Total Chaos Bed Stiffener Issue? Tiny Gap!

I installed Total Chaos Bed Stiffeners on my 3rd gen Taco and one has a little bigger gap then the other one. I was wondering if it is normal for them to have gaps? I’ll upload pictures in a little bit. Any advice or is it normal?

 

When all tightened down you shouldn't have any gaps. It's possible overtime and depending on truck usage the bed can become out of square giving a gap, which the brackets when tightened in the right order will correct. But not to completely rule out the brackets being made wrong which in my opinion is less likely.

 

It’s a 2022 and it was just out on. Maybe I did something wrong?

 

If all the bolts are tight and still showing a gap. It's possible that the bracket was tightened incorrectly somehow. I'd remove the bracket and check to see if it's square to start. Then check the bed side for squareness.

 

Do you have any better pictures of the part installed and the gap?

 

I’ll take another one right now @Nate88cool

 

Any better?

 

It’s such a small gap but I am just trying to be sure!
I think it’ll be fine to be honest. It’s so close and how it goes and then is tight in between bolts. It’ll add rigidity.

 

Thread the floor bolts first but do not tighten. Install the bedside bolts. Tighten them fully then tighten the floor bolts. You may need to put a come-along on the bed rails to pull them into square if they lean out.

 

Some info I forgot to mention: I had done it and it was all tight, then I pulled the 3 on the side out one at a time. Painted the holes and tightened them back up one at a time. One by one undid them and then paint and then tighten

 

Can you slide a piece of paper in it?

 

Yeah @blackZEBRA , I’m probably gunna redo them. But do you guys thinks think they’ll ever fall into place

 

They’ll never be as good as bentrodders since he made his with more accurate curves but I’ve never heard of them being seriously off. The brackets are way thicker than the bed metal so if anything the bed metal will deform first. Behind the taillights there’s more sheet metal web as well perpendicular to the metal you’re bolted to so the fit may not get much better.

 

@bagleboy you think they will do their job with that small gap?

 

One thing to check or make sure of is it after you're done drilling your holes did you make sure there was no burrs or any material sticking out on the inside of the bed would keep the bracket from sitting flat?

 

I loosely installed the bottom bolts and then tightened down the side bolts. Then tightened down the bottom bolts. But honestly a hair gap isn’t going to make that much of a difference

 

Non issue.

 

Mine are flush. I think this is user error or the part sent is slightly off.

 

The gap is smaller than that, and this guy is complaining