Mounting in the bed :)

Ok what I'm looking to do is mount a dive tank rack to the inside side of my bed. I'd like to use a poke thru type fitting to bolt to. That way I can work everything from the inside instead of reaching up from the outside. Has anyone done something similar and what kind of fitting did you use?. Ie. Like a toggle bolt

 

you can pop out the side cubby and reach in behind there to install what ever you like
but i do recomend using like rubber froom a bike tube to put between the composite bed and what ur mounting hardware will be
g/l

 

I'd also recommend putting a metal plate behind the bed to spread out the force from the bolt.

 

How much does a dive tank way?
How many tanks?

 

What kind of rack? You can always just add extra "D" rings to the bed bolts and secure it that way - no drilling involved.

 

Tanks are about 30-40 pounds each. Ok I can pop out the cubbies but are the nuts holding them in gonna fall when I unbolt them or are they affixed to the bed?

 

A dive rank rack?... Dang. I got my hopes up when I clicked on this thread.

 

No bolts, the little pockets snap out. If those bottles weigh 40# then you should through bolt them with large area washers.

 

I just use the factory tie downs and run a strap across the top of the tanks, I added some tie downs below on the bed sides and ratchet down a strap across the bottom. I have strapped 4 Alum 80's this way with no problems.

 

For singles, or stage bottles I too use the D-rings on the bed.

For doubles, or lots of bottles, I placed the adjustable clamps along the bed behind the cab.

Then I got a 400-lb "ratcheting" system. Hooked one end to each clamp and can get about 3 sets of doubles in there (approx 80-110 pounds each)

it is scratching up the metal a bit though so I need to put a soft buffer of some kind in there.

 

if your looking to hold lots of bottles at one time and do it consistently id look into a steel fabbed rack that bolts in using the bed bolts