Modified my standard bed extender for moto

So I made an error and thought that a standard bed extender would be large enough for my dirt bike to fit in my short bed. Went to go for a ride and oops!! Nope, stupid me. Normally I am pretty good about doing the research, but not this time.

So I figured out a solution. Took the rear center bar out and cut it in half and with some drilling and dremeling put the pieces in the center bar at the front. Then to replace the center tabs that go into the sides of the bed, I put something together to mimic the size of the plastic tabs. The center bar fits very very snug and seems to be fairly stable. I also added some rubber stops/bumpers so the bottom bars wouldn’t be sitting directly on the bed and be at a more normal angle.

to fill the void left by the missing center bar, I just put an old school dirt bike plate in that area.

if I don’t need that much space, I can still use the stock plastic tabs. In the extended position, it still fits totally fine when folded back into the bed and the gate closed.

anyway, after being completely bummed that I ordered the wrong part and couldn’t send it back, glad i figured out an alternative without having to buy a completely new unit. (Yes, AMP makes them designed for moto, but I don’t like the shape when it is folded and inside the bed)

 

Look at these

https://readyramp.com/

tits!

 

OK those Ready Ramps are sweet, but you gotta love the ingenuity of peeps taking what they have and making it work! My only question is did the center bar give you enough material to extend BOTH sides?

 

I have seen those, but I don’t see a Tacoma with a short bed and a bike in the back (probably one of the most common combos) and I don’t see one that extends past the gate out the back. It has to hang out a few inches other wise the bikes won’t fit

 

Yes. It had something like 3” that still went inside the other bar. As I mentioned, the fit it very tight/snug and I only felt the need to use 1 bolt. I figure that it has to be at least as strong as the plastic tabs that come on it that connect it to the bed wall. It is Also strapped down, so it really isn’t “holding the bikes in” really what it is doing is holding all the gear in place on the floor of the bed that isn’t completely strapped down (my aluminum ramps are strapped down inside bed).

 

That is trick! We just ratchet strap our folding moto ramp behind the wheels of the bikes. Works great.

 

that’s a pretty good idea!! I kind of wanted something that goes inside the bed as well that works as a bit of a divider, so I like the bed extender, but dang, thats some great creativity!!