Swing case drivers side, 2020 Tacoma owners heads up

Hope this helps someone to avoid an issue. If you are considering putting an Extreme Terrain Swing case in your bed on the DRIVERS side, GOOD LUCK! I entered my Tacoma's year (2020) and it said their swing case can be installed just fine. NOT ACCURATE. The swing case instructions state to remove a torx nut from the ring around the small tool case on the drivers side to start installation. OOOOPPPPPSSSS............on the 2020 and I believe 2019 models, the small tool box in the bed is on the PASSENGER side. So no workie. I've put in a request to Extreme Terrain to fix their website so others don't run into the same problem, and to send me one for the passenger side IF it will fit. I hate returning crap when it's not my fault...........ugh.

 

What is an extreme swing case lol

 

One of those toolboxes with the cutout for the wheel wheel...it swings from the bed side to the tailgate.

https://www.extremeterrain.com/undercover-tacoma-swing-case-passenger-side-sc401p.html

 

Haven’t installed the pair I bought yet. But I noticed the same. I don’t think that fastener takes much load. Looks like it is primarily for positioning the bracket. I may either put in a self tapping screw or leave it out.

But keep us posted on your response.

 

Extreme terrain would not tell me why it doesn't fit, even after I explained there's no toolbox on the drivers side to attach it to and the instructions received with the case (written in 2018, not current) says it will not fit a 2019 Tacoma. I wrote to the manufacturer and they replied this morning that I was correct, it will not fit a 2020 Tacoma drivers side, but the passenger side one will fit a 2020. So I went to Amazon, low and behold, there again a seller says it will fit the drivers side. I asked Extreme Terrain to fix their website so nobody else wastes their time thinking otherwise. My thought is that the manufacturer may have told the distributors it does fit a 2020, even though the instructions (dated 2018) that come with it says it won't fit drivers side 2019, but that's just my guess. Trust lost.

 

I still think the driver side can be easily mounted. You might have to do a little measuring to mount the latch in the right place and maybe shim the mounting location but nothing requiring an engineering degree.
Oh wait I have that so I’m set.

 

I really get a laugh when I read comments like this, especially from engineers. I'm going to apologize in advance for this because some could take this the wrong way, I hope you take it as a little engineering learning experience instead. Not meant to offend, but to educate. I worked with mechanical, propulsion, harness and electrical design engineers building satellites for TRW, Hughes Aircraft, Boeing and Northrop for 39 years as a Manufacturing engineer, the Spacecraft Integration workcell leader and a project manager over a number of different, all completely custom, spacecraft. We literally taught (and humbled) many young engineers from great schools across the country, with what we called producability in reviewing their designs before we started building. The majority of engineers were young, had no clue on how to actually put something together or fix something, their background was academics, not manufacturing processes or cost effective ways to fab or assemble our product. I also built my own race cars as a young man, so I actually DO have somewhat of a clue that this product wasn't going to work the minute I pulled it out of the box. Sure, you can Mickey mouse anything and call it good if that's your way, but we had to build a quality product. A long, cantilevered box like this with tools and such puts a big moment strain on thin metal, especially with recurring use, and off road washboard roads and such. I would surmise the tool box and support ring on models prior to 2019 had some support doublers behind it to support the box and that is one reason they do work on those earlier versions. Mine doesn't have the toolbox or ring on that side, it's been redesigned for some reason by Toyota. Without the box and ring, I seriously doubt Toyota had any reason to install those backup doublers inside between the outer quarter panel and the truck bed, to support the box (since it wasn't there anymore). But sure, you could go headlong and blindly drill the bracket to the bed metal, but without support behind the sheet metal, it sure wouldn't last long before the fasteners pulled through the sheet metal. Also that wouldn't be covered by the warranty on the box. Oh, and one other little detail .........I looked at a 2016 Tacoma just yesterday with the small tool box on the drivers side. That section of the bed quarterpanel is 100% flat for about 16" where this bracket needs to be. Mine and your 2020 has a bend/curve in the vertical bed panel metal in the same spot, so even if there were doublers between the bed and quarter panel to support the weight bearing on the bracket fasteners, you'd have to have some pretty thick (1/2-1") and ugly shims to make the bracket mounting surface "flat". I'm not interested in tearing up the bed of my brand new truck for something that wasn't designed for it, thank you. So no, the truth is, you're not set just because you're an engineer. I'm sure you're proud of that fact, and all good for you and all, but I gotta say shooting blind as you did, it's funny as hell to hear from my experience in the industry with so many green engineers we hired from all over the country coming on strong to manufacturing only to be taught that this or that aspect of their part or assembly design was not physically possible to achieve, cost factor aside. Some advice............It would really be wise for you to stop and ask, then listen to your experienced manufacturing folks review your designs for producability prior to releasing it for build. Those people are the ones who put your designs together and have a lot of first hand knowledge they didn't teach engineers in school about manufacturability and producabillity. Do that consistently and you'll be a much better engineer than for it than your peers and that I can promise you.

 

Engineers are the worst.

 

Let’s see. I’m a 69 year old retired engineer. I think I can figure out a way to deal with the problem.
It’s only plastic (yes I know it’s not just ordinary plastic).

 

Only the ones that never learned anything to begin with. You know, the type that don’t know which end if a screwdriver to hang onto.

 

Most engineers can not do anything in the real world. Most design things that can not be built or worked on after the fact. This is because they do not teach real world in college, they teach theory and not practicality. Yes i probably offended a great number of engineers, but before you are let me state this: I have a mechanical engineering degree and for the last 30 years i have done both mechanical and electrical engineering. Nothing more scary than an educated red neck..............

 

. I'm so sick of the "I build xx for a living, so I know more than engineers" comments. It's so over played. Yes, we know, you're good at assembling stuff and you'll complain anytime something is remotely inconvenient for you just like all the other guys in the shop.

 

Speak for yourself.

 

“GOOD LUCK! NO FIT! BIG BAD!” ......ok

 

Well, I called them before I ordered and they explicitly told me only the passenger side would fit.

 

As designed and intended for installation it won't work. So, I will make it work. Been doing that sort of stuff for decades. All it takes is some skill and imagination. Most folks can't even read directions correctly much less think beyond what they are told. An old saying of which I am fond. The man who says a thing can't be done is usually interrupted by the man who is doing it.

 

annddddd another thread up in flames