Bed stiffener tie down strength

Just sucks I don't know anyone near me with a 2nd Gen or 3rd Gen

I make stiffeners for 1st Gen variants and having owned one I know they're made of steel (all around).

Even though it's thin, the front and rear ends are strong points for adding a tie down to which my stiffeners add.

Be nice to know if a 2nd/3rd Gen is strong enough on its own or if it needs steel backing (or on the botton below the bed) for more support.

 

The sides of the bed have plenty of strength in the vertical plane (compression), but far less on the horizontal. The bed stiffeners tie the two together so that there isn't a hinge (so-to-speak) at the bottom. There isn’t a whole lot of force there (it's more about the inherent weakness of the inside 90°)

I had the Total Chaos on my 3rd gen, and they are absolutely solid.

 

The legs go up and along the bed ... indicates the supported directions.

Have you asked for volunteers in your region? https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/regions.36/

 

My region sucks

And the local FB group is worse, but yeah I'll try again

 

The only tie down spots I trust and use for my dirt bike are the bed bolts where I added D-rings.
I thought some of those stiffeners used that bolt too.

 

you know you can count on me for honest feedback if needed

 

Sorry ... were you saying something?

 

Welllllll....still waiting to hear back but if I need to, I can cut and sell ya a weld-it-yourself set

 

the composite bed stops just before the metal upright that the stiffener bolts to. the composite bed is somewhat of a liner. the side and bottom that it bolts to are formed sheet metal that only extends about 3-4" from the tailgate forward. it's really the bottom is a single piece that is covered over by the composite bed piece, and the top is later spot-welded to it in typical unibody vehicle construction to create the inside area surrounding the tail light.

the bolts for the stiffeners don't have any extra bracketry on the other side of the metal, it's just 5/16" bolts(iirc) straight through the oem heavy-gauge sheet metal with a standard sized washer and bolt on the other side. so a significant load like proposed could pull them through.

that was why i mentioned total chaos' design patent-- they indicate it's an aesthetic upgrade, not a structural upgrade. any structural benefits are entirely unintended to the design, per the words of the patent.

 

i don't need them-- i've got the total chaos one's-- they'd need to fit close to justify changing. i don't want extra holes in the truck. but i would be curious to do some rear reinforcement plates.

though i imagine making the 4wp version would be much more lucrative for you, if anyone ever got you a set to design.

 

What region

 

No one ever took me up on my offer

Even though I offered a free set

 

Give these bad boys a shot!

www.VersaTrax.com

 

What kind of situations do you guys get into to where you want the extra reinforcement in the back? Is it for when the tail gate is down and you have a camper in the bed or something.

 

1st Gen truck bedsides begin to bow outwards with any weight on top such as a camper shell, bed rack, etc.

2nd and 3rd Gen owners will chime in regarding their trucks.

 

i have mine specifically for a rear tiedown location. initially they were intended for objects like plywood or 2x4's that extended past the tailgate, but now that i have them, i end up using them for anything i need to tie down towards the back of the bed because being in the rear corners are a more convenient spot than reaching further forward to the accessory rail tiedowns.

 

I've moved furniture and used the tie downs on the floor as well as on the bedsides...I was reluctant to put too much torque on the tie down straps just because I felt it was overkill.

Everyone is different on what they feel comfortable in tie down ratcheting.

I wouldn't put a motorcycle or anything of that weight in the bed with tailgate down...but, that's me--I'd use a steel trailer.

 

Step up your washers. That's exactly what they were designed for.

 

Which ones are you referring to? Under the D-rings?

 

I would install them. And put the box under the tree.