FRONT RAIL TIE DOWN/WHEEL CHOCK SYSTEM

you'll need a 2nd gen rear rail

 

I actually have them back in stock, forgot to change the OP. You’ll need Toyota part number

$56 PT278-35100-BH Truck Bed Header Rail

PT278-35100-BH to make it work with a third gen.

 

For those interested - I started a thread about ATH's more minimalistic "split" version of the front tie down / chock system - for 3rd Gens WITHOUT the front rail.

 

So stoked for it to get here. Unfortunately it’s arriving before the bed rail! Guess it gives me time to get it coated. Thanks again!

 

Good idea. I painted mine in the garage, rattle can. I struggled to get paint to stick to the lazered edges, they are rusting now. Powder coating should prevent this.

 

My other option would be to get them linex’ed. Especially since I’ll be using the bottle openers. It probably will last longer

 

I used some black 3m underbody spray and it bleached out to grey in a couple weeks. The undercoating kinda sucks but the piece is great!

 

Just received it. Holy crap this thing is stout! Decided on bed lining it with line-x since it will inevitably have contact with metal and powder coat will wear fast I think.

 

Check this out @Tatts521

 

They turned out awesome! Thanks again ATH!

 

I just paid you for a MC bed rack for a 2005 Tacoma

 

Order received thank you! PM inbound.

 

Hey ATH, do you know which tonneau covers can be installed with your brackets installed? I saw someone earlier in the thread with a tri-fold that appeared to work but didn't mention which. Any other confirmed options?

 

I’m not sure which brands will work with it honestly. As long as there aren’t any clamps or mounts for the cover on the front rail, and 7-1/2” back from the front rail, it should work. There was one guy earlier in the thread that installed one, and it looked like the clamps were 14” or so back from the front rail.

 

Don’t want to side rail your thread anymore but for someone in my shoes that loves these brackets and wants to leave them on with a cover I can confirm the DT Moto hard tri-fold on eBay works perfectly and is a great budget cover. Hope this helps someone else. Love these chocks!

 

So I just bought these new and installed them a few days ago, and not really happy with the design. I’m writing here to try to look at ways to improve the mounting for myself and future users/design changes.

Going into it, I knew I generally wouldn’t be happy with the fact that this mounts into the existing sheet metal rail. We all know sheet metal bends.

Upon install, there was about 1/16-1/8” up and down play in the T-nuts when they were pulled forward into their installedposition. As a result, while tightening them, the sheet metal lip bent and allowed the T-nut to slip forward and no longer be well anchored in the rail. My simple fix was to take a vice-grip ( I know, I know!) and squeeze the rail closed, enough so that the T-nut ends up tight between the rail.

I think a better design would be to at the very least add holes that match the stock mounting holes, so the end user can either through bolt the bracket to the bed, or remove the stock rail altogether, and simply mount these otherwise fine bars to the bed.

I know that there is a bolt in the center, however, if clearance was created between the two bars, there could be a small stoutbracket placed over the seam, with the bolt going all the way through to the oem threaded hole.

Apologies if this has been addressed in the previous 100 forum pages, but curious to know any thoughts, or response from ATH.

I think that mounting with these T-Nuts with play in the rail is a failure waiting to happen.

 

Thank you for your feedback.
The bolts didn’t need to be tightened down to the point that the T-slot nuts start pulling through the factory bed rail channel. Maybe adding a torque spec on the instructions is needed. The reason I have eight bolt points on those is to spread the load across the entire front of the bed and part of the sides, which makes it more than strong enough to suck down dirt bike forks or secure items in the bed.
Originally I did want to make these from one solid piece that bolts to the bed without the front factory rail but it dramatically increased shipping and material cost due to the size and shape. The two piece system just made more sense and kept the cost down for average joes who just want a simple and sturdy way to better secure their bikes.

 

Well there is going to be variance in the bedrails. One of my T-nuts slipped with very little tightening force.

I'm going to suggest you make these changes, which should cost you nothing, and provide a better product:

1. Add to the instructions (which I didn't read btw) to squeeze closed the OEM bedrail to eliminate as much of the T-nut play as possible.
2. Add the OEM location holes to your template, so your next production runs have these, which give a sturdier option to mount. This can be through bolted with the rail in place, or just chuck the garbage OEM rail and bolt right to the bed. For the center bolt, add two half circles in the middle section, and the end user can source a very thick washer to add to the center bolt, which will hold tight the ends of each bed bar.
3. I'd personally pay $10 extra for two more sets of bolts to either through-mount, or direct mount, the bars to the bed.

Thanks for your reply, and good luck with the fabbing. Next time I have reason to remove the bars, I'm going to modify them per above.

 

Just sent $ via PayPal for my 05 tacoma! The front of that bed flexes like crazy with two bikes as it is now. Can't wait!

 

Ordered after hours on Wednesday the 17th, received Monday the 22nd! Super fast! Cleaned, primed and painted, installed rhen ride!

This thing dramatically reduces the flex on the front bed rail! Very impressed.

My son and I carry our crf450 and crf150 motos in the bed of our 05 tacoma DCSB. Before installing this when driving at an angle into say a gas station driveway I was surprised at how much the motos would move back and forth. It's the weak front bed that allows the flex, (which in sure anyone reading this post knows).

Anyway this thing is thick steel that doesn't flex. Very impressed!