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View Full Version : Cheap trick 05+ Tacoma bed rail tie down


rynosurf
03-01-2009, 11:01 PM
I'm sure others have thought of this but I couldn't find any info so I thought I would share. I wanted some extra tie down points for my bed rails but didn't want to spend the money on some stock ones so I made my own. I bought some 2 1/2" x 3/8" eyebolts, 3/8" washers, 3/8" fender washers and some 3/8" unistrut nuts and removed the springs. Slide a nut into the tie down channel with the standard washer in front of it, then just thread the eyebolt with fender washer into nut and you are done. The standard washer fits into the grooves that are designed for the stock tie downs; you can tighten or loosen bolts by hand and move them to desired location.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2237-1.jpghttp://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2239-1.jpghttp://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2240-1.jpg
I also did the same thing using 1/4" hardware to attach my quickfists for my shovel. (If you do this, use a 3/8" washer in front of the 1/4" unistrut nut.)
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2241-1.jpghttp://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2242-1.jpg
So far they have worked out pretty good, but I haven't had the chance to really test them out. Total cost was about $5 for 4 tie downs.
mcm4090
03-01-2009, 11:06 PM
Nice work. I have seen that done on a few Frontiers. I keep meaning to pick the hardware up.
HMR
03-01-2009, 11:26 PM
I made a couple different designs. They work great:

http://wileyp.smugmug.com/photos/450349926_sPj44-M.jpg

http://wileyp.smugmug.com/photos/450349913_bx9KS-M.jpg
Jacket
03-02-2009, 08:29 PM
I like that. The whole "how do I add new hardware to my bed rails" dilemma has pissed me off more times than I can remember.
TRDFAN
03-04-2009, 09:49 PM
Simple and effective! thanks for the good tip.
T-hacha-P
03-04-2009, 11:05 PM
Maybe I'm revealing my ignorance too much, but where can one find a "unistrut nut"? I looked for something like that for weeks when I was mounting up my bike fork mounts...
rynosurf
03-04-2009, 11:48 PM
Unistrut hardware is usually in the electrical department at Home Depot, Lowes etc. Here is a better pic.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2245-1.jpg
The 3/8" washer helps spread the force on the inside of the tie down channels.
voodoochile
03-06-2009, 11:10 AM
Unistrut hardware is usually in the electrical department at Home Depot, Lowes etc. Here is a better pic.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/IMG_2245-1.jpg
The 3/8" washer helps spread the force on the inside of the tie down channels.


That's the same way I went. I used them to mount some Thule blockheads for holding mtn bikes.
TacoRocco
03-06-2009, 01:22 PM
I didn't get all the parts (bulkhead adaptor bolt and rail nut) for my new tonneau cover and I'm leaving for Florida this weekend.

Thanks for this thread and parts list.
rynosurf
01-25-2010, 12:43 AM
You can never have enough tie down points. I replaced the standard 1/4" bolts that hold my camper on and replaced them with 1/4" eyebolts. I added a nut and washer at the top of the threads to keep the eye from digging into the fiberglass.
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/100_2578.jpghttp://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u262/rynosurf/100_2579.jpg
18seeds
01-25-2010, 01:10 AM
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