Best choices for bed stiffeners

the tastemakers - Russell Lynes

 

Meh, they were $70 cheaper than some others in this thread. They also are powder coated unlike some others as well. Plus, they are pretty thick. I don’t need things to look pretty. They aren’t for looks for me at least.

 

That was exactly my reasoning.

 

Would like to buy a set of bed stiffeners, but until someone makes them with a grab handle I'm holding out. I'm always jumping in/out of the back and a grab handle would make it easier.

 

C4 had made my bars too narrow too. I told them about it and they made me new ones. FYI.

 

Just throwing this out there, but I use the end of the bed rail. It's a good height and position for me. Also, it is just my thought that a handle on the stiffener might be too recessed (awkward angle) for your wrist?

As an alternative, any decent welder could scab a handle to your liking onto any of the stiffeners for sale?

CaliRaised was selling theirs unfinished at one point with a price reduction also. You might want to ping them?

 

Dang, how long ago was this? Had mine for about a year now. Doubt they would make me new ones now.

 

I'm guessing it was probably a year ago. I'd talk to them about it though. They know they made some too short, so I'd guess they'd work with you. My bars were literally pulling the bed in. They either cut the cross bars too short, or their jigs weren't set up right.

 

Have some brand new total chaos stiffeners for sale of anyone is interested...ordered them then got my topper installed today...just realized the cables for the topper are in the way of where the stiffeners will go

Gonna sell them and go with the Cali raised which are shorter

 

Bringing up a thread here...but is there any added benefit to the stiffeners that go all the way up the sides vs once like Caliraised?

 

Nope! Load shears out at a 40deg angle. So, anything beyond the second bolt up is pure show unless you are using it as a mount or tie down.

 

Just ordered a set from rago fabrication.

It was a toss up between the rago and cali raised for me. I just happened to like the looks of the rago

 

For those of you saying this was a “created” hole in the market to fill with a product- I disagree.

I purchased my truck in June 2018, specifically to take cross-country with my wife. Bought off my brother who was pretty meticulous about maintenance (aside from the PS rack, lol). Never had any issues with tailgate closing or bed warpage/spreading. I bought the truck, threw a cap/topper on it on 7/4/18, and shortly after went on a 12k mile trip around the US.

Mostly paved roads, US66, but took some detours off to Sedona/ Schnebly Hill Road and some some other rough roads in CO and UT. My tailgate no longer closes correctly, uneven gap at the top sides, and it’s pretty obvious that a product like this would resolve that issue.

I’m just going to make my own, but the need for the product is indeed there.

 

What kind of noticeable differences do the bed stiffeners provide? Besides making the bed more rigid...

 

if these were $100 i might buy them. $160 seems nuts for two pieces of steel. Might just make my own.

 

I just got my rago’s in. First impressions are really good. They’re middle of the road price wise

 

What’s nuts are $5000 lifts, $2500 rims, $1500 tires, $1000 exhaust and $400 intakes that very few here ever complain about the price.

These stiffeners are about the cheapest mod you can do.

 

I just wished someone made a camper shell stiffener. I will end up fabbing my own sometime.

I watch the bed and shell in the mirror on bumps and the shell shakes like a mofo compared to the bed... and I don't have bed stiffeners yet

 

Haven ridden on my Kings for a while now, there is a noticeable difference when in my friend's OME and Bilstein equipped trucks. Not for everyone, but I appreciate it for some places I take my truck and how I like to drive it.

For stifferers, I went with TC. While installing, when I got to the second bolt, you could actually watch the bedside get pulled back in. That was what convinced me.

 

you should rate what you're worth and add up your labor hours and see what kind of deal you get. let us know.