Bed 'Slots' and other tricks?

[TruckDriver]

I'm hoping to learn from long time truck owners if there's other tricks/tips to how truck beds are designed and better ways to use them - I took a pic and mocked up some 2x6 and 2x4 uses I learned a bit online; ways to wedge and use the channels pressed into the bed

What else is out there or ways to secure loads / split up the bed exist?

 

[Lize]

I think it depends on what you want to use the bed for, what items you need to pop in now and again, stuff you leave in all the time etc and how often you want to access them. If you start off with some boards like your picture then you can see what works for you and soon decide if you'd like to change it. Better than investing in expensive stuff and feel it's not very useful.

I tend to bungee cord things which might fly about or are delicate to the side rails. My F150 only had a couple of hooks and no side rails so I added a rope down each side with knotted loops every 6" which was very handy and a cheap way of adding extra anchor points.

I like bedrugs which stops things sliding about and does limit the amount of stuff you have to secure, they are very kind on the knees too.

I'm not a fan of reaching over the side in case of paint damage and certainly wouldn't put heavy or awkward items at the front except if going to get in the bed to take them out the tailgate.

Storage boxes are useful for small items and sit fine on the bedbug without slipping. This time I've ordered Ram boxes so I'll have to see how I get along with those when the Ram arrives, hopefully will be useful and I won't need boxes in the main bed but I do have reservations of accidental paint damage so will be selective about what I put in them.

When I am carrying a lot of tools (plus I often fail to remove waste materials and extra tools at the end of a job) it can take ages to empty everything when I need the full bed space. Discipline is the answer, I always start off OK but it soon just becomes a free for all mess.

If you want to carry long items then a bed extender is a good idea, I was surprised how often I used it when I first had one. I'd wait and see how you get along and decide if you think one would be useful, personally I like something that can be removed right out of the way rather than those turn over sort which splits the bed into two sections when not in use.

For a few bags of shopping or similar clean things I use the cab.

 

[TruckDriver]

Thanks for the thoughts @Lize ! agreed there's lots of ways to equip the bed; as you see how I have it above, it's lined and i have a 3/4" rubber stall mat placed in the bottom (grippy and soft on gear, the bed, knees etc), plus a Lomax cover.

For tie downs, I'm looking at running some L-Track or E-Track on the sides for odds and ends I carry at times.

on another note though @Lize you have a Maloo!? I've always wanted to own one someday, I keep wanting my UK family to send one over haha (it's pretty impossible i hear).

Other 'tricks' I'm looking to learn is something like this screenshot from a youtube video on securing down a large load - using a board under the top rails with a stem to form a 'T' to hold down a load from flopping...

 

[Lize]

Handy tip about the long loads but you'd have to have make the t-piece in advance perhaps with a long leg and then saw if off to suit the load? Be OK if it was wood you were buying as then get a bit extra and make it at the shop but more tricky for angle iron and similar.

Love the Maloo but its definitely a car with a big boot, useful though as bed is about 6' although not as deep as a full sized. Really I bought it for the Supercharged 6.2 LSA, it was the fastest commercial pickup I could find They used to sell them over here under GMs Vauxhall brand although there were only 2 or 3 dealers in the country you could order one from, sadly like all cars made in Australia they are no more. They are unusual, I managed to look at one at a dealers (it wasn't for sale the guy was having it serviced and we couldn't go out in it) and I've not seen another. The online reviews are pretty much spot on, terrible rear visibility, terrific drive and good fun.

 

[TruckDriver]

Handy tip about the long loads but you'd have to have make the t-piece in advance perhaps with a long leg and then saw if off to suit the load?

Actually the guy in the video was pretty creative - just have that 2x6 handy (which is what made me start this thread) and then a screwgun and some scrap 2x4 - you could cut it for looks, but just screw on the 't' section and you're good to go.

and wicked color on the Maloo! yeah that SC 6.2 is why I'd want it also

 

[tolh13]

Add some etrack

 

[TruckDriver]

Add some etrack

Right on! E and L Track are both considerations; yours is the first I've seen posted with E Track; I'm assuming you used NutSerts in the existing holes?

