any one have pics of truck with them? My drawing is rough but you get the idea. i plan on using swaure tubing for everything and some expanded steel with opening for backup lights. and it will be hanchored to teh bed rain with some 1/4 inch flat stock and grade 8 bolts.

I will be uplodaing my drawing to my gal as well if the link doesnt work.

thoughts opinions?

jiMMy

 

i got a headache just thinking about it!

 

The mounting to the bed rails is key -- grade eight bolts will tear right through and or mangle the bed rail if you bolt it just on top. I was thinking about cutting out the stake pockets and running tubing down to the floor of the bed. That way when your 1000lb payload slams into the top of the rack at 70mph, it might actually keep it out of the cab

 

Remember the top of the bed to just above the roofline isn't that tall. Take that into account with your drawings so you see what your really going to end up with.

Your going to have to brace the rack with some diagonal pieces coming back going down the bed rails a little bit or it will bounce forward and back. Some small 8" or so braces with 45s on the ends will do it. Just make the 1/4 " flatbar come back down the bed rail with it.



I make aluminum racks all the time, but they're usually welded right to the aluminum beds when I build them. I make the racks the same size as the cab dimensions on the sides and about 1" or 2" taller on top.

To bad your not closer

Den

 

hey jimmy I will post a pic of mine ...the tool box is sitting back away but thats because I had an L shape 110 gal fuel tank behind it. it has a 24" piece of 2"x3"angle on the bed rail and a piece of 2"x2" angle across the cab with turn signal and brake lights has worked real good and has not tore up the bed ,and its been on since nov.89and taken off 1 time to repaint its tough ,I used a come- a- long on it to pull backhoe buckets up in to the truck as soon as I have time im going to put a new tool box that will fit in and not on the bed rails .