Tie down track load rating

Bought a new ladder rack with a no drill mounting system. The mounting bolts are "J" shaped are are meant to go under the lip of the bed. Our trucks don't have this lip so I was thinking of heating them up and bending them into a "L" shape and fitting them into the tie down track. I can't find anywhere in the book where there is a load rating for the track... anyone have any ideas? The rack is rated for 800 lb but the most I'll put on it is a couple of kayaks.

 

I don't think the rails would be a good option for that type of idea. They're fairly strong, but not under that kind of load orientation.

 

Look at what holds those side rails on.... You DO NOT want to place too much weight on them.....!!

 

Thanks folks, looks like the clamp system uses the tracks, just goes under them. The J bolts that came with the rack have a pad welded on the end and looks like it will fit in the slot of the track. So if the clamps work under the track, the bolts should also work in the slot of the track.

 

Got it off Amazon, Erickson Model 07705. All aluminum (extruded) seems very good quality and a great deal for about $215, just gota figure out how to mount it.

 

Seemed like the OP suggested the rack sits on the rails and mounts to the tracks on the inside of the bed, like a bed cleat would.

Maybe I'm misreading, but if not - those rails/tracks aren't that strong with a load sitting on top of them. They're pretty strong when used as designed, but supporting a load instead of holding a load seems like a bad idea.

 

Thanks, if those will work then my idea will work also. Just need to heat and bend the hardware that came with it, maybe do a little grinding.

 

thdrduck,

Curious if you got this mounted or not? I was looking at the same rack to haul a couple of fishing yaks and it looks like a simple piece of angle aluminum and some track nuts would do the job. The aluminum track clamps that Joe found above look like a good solution too if the holes will line up...

One of my concerns was the height of this rack. My cab is 21" above the bed rails and the

$380 Erickson 07705 Aluminum Truck Rack (66.4" x 12.6" x 34" Assembled, 800lb Rated)

Erickson 07705 raises the load 29" above the rails. Does this look funny on our trucks or does it cause more wind resistance than some of the shorter racks?

Thanks, Bill

 

It does sit up pretty high (certainly higher then it needs to). I ended up cutting and re-welding the mounting bolts to change them from a "J" shape to a "L" shape. The flat pads that were on them fit inside the track perfect and it seems to make for a very solid platform. I only put it on when I am going to use it (it only takes about 5 min.). I paid about $170 for mine and I think the one for the Tacoma is like $350 so figured for about a half hour of cutting and welding it was time well spent.

 

I bought these at Summit racing and they work great.