Amazon Bed Stiffeners

I don't, not since Amazon started selling their affordable sets

 

Get the Amazon ones I bought! Pretty cheap and easy to install if you have decent tools

 

But Kwikvette throws in a bottle opener…

 

Now they just get handed with my business card when opportunity presents itself

 

@Kwikvette can you send me a product list of things to buy? lol

 

Thanks for the inquiry, but I actually make things on request!

Whether it's a bed mounted spare tire mount, arb compressor mount, hinges for a swingout, bump stop plates, shock mounts, and more it's all one-off stuff.

I don't get into making what's already available, for the most part, but there are members wanting or needing to do perform a specific mod and that's where I help.

 

Are you securing them with bolts on the other side? What are you drilling into?

 

First bunches were sold without any hardware, with a disclaimer stating you will need to provide your own hardware. After several installs I got some feedback (per my request) and began to provide hardware -

For the vertical legs that mount alongside the taillight areas M8 x 16mm x 1.25 stainless bolts, nuts, and washers

For the bed bottom area I provided M10 x (forget the length, maybe 20mm) stainless bolts, nuts, and washers

So a total of six M8 nuts and bolts, four M10 nuts and bolts, and ten washers.

You just place your stiffener in the area you wish to install them and mark where you'll be drilling. Place a washer on the side you run your bolt through, and fasten the nut on the backside and call it done.

This is a set where I did not provide hardware, hence the missing washers.



For 2nd or 3rd Gen, my buddy used different hardware for his installs (I provided several sets to him for local install) but I believe only the vertical legs need hardware as you can reuse the bottom stock stuff.

 

@maxdout

This thread should help

 

Someone......... needs to do a deflect vs load comparison on all the available stiffeners.

I would be happy to do so, just send me a sample pair of each. There couldn't be more than ten different ones. ;-)

 

Ask your 3rd Gen buddies

 

I've got the Amazon ones installed on a second gen, they're pretty decent for the price. Like kwickvette mentioned they could be better designed in the corner of the gusset but for the price they're a bargain and their metal thickness surprised me considering they're more then likely chinese. My truck is 17yo and there's little if any bed side spreading so I don't expect issues. The way the 2nd gen is a piece together bed I see them being just as useful for keeping the bed components cinched together securely in that area with some stout metal.