Bed rail weight limit?

I was wondering how much weight the bed rail setups on our truck could actually support?

My GF is getting me a canoe for my birthday, and I need to figure out a way to transport it. The canoe weighs roughly 100 lbs and is 15ft long.

I plan on getting a bed/hitch extender to support the back side of the canoe, and was looking to build a rack similar to this (just the front section) to support the front of the canoe -



I was wondering how much weight the OEM bed rail system could actually support?


:beer:

 

I would not attempt to support weight directly on the rails like that. Attach a bed rail cleat, flex the bed rail up and down by hand, and you'll probably agree with me. I built my rack to sit on top of the bedsides, and be held in place by securing to the bedrails, though they do not support any weight.

Like this:

 

If you are going to just do the front of that rack just get a headache rack

 

Like this

 

I haven't used my Tacoma DCSB to carry my 14ft canoe, 60lbs or so, but used to carry it all the time in my frontier, also DCSB version. I had an thule roof rack with just the bars and would strap it to the bars, then attach a line from the front and back of the canoe to the front/back of the truck. Would also at times use a bed extender and just open the tailgate, put the canoe in the bed and support the rear of the canoe on the bed extender. When well secured, both options worked great, never had any problems and carried the canoe fairly often these ways. On long and short trips, including highway speeds of 65+mph. I wouldn't trust the bed rails for supporting that type of weight, as well as the aerodynamic forces on the canoe from highway speeds of going over bumps, etc.

 

I didnt expect the rails to support the weight. Im surprised they can support the weight of my tonneau being mounted to it actually

:beer:

 

Next questions. OZ, which rack is that? Landphil, any more pics?

:beer:

 

It's a headache rack available through a Canadian truck accessory store called Cap-it

 

This pic is from when I first built the rack, and I built it too high by mistake. I wanted it high enough so my 12' alum boat can't hit the roof of the truck even though the bow curves toward the roof, but I misjudged, so have since shortened the rack a couple inches. If you are serious about building your own or having one custom made, let me know and I can send you more pics.

 

I've had around 600lbs. on mine for a 400 mile highway trip on four cleats. No negative effects observed. Not to say I'd do it all the time, but everything held up just fine.

 

Thanks. Im just kicking around ideas right now.

Kicking around the option of using some kind of rack to support the front of the canoe like this -



vs using a roof rack cross bar like this -

 

I would think you will be well within your weight limit. The second pictuure you posted looks like a hitch mount system on the rear and roof rack front mount. I would say you have nothing to worry about with a canoe mounted solely on the bed rails.

 

Correct, it IS an extended hitch mount thingy, which I plan on doing either way.

I want this set up to be easy to break down when not in use. I drive the truck too much to not have my tonneau cover installed. I need to determine which system will work best for me.

I have/had a Thule rack on my VW, and loved it. I used to put a bike and cooler on it and never had an issue.