L Tracks for 3rd gen bed?

Just bought an Iceco VL75ProD. Love it. Instead of strapping it down using the D rings and bed stiffeners, I'm considering using L tracks on the bed floor. Seeing as the bed in the 3rd gen is "composite" (ie plastic), I'm wondering if securing loads with L tracks is a bad idea. With big enough washers, maybe even a flat metal bar underneath the bed, will the bed support it? Or will any real force compromise the structural integrity of the plastic (I mean "composite")?

 

I’ve mounted a few things to the bed without issue, using the fender washer and bolt combo. Might be worth considering a slot in the track so when the bed expands at a different rate than the track you don’t get some concentration of force. Otherwise I think you’re fine to do it.

 

I used the method that @Crom did on my 2015. I'm pretty sure the bed construction is the same between the 2nd and 3rd gens:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-getaway-croms-build-and-adventures.362772/#post-9853219

 

70 lbs? It'll be fine.
I have about 300lb in a toolbox mounted via bed rail bolted through the bed floor. IIRC, I used 3/8" hardware with 1-1/4" washers.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/truck-bed-tool-boxes-thread.449662/#post-13169830

 

I agree with all the above that it isn’t heavy (70lbs) plus whatever you put in it. I use the rails to hold a trifold cover in place and the rails seem sturdy enough to keep the refrigerator in place. I am guessing that it would lay on the floor. The floor does not provide much friction but if you throw a rubber base pad in that would provide addition slip resistance.
Good luck. Remember you’ll need to provide power.

 

Here are the ones I installed in my truck. They work great and hold really solid.

 

Sounds like it's a go! I saw Croms build but wasn't sure about differences in the bed. Looks you're right, theyre the same more or less. They'll go in between the 'ridges' like @5nahalf (solid pics, thanks!) and I'll cut out slots in the bed mat. My fridge has ZERO clearance between the bedmat and the OEM tonneau. It's pretty snug as is but just don't like straps running across the bed. Power is already taken care of, I have a 2AWG wire that goes into the storage cubby with an anderson connection on the end (inline 50amp fuse). I have a 200Ah Li battery that I charge with a Redarc BCDC1240 + solar. It powers a 3000 watt inverter, all tucked into a storage trunk to be completely modular. That way I can power whatever I want for as long as I want when camping (glamping?) but that's a different story all together haha. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

The tracks I got are made by "keeper", but I had to mill down the sides of them to fit between the ridges. I just used my router and a wood bit. Make sure you clamp the rails down really tight and hold on for dear life when you do it. I shot one of the rails into the yard because it wasnt clamped well enough.

 

Dang, that sounds "OSHA approved" hahaha. They look solid though! I think the US Cargo ones are slightly smaller than the 'valley' and like @ridefastflyfar mentioned, should allow room for any varying expansion. You had any issues with that?

 

NO real issues with expansion. One thing you need to make sure of is where your drilling your holes. The underside of the bed has many ribs in it, A few of my bolts ended up being right on the rib so I had to grind out the backside of the rib to fit the nuts.

 

Dang I didn't even think of that, thanks for the heads up!

 

Another heads up is bolt alignment. When I installed mine the bolt holes are all not perfectly centered, it causes some of the bolts to be at slight angles. The angles are enough that some places the tie downs wont slide past them, my plan is to use a countersink bit and enlarge the counter sunk holes a little bit so they sit below the surface.

 

Is it bad enough you can't dremel the head of the bolt down to be flush? I can't imagine just a small edge being removed will compromise the bolt, unless they REALLY stick out

 

You could probably grind them down a bit, shouldnt cause any issues.