Fabricating a Bed Rack

Thanks. I really liked your kick-out design on the sides and tying it into the rear bumper when you posted it the other day. I might add something like that when/if I get a high-clearance rear bumper one day.

 

Thanks, if only I had my own welder and tube bending equipment (or a garage for that matter at the moment)...

 

are you going to have any provisions for the bikes in the new version

 

x2

 

No, I'm still trying to come up with a way to hold a kayak/canoe over the RTT, but I saw this guys bike rack and decided that was the way to go. I figure it can go in the hitch for now, and one day when I get a bumper with a swing out it can move up there.

http://expeditionportal.com/lou-ortegos-toyota-tacoma-fit-for-adventure/

 

The departure angle looks pretty good:



And I'm a sucker for companies that post the technical drawings for their products. Plus I like that it's all metal. Yakima and Thule stuff has so much plastic to break. If only it didn't cost so damn much.
http://www.1upusa.com/product-SDquikrackdoublesilver.html

 

ah my problem was getting into camper shell with bikes on, but then again i ended hacking my Leer Shell. muhaha

 

x2

 

how much did this rack run you?

 

Hard to say, I built it in phases a few years ago, maybe $1000?

 

How long is the square tubing that sticks out for your bike mounts? specifically how long from the inside of the rack rails to the very outside? Looks to be about 6" long?

 

Precisely. (All the dimensions are in the first post )

But mostly you’ll probably just want to measure whatever bike rack you plan to use and make sure it fits and clears the RTT if you plan to have one.

After running bikes on the sides for a few years I switched to a rear rack. It’s nice having them up on the sides, but often I had to worry about them hitting low tree branches etc. Also after moving to the NW, I found the bikes were too tall when putting my truck on the ferry and I had to pay extra for riding with the big trucks. Also parking garages. Ymmv

 

Thanks for sharing this. Looking at building something like this with a little mod. Would you mind taking more pics of your completed product? Truly interested with the bed mounts on the rack.