How to mount rack to bed

Ok so I've been trying for three days to mount my headache rack on my truck. No the mounts aren't made for a Tacoma but I got the rack cheap off Craigslist and it came out of a t100. It fits but the problem is, I can't get a screw to tighten down to the top of the bed rails, it goes thru the plastic covering and I'm assuming the metal but it just spins and doesn't tighten. Can someone with either a home made rack or more knowledge than I please help me on how to get this done?

 

i assume its not into metal.sounds like just spinning in the plastic.

 

There is nothing under the bed caps to mount to , your best bet is to modify it to mount into the bed rail system

 

Does the bed rack mounts go the length of the bed? You could just remove the plastic caps and see what you're dealing with.

 

There is a fold of sheet metal , that's it .

 

well i got a couple pieces of metal that i can bend into L brackets, that way i can mount the bracket into the bed rail system, and then mount the rack into the top of the piece of metal. im hoping it works, im gonna scrap the fuckin rack if it doesnt lol

 

You need to do something like this

 

No doubt a hundred ways to skin this cat. I constructed a rack to haul my atv and it mounts on top of the bed rails. I used two 1/2" x 2 1/2" flat bar runners for load bearing surfaces and they are bolted through the plastic caps and subsurface metal bed rails. I drilled through the top rails and my strap with a 3/8 bit in 4 places above the bed wall pockets. I popped out the pockets and and installed the nuts up under the bed rails using 8" strips of 1" x 1/4" strap with a 3/8 hole in the center as an elongated washer to prevent pull through. No problems to date and I've hauled that 600# plus atv all over hell's half acre.

 

Nice Rack. Looks top heavy

 

Yeah, no NASCAR cornering while packing. I have the Riderite bag system with onboard compressor and in cab controls. Pump in 30 or 40 psi and things firm up and the ride is surprisingly stable. Not many hillsides to traverse in Lousy-ana so I get away with more than the up-landers could.

 

thats a wicked nice truck

 

Nice work