1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Are bed stiffeners really needed with a bed rack?

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by Rainman443, Aug 12, 2021.

  1. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:46 PM
    #1
    Rainman443

    Rainman443 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2021
    Member:
    #356050
    Messages:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    A Big Island
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD OR
    If I already have a bed rack with crossbars (Yakima Overhaul HD), do I need bed stiffeners too if I don't want it splitting due to offroading?

    Here's the racks I have:
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:47 PM
    #2
    GI Pro

    GI Pro Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2019
    Member:
    #307839
    Messages:
    36
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 ARMY GREEN TRD PRO
    I'd recommend it. They're less than $200 from Total Chaos so why not just to be safe? They also add tie down points which is a nice plus.
     
  3. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:48 PM
    #3
    Rainman443

    Rainman443 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2021
    Member:
    #356050
    Messages:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    A Big Island
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD OR
    The extra money and the bed real estate you lose when you load things that tend to take up the whole bed width-wise. Wondering if it's worth since my racks should provide that crossbar support or nah?
     
  4. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:48 PM
    #4
    OmahTako

    OmahTako Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2021
    Member:
    #370309
    Messages:
    1,601
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    Tacoma-1ea. Tundra-1ea.
    I had the exact same set up. I did not have stiffeners but I wasn't loading it heavily. Basically some surfboards. I also had the HD side bars too. Probably a lot of overkill for what I was doing. Just to be safe I would get them. I have them now because I have a smartcap Not that expensive but that composite bed does move around.
     
  5. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:50 PM
    #5
    GI Pro

    GI Pro Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2019
    Member:
    #307839
    Messages:
    36
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 ARMY GREEN TRD PRO
    Understand your concern but I honestly don't think it takes up much more real estate than the vertical real estate you lose from rack. Especially because the rack is pushing horizontally on the bed as far away from the strongest points possible.

    Edit: I have a ARE topper now so I understand the loss of vertical space.
     
  6. Aug 12, 2021 at 5:55 PM
    #6
    Phlogiston

    Phlogiston There are no victims, only volunteers.

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2020
    Member:
    #316170
    Messages:
    2,066
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    A@!#$@$%#$%
    The wild west
    Vehicle:
    2016 SR5 DCSB
    what do you plan on carrying with the racks?
     
    Skydvrr likes this.
  7. Aug 12, 2021 at 6:42 PM
    #7
    Rainman443

    Rainman443 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2021
    Member:
    #356050
    Messages:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    A Big Island
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD OR
    I haul wood, and doors usually go in the bed. They fit with like 1" to spare on each side so if I added bed stiffeners, I'd need to find another way else they'd end up scratching. That's why I don't want to add them if the crossbeams on the racks do the job already :)

    It's not really a what-if concern, it's more of a "is the bed stiffeners worth finding another way to transport doors?"
     
    Phlogiston[QUOTED] likes this.
  8. Aug 12, 2021 at 6:45 PM
    #8
    OmahTako

    OmahTako Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2021
    Member:
    #370309
    Messages:
    1,601
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    Tacoma-1ea. Tundra-1ea.
    What is the weight that you put on the Overhaul?
    What is the frequency of the weight that you were hauling on the Overhaul?

    The bed is basically plastic. And quite honestly not very strong for a lot of weight pushing the sides of the truck bed out. Overtime you will have problems if you're loading that Overhaul with a lot of weight and you're doing it a lot like every day or whatever.The overhaul can take it it's the truck bed that cant.
     
  9. Aug 12, 2021 at 6:56 PM
    #9
    Rainman443

    Rainman443 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2021
    Member:
    #356050
    Messages:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    A Big Island
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD OR
    Maybe once or twice a week for an hour trip.
    iight so even if I have bed racks, they won't do the job even close to the bed stiffeners?
     
  10. Aug 12, 2021 at 7:00 PM
    #10
    Skydvrr

    Skydvrr IG: @kalopsianick

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2017
    Member:
    #229889
    Messages:
    12,652
    First Name:
    Nick
    YMH
    Vehicle:
    Black '17 OR

    Are the doors wider than fender wells?
     
