DIY Bed Rack (No Weld)

I've been working on a no weld bed rack for my 2019 TRD Sport. I don't have a welder (yet) and wanted to solve the unique problem of being able to buy all of the components and only having to screw/bolt it all together. Renders of the CAD below.

I went with aluminum extrusions so it could be configured however I want it in the future. I'd just need to purchase different extrusions, hardware, etc.

Has anyone else done this? Curious your experience if so! Any other feedback is welcome!

I had an engineer at Dometic run some FMEA on it and says it checks out structurally.

Hoping to order all of the parts soon and build it up! Supplier's I'll be using:
1. Hardware - McMaster Carr
2. Extrusions - Still deciding between 80/20 and some other shops
3. Sheet Metal - SendCutSend.com

ADD/EDIT: Cost is gonna be between $600 and $700, depending on the materials I select.

 

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ADD/EDIT: Cost is gonna be between $600 and $700, depending on the materials I select.

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No hate intended, but you can likely buy a complete rack for that money that will be stronger and not shake itself loose on the first rough road.

 

https://xtrusion-overland.com/

 

Looks sweet! What are the dimensions?

 

No hate taken! I don't like anything on the market in that price range. Plus lead times are insane right now. Seeing that companies like Xtrusion Overland and Prinsu are using this same construction, I am not worried about this shaking itself loose. It's all about using the right hardware IMO. I'm also a sucker for DIY.

I saw these guys after I designed the rack. Rad system! Price is great, too! The same rack would be about $1,000 through them.

This one is 48" long and 18" tall. Can easily be modified to any height. I'll be designing another rear rail bracket to make a full bed length rack once I get this one made and installed.

 

I saw this the other day on a Ford. Made out of unistrut

 

Did you get how it was attached to the truck bed?

 

I did not, sorry

 

Cool, great alternative for some folks. Probably not that hard to modify for making one that would fit over a Softopper as well.

 

Anyone know of a rack that will fit over a hard tonneau which covers entire channel. I have the flush tonneau which puts a channel for water runoff covering entire rail

 

Did you make it yet? I am about to embark on the same path. Trying to decide on 80/20 or strut. I build with both quite a bit for work. I think I'll weld whichever one I go with though because I don't trust either hardware to stay bolted together.

I'm leaning toward the 80/20 because it looks nicer IMO and I'm looking to incorporate the rack into a watertight-ish camper shell. 80/20 plays well with sheet plastics.

I can't wait to see pictures of yours!

 

Not yet! Hoping to pull the trigger this month. I'm not a fan of the aesthetic of unistrut. Definitely the reason I'm going with t-slot aluminum extrusions! I also have dreams of developing a camper frame from sheet metal and aluminum extrusions.

 

I made one out of extruded aluminum. Had it in the truck for about 3 months. Biggest waste of money yet. I used 80/20 also. I built it to the top height of my prinsu rack so they were even. Now yours looks a bit more reinforced than mine but don't be deceived, you will constantly be tightening hardware and finding it in the bed of your truck. It was bad. It really was rattling apart and that's with locktite. Also expect corrosion between the aluminum frame and steel hardware after a month or so.
My advise based on my experience is save your money and get someone to build you exactly what you want who knows how to weld. My rack is currently disassembled in my attic

 

Out of curiosity - did you use lock washers, lock nuts, or nuts with distorted threads on yours?

I plan to use aluminum all around to avoid corrosion.

Do you have any photos of your rack when it was built and on the truck?

 

Not many pictures, here is one I found. Kinda hard to see in the picture. I used grade 8 bolts with washers and lock washers to fasten the vertical support rails to the bed bracket I fabricated. I also went through the vertical rail and top rack with grade 8 bolts, washers and lock washers. I also put two nuts like jam nuts on the back of the bolt. In all the corners of the top rack I had support brackets for rigidity. This hardware had locktite on it. While driving the rack was constantly shaking causing the support bracket hardware backing out and the whole assembly getting loose. The bolts never loosened. Your design may be better, probably is, just had to share my 2 cents. I dont believe anything that is bolted together will be able to perform like welded components. I wasted about 600$ on my project that I wish I would have saved to get something fabricated for 1000 - 1200$

 

^Maybe there is some support/bracing that I'm not seeing but from that pic it doesn't surprise me you were losing hardware. The leverage that the different pieces have on each other is quite great and while the hardware would keep it sandwiched together I bet it wasn't able to prevent the leverage from causing rotation and movement which eventually led to the loosening of the hardware. Adding some gussets between the top and vertical side pieces would help - you'll notice the other designs typically incorporate something like that to add rigidity.

 

Oh I'm not saying my design was great, it proved itself poor. I'm just sharing my experience. I could have added supports from the front and rear vertical supports, increased the surface area of the bed rail brackets, or even better made them a solid piece. The thing is I was doing the best I could with the tools I had (no welder) and it turned into a big waste of money. Heck I'm not saying don't try, it just sounds like the OP is in the situation I was in and I figured I'd share my experience. Now I'm looking for a bed cap

 

I really appreciate you sharing your experience. To @clenkeit 's point, extra support could save the build. I think horizontal support on the vertical extrusions would do the trick. Should give it a shot (unless the materials have been repurposed haha)!

 

I am glad I found this thread! I was contemplating making pretty much what is in these set-ups.

Does anyone know if 80/20 can be welded or is it actually an alloy? I feel like welding the connection and brackets between the vertical and horizontal pieces would solve many of these issues. Also, vibration isolators between the bed and the rack would help as well.

 

@btot588 8020 is aluminum. I’d assume you could weld. But welding aluminum is different than steel. But still very doable.