What were they thinking? Bed cleat "tie downs".

Rant, clarification, question? You decide.

My truck(2006 DCSB) didn't have any bed cleats when I bought it so I thought I would buy some and try them out. I got the genuine Toyota cleats for about $50 shipped for 4 off of e-bay, new in the bag.

My first impression was, hey these are sort of neat the way they attach, but they sure are big and ugly. My second impression and a more lasting impression is.....what the fawk are these things made for? What was the design intent on these other than appearing to be "beefy" but in reality being next to useless so far? The holes that are meant to be the tie down points...I assume, are tiny, and hidden away by a ring of thick plastic that makes fitting anything through and around the hole next to impossible, other than maybe a flimsy bungie cord hook? ( I know they are not rated for any sort of substantial load, but still)

I tried to use my cargo net hooks, nope, hole is too small. I tried to use small diameter carabiners, nope, not enough throw to get them around that thick ridge that hides the tiny hole.

Am I missing something with these? Is there some sort of mating piece for these that are actually capable of having something useful affixed to them?

What do you use them for? Pics?

I am confused.

The pics in the following image search show one image with a bungie chord actually tied to the body of the cleat, and the rest show just blank cleats with nothing attached.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tac...jZHWAhUClZQKHSfZD3gQ_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=974


Thoughts?

I am not super serious about this, I'm not upset, just sort of playfully wondering wtf they were thinking when this was designed haha.

 

I use mine to attach my @KB Voodoo crossbars

Works like a charm

 

I'm designing a nice brushed stainless steel cleat right meow.

They'll be 3/16" thick, and will look really nice.

 

They work fine for strapping some stuff down when you're moving or whatever, but I don't really use them otherwise. I had a bike mount fit to one of them and used that for a while until I upgraded to a proper downhill bike where the axle slides through the forks instead of dropped out the bottom (so it won't work anymore). Now I rarely use them. I installed D-rings in the front of the bed to match the rears that came stock, and added a motorcycle tie down bar that is one of the best things I've bought for my truck:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fs-motorcycle-tie-down-bar-the-best-one-you-can-buy.334216/

 

I use my cleats on the front rail and it keeps the front wheel(s) of my MX bike / Mtn bike from sliding around. I use the side ones for bungies or things that aren't too heavy etc.

 

Mine were great and easy to use, and strength? A guy ran over the loose end of his ratchet strap, and that instant and extreme pull ripped the tracks out of the bed. It didn't damage the bed cleats at all.

 

And an Aluminum Cargo Management System