  11. Aug 12, 2021 at 7:05 PM
    #11
    Saturnine

    Saturnine YVAN EHT NIOJ

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2020
    Member:
    #332540
    Messages:
    4,360
    First Name:
    Dar C
    North of the wall
    Vehicle:
    TRD go brrrr
    All the mods
    Would the twisting and whatnot from offroading be enough to require the use of stiffeners even without any cap/weight?
     
  12. Aug 12, 2021 at 7:21 PM
    #12
    GI Pro

    GI Pro Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2019
    Member:
    #307839
    Messages:
    36
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 ARMY GREEN TRD PRO
    Understand for sure but I’d say the Yakima rack just based on angles alone is putting outward pressure on your bed sides.
     
    OmahTako likes this.
  13. Aug 12, 2021 at 8:07 PM
    #13
    Kev250R

    Kev250R Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2020
    Member:
    #328003
    Messages:
    1,282
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kevin
    Orange, So.Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 6MT
    Floor mats, junk in center console
    In my experience, yes. That and driving with the tailgate down will cause the bedsides to move a little. Last month I installed All Pro Bed Stiffeners on my Taco and found one of my Bedsides was slightly out of alignment.

    FWIW Different manufacturers use slightly different designs; some provide more bed space then others. Here's a pic of the ones I bought:


     
    kas2828 and OmahTako like this.
  14. Aug 12, 2021 at 8:08 PM
    #14
    OmahTako

    OmahTako Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2021
    Member:
    #370309
    Messages:
    1,601
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    Tacoma-1ea. Tundra-1ea.
    Its aluminum but agree.
     
  15. Aug 12, 2021 at 10:04 PM
    #15
    Rainman443

    Rainman443 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2021
    Member:
    #356050
    Messages:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    A Big Island
    Vehicle:
    2021 TRD OR
    Do the bed stiffeners bring it back into alignment or only prevent?
     
  16. Aug 12, 2021 at 10:24 PM
    #16
    slowpoke16taco

    slowpoke16taco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2017
    Member:
    #224021
    Messages:
    472
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jayson
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    2016 MGM TRDOR DCSB
    Stock, but not stock (but stock)
    I saw this being talked about somewhere here on TW a few weeks ago:
    Screenshot_20210812-221749_Chrome.jpg

    Looks like they're mounted along the outer edge of the bed? :notsure:
    https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/4-whe...Ax5b3o7LDvTxQKg8ubo4Lxxs7ad06kvxoCdPYQAvD_BwE
     
  17. Apr 14, 2023 at 10:04 AM
    #17
    Blisterinthesun

    Blisterinthesun Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2023
    Member:
    #422212
    Messages:
    109
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 Tacoma SR access cab 4x4 V6
    Alu-cab canopy and rear jumpseat delete.
    Anyone have a video or a pic of how this is installed. I have Bambeds platform so i have to install the low profile version. There is a pic of a finished version, but not a step by step process. A link would be appreciated. Thanks
     
  18. Apr 14, 2023 at 10:35 AM
    #18
    wfo479

    wfo479 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2022
    Member:
    #402412
    Messages:
    426
    Gender:
    Male
    NE Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2020 TRD Pro
    Because we have a composite bed I felt the need to make bed stiffies when I was making my bed rack. Added removable MTB mounts as well.

    702AB05C-D00F-4631-9437-30007A21FC47.jpg
     
    drizzoh likes this.
  19. Apr 14, 2023 at 10:37 AM
    #19
    airforceb2cc

    airforceb2cc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2021
    Member:
    #368194
    Messages:
    1,684
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Don
    KCMO
    Vehicle:
    2021 DCSB Nightshade
    Ironman FCP; 315/75R16; KDMAX; Skids; Sliders
    I have the C4 9" rails with an Ironman Nomad 1300 tent, 4 2-gal rotopax, and a 270 awning on them. No stiffeners. I do some pretty intense offroading and off camber/3wheeling regularly. I have never seen the need for the stiffeners.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top