TracRac SR Installation on 2014

Hello All,
I just finished installing a TracRac SR on my 2014 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4. TracRac does not offer a sliding rack product for the Tacoma and, of course, they disavow any responsibility for a custom installation of one for liability reasons.

The value of the sliding rack was high for me so I was not going to give up until I understood whether such an install was possible and what the risk was. I found that the composite bed on the Tacoma interferes with some of the stake holes. TracRac may have decided it was too much to ask customers to cut this part out. I also reasoned that there may be a load issue with a sliding rack since TracRac makes a fixed (non-sliding) rack for the Tacoma (TracRac One) which does not use the stake holes but clamps to the inside rail at the corners of the truck bed wall. The corners of the truck bed walls are the most beefed up. I resolved to install the rack and slide it to the corners when I needed maximum load strength.

I confirmed the latter issue in a conversation with TracRac customer service. They said the Tacoma bed could not handle the rated max 1,250lb load on a sliding rack. The implication was that a rack that was fixed at the corners of the bed was OK for this. I had to assume then that the rails have significant flex under upper limit loads. As mentioned above, it would be my responsibility to use the sliders at the corner positions when carrying a heavy load. I also know it would be doubtful that I would ever put even 500 lbs on this rack.

I searched the web for any info on how to do this mod and found nothing. I am contributing my experience below.

First, the DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that I am not suggesting you do this installation. Also, please be advised that you accept all liability should you attempt to rely and act upon the info below. I have no long term use experience with my installation to vouch for its structural integrity so proceed at your own risk.

The base rail that is best for the Tacoma is model 21600. It is 73" long. The sliding rack model that is appropriate for the Tacoma is model 43001. It is 25.5" high.

The Tacoma has four stake holes per truck bed side but the 21600 rails only come with rubber fastening blocks for the four corners. To add a margin of safety, I ordered four more rubber blocks and additional mounting hardware from etrailer.com (parts TARB-11032-1 and TAHD-21501).

You have to remove the plastic covers on top of the truck bed sides. You will notice that the top of the sides narrows from cab to back. Also, notice that the left and right fastening tracks inside the bed are perfectly parallel along their entire length.

The first two stake holes starting at the cab line up perfectly with the drilled holes in the 21600 rails. The remaining two stake holes at the back have some of the composite bed blocking them. This material at the rearmost stake hole will need to be cut out with an oscillating saw (i.e., Fein or other multitool). It is only necessary to cut out enough to fit the rubber fastening block as far inboard as possible. I cut all the way to the inboard edge. Additionally, you will have to drill holes in the rails that line up with these stake holes while the left and right rails are parallel to each other.

I used blue masking tape across the holes to mark the their center. I also used a carpenter's square to measure the distance from the inboard truck bed track to the hole centers. Later, when I had the rails parallel, I would use this measurement and the tape center lines to find where I needed to drill the TracRac rails.

Since the truck bed sides taper at the back, push the rail at the cab end as far inboard as the mounting blocks allow and somewhat firmly tighten. Pivot the rails at the back to be parallel to each other and centered on the truck bed. The goal is to minimize the outboard overhang of the rails at the rear. Once lined up, I temporarily fixed the rails in place with a 2"x2" steel L-angle across the left and right rails at the back with a woodworking clamp on the angle and the inboard rail.

I measured and drilled a 9/16" diam hole for the rear stake hole as close as possible to the inboard rail. Drill this hole only on the top of the rail. The smaller hole (25/64") for the mounting bolt through the bottom of the rail was drilled at about 15 deg inboard from the upper hole. The Allen key provided by TracRac has a rounded head for angled use.

The next location to drill the rail is at the second stake hole from the back. The same 9/16" hole is drilled in the top as close to the inboard rails as possible. The smaller hole through the bottom of the rail is directly in line with the top hole. Do your own measuring to be sure this will be right.

I took off the back plastic rail cap and added a stainless washer with a nylon washer under it for the rear fastening bolt.

I used an 18V Milwaukee drill in low gear to tighten all the mounting blocks partially. I then measured distance again between the left and right rails at the cab and back to check parallel before really cranking all the bolts tight. When I was done, my parallel setup drifted a 1/16" which was perfectly acceptable.

When mounting the rack, make sure the rear slider is on the inboard rail tracks. This alleviates the leverage that would otherwise be on the overhanging outer track at the back.

Lastly, I cut the tail off the Toyota plastic rail cover (removed earlier) to cover the exposed 2.75" of top truck bed side where the TracRac rail comes short. I glued this down with Goop glue.

I hope this detail is helpful to anyone attempting this mod. Proceed at your own risk. Good luck.
Steve

 

Pictures please?

 

Some pics of the 99% finished job. Only thing missing is plastic rail cover over exposed back end.

 

Finished install with plastic cover at end of rail and rack extension over cab.

 

Thank you for posting this, I just did almost the exact same thing on my 2012!

 

Hey, this is great news! Thanks for a brilliant and detailed tutorial. I’m keen on buying a Tacoma, and this has almost been a deal breaker. I really want to be able to slide or remove those racks when I’m not working or making a road trip. If I could bother you with one question:
With an install such as yours, do you know if it will accept any hard roll up tonneau? I’m wondering if “cheating” the fronts of the rails inward might bugger it up. Looks like it will. Yes, I want it all.
Also, I’m looking at a 2018-2020 or so. Don’t know if the bed walls are different.
Ideas?
Thanks again.
Ken