Bed Braces (1 Viewer)

[Toast]

Anyone else have issues with the back of their bed pulling in when they tie things down? I found that companies make bed braces for newer Tacoma’s but none for our trucks. So, I decided to make some. Going to powder coat these tomorrow. They should turn out pretty nice. All in all I’m happy with them. Going to make a few more sets of these if anyone is interested...

 

[ntsqd]

I'd like to see a backing plate in the inside of the tail light opening. Doesn't need to be terribly thick (10-11 ga. is fine), but it should be a wide as possible and roughly square. Same is true for the lower bolts, there should be a backing plate under there too.

 

[Toast]

I'd like to see a backing plate in the inside of the tail light opening. Doesn't need to be terribly thick (10-11 ga. is fine), but it should be a wide as possible and roughly square. Same is true for the lower bolts, there should be a backing plate under there too.

I was considering that. One of the bolts on the under side goes through the middle of a bed brace so I’m good there. Maybe just a big washer on the other one?

 

[ntsqd]

Traditional "fender" washers are a bit thin for the job. What MISF does is use the slugs cut out by a holesaw. He keeps all of the slugs from his obsession with flanged holes and uses them as heavy large OD washers.

 

[Will Van]

Great work! I'm interested in a set of these.

 

[Toast]

I cut out some pieces of stainless 14 gauge. Should be fine. I mean honestly, the entire thing is crazy overkill. Moving the tie points down low alone is enough to keep the bed from coming together. Wouldn’t mind making these out of aluminum though... should have a few sets soon

 

[Will Van]

I cut out some pieces of stainless 14 gauge. Should be fine. I mean honestly, the entire thing is crazy overkill. Moving the tie points down low alone is enough to keep the bed from coming together. Wouldn’t mind making these out of aluminum though... should have a few sets soon

I’m not too worried about backing plates. I think you designed them very well to begin with. Definitely interested in a stainless set once you have them ready. Thx!

 

[ntsqd]

W/O backing plates the bolt heads will slowly be pulled thru the sheet-metal. Sheet-metal can handle very large loads, but it has to be a distributed loading, it can't deal with point loads - it will fail there.

 

[Will Van]

W/O backing plates the bolt heads will slowly be pulled thru the sheet-metal. Sheet-metal can handle very large loads, but it has to be a distributed loading, it can't deal with point loads - it will fail there.

Duly noted.

@Toast if you decide to design a set of backing plates, I’m in for a set of those too.

 

[PAToyota]

The other benefit of these would be people who run a cap on the bed - that seems to push the bed sides outward over time. It also seems to aggravate the issue with the spot welds at the wheelwells too. I guess they aren't really designed for that kind of loading.

 

[Will Van]

The other benefit of these would be people who run a cap on the bed - that seems to push the bed sides outward over time. It also seems to aggravate the issue with the spot welds at the wheelwells too. I guess they aren't really designed for that kind of loading.

I've seen a couple of guys run aftermarket bed rail systems. They then use a brace across the rails at the back to hold the bedsides in place. But that solution blocks your access in the bed.

"Green Truck"s build on Pirate uses this setup. It's also a work of art.

 

[PAToyota]

I've seen people put a ratchet strap across the rear tie downs (the ones just above your brace) for that purpose. But, as you say, then you've got a strap right across the tailgate blocking it.

 

[ntsqd]

The Japanese bed and the Candian bed with the pair of over-center latches for the tail-gate would be the most desirable in addressing this. The Federal and KA beds with their center latching tail-gates would be the least desirable.

 

[Toast]

I’m not too worried about backing plates. I think you designed them very well to begin with. Definitely interested in a stainless set once you have them ready. Thx!

The backing plates I cut out are stainless, not the braces themselves... I was going to try and make a set out aluminum though... the underside can’t use a brace though... gonna keep at it today

 

[Will Van]

The backing plates I cut out are stainless, not the braces themselves... I was going to try and make a set out aluminum though... the underside can’t use a brace though... gonna keep at it today

Whatever you come up with, I’m interested. Great work so far!