2nd Gen Tacoma Bed strength

[Lilbluerunner]

I am going back and forth on the idea of an expedition trailer or just building a bed rack and going the RTT route. My question is this how much weight will the composite bedsides hold in this configuration? I dont want to over load the rack and crack the "tub sides".

I like the idea of having everything in the truck for the the times when in CO. Some of those trails are a little tight and switchbacks are pretty near impossible with a trailer. :Wow1:

 

[Finlay]

I don't think there have any reports about cracked or spread bedsides, and I haven't had any trouble with it, but that wouldn't mean it's impossible. Still, if you are concerned about it, you could design the bed rack to tie into the floor where the bed bolts onto the truck frame.

 

[montypower]

My bedsides had issues starting to spread. Limit the weight on them! Or add support to hold them together.

 

[soonenough]

I don't think there have any reports about cracked or spread bedsides, and I haven't had any trouble with it, but that wouldn't mean it's impossible. Still, if you are concerned about it, you could design the bed rack to tie into the floor where the bed bolts onto the truck frame.

There have been some people reporting problems with the bed spreading / cracking from too much weight: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/47130-05-Tacoma-DC-SB-Bed-Racks?p=679512#post679512

 

[Plannerman]

Hmm, what about adding some corner brackets that would tie the front and sides of the bed together, maybe using the cargo tracks?


Sent via fat thumb

 

[Lilbluerunner]

If I build a rack I will build it off of legs that mount to the floor using plates that tie into the bolts that hold the bed on. I don't like the idea of overloading the rack and breaking the bedsides down. I would much rather lose a few square inches of bed space over breaking the bedsides.

 

[Plannerman]

My bedsides had issues starting to spread. Limit the weight on them! Or add support to hold them together.

Did you do something to stop this (extra support, etc.)?

 

[montypower]

Yes, added a cross brace. Going to support the canopy weight from the canopy directly to the frame with an internal frame. I'm sure for on road use or lighter canopy setups you'd be fine. All depends on use and weight.

 

[cam-shaft]

Here is what I did. *One of the nicest things is I actually have some structure now to tie $*it down. I also have a place for my camp table to slide between the roof and structure. I am going to add 2 more braces at mid-level from front to back but I need to use for awhile to figure out where I want them.



Cam-shaft.

 

[Plannerman]

Interesting. Is it bolted to the topper? Is it easily removed?

I just purchased a topper for my truck. If bed spreading is an issue, I'd like to get ahead of it and have been thinking about brackets that either tie the corners together at the front of the bed via the cargo tracks (readily available), or some sort of bracket that ties the side tracks to the frame via the bed bolts (custom fab). It has been a long, long time since I've had a topper on a truck and, while I like the options it presents, I'm still struggling to fully commit to always having the bed enclosed.