 7/32 allen key.

 

<3 thank you for that image!

 

Installed the RC (sorry correction: RA Motorsports) side molle panels last year in my short bed taco. Turned out well and fit perfectly underneath a softopper once you make the simple modification as described by Saturnine earlier in this thread.

 

The Rough Country panel is good quality and reasonable in price. So far, all I have is the end of the bed one. I might get the passenger-side one too since I already have traction boards mounted to the factory rail on the driver's side. All I have permanently mounted to it is the port-a-toilet for when nature calls.

 

Nice! Gotta make sure that toilet is available when nature calls .

BTW does that RC panel mount by screwing in below the bed rail rack? I can't quite tell by your photo.

 

Since it's a 2020 it has no rail system up front, just that header bar with 2 screw holes. You unbolt the header bar one screw at a time and then pass the screws through these L shaped brackets that also screw to the rack. If you zoom in to the picture you can barely make it out.

 

i installed/modded the hooke road bedside molle panels, specifically because it's one of the few versions that are designed for the 6' bed.

each side was originally 2 pieces, welded them together for 1 seamless piece on each side, mostly as an excuse to use the welder.

added some led inset channel that takes up the top molle openings, but adds light across the entire bed:

 

Mostly related, I found it so difficult to bolt on the quick fists to my front bed panels that I undid the top row of bolts to pull the panel forward and slide my hand down from the top.

Anybody know the trick to bolting those onto the panels without having to do what I did and dealing with dropping the stupidly tiny nut?