Relocate deck rails

I bought a retractable tonneau cover off eBay which requires removing the deck rails so the clamps can be installed. Has anyone had experience relocating the deck rails lower in the bed so I can still use cargo hooks?

 

On the Bakflip, they come with relocation brackets to lower it so you can use them still. Not sure how that would work for your application but I know they sell all extra parts on their Amazon store so you could grab some there if you want to try.

 

Something like this?

$33 AA-Racks P-AC-04N Utility Track System Mounting Clamp for Toyota Tacoma/Tundra Truck Cap/Camper Shell, Set of 4 - Black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GZCYJ6T

 

just to be clear, you're looking for an option that would allow attachment of the retractable tonneau, while also giving full access to the accessory rail?

i don't think that exists.

the body armor 4x4 molle panels are the only alteration to the rails i know of, but that is specifically to mount the molle panels underneath the rails. i don't know of anyone that makes a purchasable option for attachment points above the rails.

the option you link to in your last post won't work with the tacoma because the accessory rail hugs the bottom of the lip those mounts would normally grab onto. they would require complete removal of the accessory rail.

which retractable tonneau did you buy?

 

This is the one I purchased.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3948961585...SQSHD09SDq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I found these clips on Amazon that we're going to try:

$26 P-AC-04N Mounting Clamps for Truck Cap Camper Shell Toyota Tacoma/Tundra - 4 PCS

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC8ZKXVS

 

Rivnuts with the biggest flange that’ll work…

I might even add some more mounting holes to the track for more ‘pullout’ strength. Pretty much impossible to get any kind of backing plate up in there.

 

wait and see what kind of hardware the cover comes with.

but i can tell you with absolute certainty that those linked clamps won't work on these trucks without completely discarding the accessory rail. i'm not even confident they'll work with the selected cover.

 

An aside to the thread topic, but...

How are the OEM bed rails mounted?, and realistically, what sort of load (vert. , horizontal shear, and tension) could one expect to be safe. I would feel dumb pulling a rail off the bedside while cinching down a load of trash to haul to the dump.

I'm strongly considering adding two sections of "aviation seat track" To my 2021 AC
A known commodity, but it's all in the mounting. ;-)

 

they're just riv-nutted through the composite bed in multiple places--i want to say 4-5 spots on each rail.

not many people report issues pulling out, so they appear to be strong enough.

realistically, the trucks max-rated payload is something like 900 pounds. and considering that they're side-rails, and not the main supporting method for any load, they really shouldn't even carry more than 300-ish pounds in tension in most extreme of cases.

i know i can't get more than about 50 pounds into my ratchet straps before they're far too difficult to remove, and at that point, i'm re-orienting the cargo to reduce the strap load.

the only guy i recall that even so much as damaged the rails used even heavier-duty clamps than linked above, and attached a multi-piece topper to the rails. the upper connection points between the uprights and crossbar had slop, but he insisted on blaming the bed attachment and kept cranking on the bed rail clamps until it bent the clamps and the rail. but even after all that, it still didn't pull the rail off the bedside.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...g-anyone-else-experience-this-any-fix.814851/