Bed stiffener tie down strength

Sorry for making yet another thread on bed stiffeners, but I'm curious how strong these are for tying down stuff or a work point. I'm assuming the stiffeners themselves are tough, but the weak point might be where they connect to the side of the bed.

I'm looking at the RCI stiffeners mainly because they are local to me and they look to have a slot where a strap can feed through.

So, has anyone put these to work and what seems reasonable? For example, could you strap a pulley in between and winch up an elk? I know further back in the bed would make more sense, but just an example. Or is that just well beyond their working load?

 

Not sure what size fasteners they use but a single 3/8in bolt torqued to 35ft-lbs has a clamping force of like 1200 pounds…

 

I use mine as tie downs all the time.

 

I have the ATH ones, and With the 2 bottom bolts going into the frame and the 3 up the side, I don't think dragging an elk with them would be an issue at all.

 

critical mention here is going to be the bending radius of any strap through those openings. if the edges aren't machined smooth/welded to be radiused, they will tear any strap loaded up because of the sharp edge.

also important would be that all these bed reinforcements-- while facing the rear of the truck, they're setup for left-right horizontal reinforcement. upwards/downwards reinforcement would also be similarly acceptable given the fastener location-- it's pulling straight on the fasteners.

forward/aft forces go against the 'grain' so to speak of the design of the reinforcements. a forward/aft force would try to roll the stiffener over essentially bending the bolt like one would do with a pry bar or a hammer claw. so the forward/aft force limits are going to be significantly lower.

in your example, there's really going to be a number of combination of large forces at play. you'd be running a strap/chain between the stiffeners. and then winching off that strap/chain off the back of the truck to pull dead weight across the ground, up and into the truck bed. essentially, this becomes the famous physics 'tightrope problem'
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/phys...-normal-tension-and-other-examples-of-forces/

very crudely, as i barely passed basic math, if googles estimate of an elk weight of 500-750 pounds is accurate, it means that you'll be imparting a load roughly 2-3 times that which equates to a maximum of nearly 3,000 lbs of force attempting to pull the bedsides together to make the elk move along the ground.

bed stiffeners are absolutely not going to be rated for those kinds of loads.

 

The stiffners are good for general hold down points. Be aware the upper bolts are small and attach to a small gauge wall. I discarded the hardware on mine and used 10.9 bolts with the largest washers I had for the inside. I use the upper holes for using a bed net, and the lower holes for straps.

 

Just depends on what ones you get. The ones I have by Total Chaos utilize the bed bolts that attach through to the frame. I'd argue those are way stronger than the stock D-rings.

 

Thanks for the feedback. With bottom bolts attached to the frame you'd think anything attached low would mostly be working on the frame. The higher up the sides you go the more you would be torquing on the side, which is what the stiffener is trying to support and not the other way around. Probably need to stick to using as tie down points nor working loads.

Is there anything that could be attached to the frame bolts in the back (the cab side) that might work? I thought about adding d-rings there.

 

These provide support all the way up to the top!

This is my fit check but for sure they are well built.

 

also important to note-- the total chaos one's are a patented design, but it is specifically a design/styling patent, none of their patent filings indicate structural load capability of any amount.

i have the total chaos versions. i think they work great for tiedown points(the rci is a very similar design and would work just as well). but i doubt i've ever dynamically loaded them past 300 pounds

 

maybe the athfab dirtbike tiedown. it would require installing the front tiedown rail if you don't have it already.

but given you're winching 500-800 pounds up, i would really add 1/4 steel to it to tie it into the front bed mounting bolts.

https://athfab.com/product/front-bed-rail-tie-down-wheel-chock-system-for-05-15-toyota-tacoma/


i'm specifically planning on installing a custom roll bar and roll bar-mounted winch on my truck for situations like this. my current in-my-head design ultilizes 2-2.5" DOM tubing, with a large custom-made angle iron flat plate similar to heavy metal offroad's bar base to clear my tonneau cover, but extend the angle iron platealong the top rail of the entire length of the bed to carry the winch load, as well as 1/4"x2" plate strapping to tie down to the front bed frame bolts.

 

Thanks. That looks like a good option. Could you clarify a bit where the 1/4" steel would mount? I'm assuming the front part of the bed isn't particularly strong either.

 

Talk about strength!

I'm glad the only reason I'll need the bed stiffeners is for the DB SE tonneau cover in my future.

https://diamondbackcovers.com/products/diamondbackse?variant=28905652553

 

I have to ask, what exactly is the bed stiffener attached to in the red? Just the composite bed or is there something more to keep the bed stiffener from ripping out?



Of course the proposed idea is extreme and would never happen, just wondering as dynamic loads are being mentioned with the use of bed stiffeners and their tie down points.

 

This is a "Fit Check".

They aren't bolted yet.

I won't install them until Christmas.

These are a Christmas gift and my wife is holding me to account on them being a Christmas gift...thus, I will wrap them as a gift.

 

Do those come with grade 8 hardware? Their website doesn't seem to specify but they sorta look like it.

 

Gotcha

They look good, and will definitely serve a purpose

My question was more specific to the generation truck

 

The sidewalls are actual steel.

They have strength but not enough to support additional weight without bowing.

The front section is not prone to the same weight limitations...at least, that's how I understand it.

They are also good tie down spots in addition to the rails on each side.

I'm not expecting serious loads in the back of my truck but it suits my needs for loads I put in the bed.

 

Here's another photo showing the bed stiffeners aren't bolted.

 

I haven't open the hardware yet...maybe tomorrow?