Bed Side Strength

Just wondering how strong are the top of the bed sides are. Could it support a RTT if mounted properly to the metal underneath the plastic cover as this post has done:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bolt-on-bed-bars-over-tonneau-how-to.652966/

I have the same dilemma and debating between cutting pieces out of the tonneau rails to mount a rack or copying the method the post above has done. At most I'd carry a rtt for a few trips a year but 90% of the time would have a bike rack(s)

 

Let's just say that I had some wear through the paint from just me leaning on the rail caps to jump over the sides of the bed.

If you really want to go that route, get under the rail caps, paint, protect, and seal them. Still, an RTT is a lot of weight to concentration in those four small areas.

 

Along the same lines, does anyone know who makes this rack that can sit outside of a truck bed canopy?

 

My Leitner ACS forged rack is rated for 400 Lbs dynamic off-road capacity which is the most load the rack will be under. Static is 1400 lbs, and dynamic driving is 800lbs. If you look at how the Leitner ACS forged sits, it utilizes the bed rail system as well as two vertical load bars at the tail gate. If you are driving and off-roading with your RTT I would not solely rely on the bed rails without reinforcing.

 

Thanks all, was assuming there wasn't enough strength there for something like a RTT. I'll proceed with cutting the tonneau rails and just siliconing the hell out of everything to keep it as water resistant as possible.