Securing a Hi-Lift to a bed rack...need advise

Hi Guys/Gals,

I am in the process of purchasing a bed rack and can't wait to mount my crap to it!

I am looking for advise on how to secure my Hi-lift to the bed rack. I didn't see any forum links and google didn't have much since I don't have a jeep...

What are you folks using to mount it and prevent/deter theft from your bed rack?

 

What bed rack? Pics of said bed rack?

I use Quick Fists on my BAMF bed rack

 

I'm purchasing one made by KORE 4x4.

It will look similar to this...


Instead of 14" tall mine will be 8".

 

Here is how I did mine. Bought some hardware at Ace and drilled holes through the bolts at the end to put padlocks through. Turned out pretty nice. If you go this route have patience when drilling. I did it free had but if you have a vice and drill press it works best.

 

I was looking at this, but couldn't find much info on drilling bolts for this purpose.

 

I was trying to find a padlock wide enough to go through the holes of the hi lift and through the bed rack but couldn't find one that fit my needs. And a cable version just wasnt gonna work either. So this was my solution.

 

Yeah they were cake for me. These aren't grade 8 or 5 hardware since they just need to hold a jack. No load or real strength needed. Not sure what grade they were but they were from the metric section of ace hardware. Wanna say they were the 12mm bolts with a 19mm head on it. For perfectly through the holes.

 

How'd you get the drill centered?

 

Patience my friend. Patience hahaha I did it by hand with a very small drill and just slowly stepped it up to bigger drills. But like I was saying if you got a vice to hold the bolt and a drill press then you can use a bigger drill bit and just go to town. I think the all the hardware cost a total of 12 bucks. So even if you mess up a bolt or two you arent out much.

 

Also I highly recommend you run a nut or die past the area you're drilling so once you're done you can back it off to clean up any threads that may have been chewed up.

 

Thanks! I have a vice a drill press, but not a vice that will go on the drill press...Looks like I may have to try this by hand and see

 

Hell yeah! So I bolted them down to the bed rack to hold the bolt steady and it helped for sure.

 

Definitely run a nut down the threads to use to straighten any threads that get buggered when drilling.

What I do in fabrication situations like this is to create a small flat spot with a air die grinder, or Dremel if you have either. If not, a common metal file will do the trick.

After that, lay the bolt down on a piece of hard plastic, or hardwood with the flat side up. Knock a divot in the flat spot with your center punch. Mount it up in your drill press vice sandwiching it between two small flats of wood/plastic so as to not dick up the threads with the vice. Clamp it down firmly, and drill away. Start with a small bit and work your way up.

 

https://www.max-modular.com/shop-max-modular/universal-hi-lift-jack-brackets

 

Thanks! I'll give that a shot! How do I know what size lock will fit through the size bolt?

I was looking at that set up! I just need a way to lock the hi-lift to reduce theft opportunity.

 

Lock size will be determined by the hole you drill. The lock I found that was small enough to make a hole while leaving enough on the bolt matter was like a 9/32 shackle. So 7mm I believe. If I find it online I'll send over a link to it all from ace hardware

 

Might be a dumb idea... But I just thought of using rifle/handgun trigger locks.... I dont see why it wouldnt work

 

You don't need a bed rack to mount a Hi Lift, although I am shopping for a bed rack myself, but will not install a Hi Lift on it. I'm using Hi Lift brackets - 4XRAC. I mounted the brackets on the wheel wheel; the lift is black and does not stand out. I have two locks on it: a Master combo lock fits nicely in the rail; and a cable combo lock goes through the brackets, and also through the lock on my storage box, although at the moment it is not installed.

 

Does this bracket work with the older style kbvoodoo bed racks without drilling? or just with the new max modular?

 

You would have to drill a couple holes in our older racks.