Any reason in particular why you went with Vertical E Track over Horizontal slots? https://blog.uscargocontrol.com/horizontal-e-track-vs-vertical-e-track/

 

[GATORB8]

I made up a 2x6 divider, but haven't really used it yet. I bought a three bay net that hangs from the optional factory bed rails that has been pretty handy. For example, holds three 5 gallon fuel cans upright and close to the tailgate, it's secured using tarp bungies, and I just unloop one end for full bed use. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0179KBKTS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To change topics to tie down accessories, after experiencing BoatBuckle retractable transom tie downs for the boat, I went looking for something to solve the mess of dealing with ratchet straps. I've had a good experience with an inexpensive set of retractables from Erickson so far: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056OFWVM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[TruckDriver]

[...]
To change topics to tie down accessories, after experiencing BoatBuckle retractable transom tie downs for the boat,[...]

I appreciate the link and idea! I need to buy retractable transom straps for my boat trailer, I own so many ratchet straps it'd be hard to justify buying more but those seem really useful!

I suppose If I go with eTrack, they sell ratchets with E clips on one end and hooks on the other

 

[Lize]

Should have said in other post, I'd never heard of e or l track before, looks very handy and saves spending ages tying knots in a rope!

 

[azzx]

Does the etrack hole line up with existing pre drilled holes?
did you use nut certs to mount them?
What size?

thanks

 

[GATORB8]

I appreciate the link and idea! I need to buy retractable transom straps for my boat trailer, I own so many ratchet straps it'd be hard to justify buying more but those seem really useful!

I suppose If I go with eTrack, they sell ratchets with E clips on one end and hooks on the other

Best part of the BoatBuckles is they stay on the trailer the whole time (just nut and bolt to the existing tie down hole), takes five seconds to release/retract, or to tie the boat back down, and you never have to take them off, roll them up, or store them at the ramp. They're a little expensive, but I'd buy them again in a heartbeat for any boat I regularly trailer launched.

The same brand makes "CargoBuckles" with E Track clips, but they're significantly more than the Erickson branded ones.
www.immioutdoors.com

 

[swarggs]

Tip for carrying 4x8 sheets of building materials, mostly for drywall as it's very susceptible to damage if its bent. If you connect the tailgate support lines up to the latching points it gives the tailgate a little upward angle that helps keep the drywall from sliding around. I believe all pickups have this little Easter egg design.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[DeanKing]

Tip for carrying 4x8 sheets of building materials, mostly for drywall as it's very susceptible to damage if its bent. If you connect the tailgate support lines up to the latching points it gives the tailgate a little upward angle that helps keep the drywall from sliding around. I believe all pickups have this little Easter egg design.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

All these years I have been using something rolled up like scrap carpet to do that. Thanks.

 

[tolh13]

Right on! E and L Track are both considerations; yours is the first I've seen posted with E Track; I'm assuming you used NutSerts in the existing holes?

Any reason in particular why you went with Vertical E Track over Horizontal slots? https://blog.uscargocontrol.com/horizontal-e-track-vs-vertical-e-track/

Yes to the nutserts and did the vertical because its not as wide and fit better to the holes on the bed plus i like to be a little different

 

[TruckDriver]

If you connect the tailgate support lines up to the latching points it gives the tailgate a little upward angle that helps keep the drywall from sliding around. I believe all pickups have this little Easter egg design.

Nice! I was looking at the Jeep Truck's tailgate and saw they have a ~30* angle open if you route the cable up and over the tailgate latch pins - tried that with our trucks and it's a bad angle on the cable but your idea is great! that's the type of stuff I was hoping to learn in this thread!

Hard to tell from my photo in post #1 - I have a 3/4" rubber stall mat I picked up from the local feed store; the sheet was 4x6 so the scrap piece is what I leave on the tailgate to keep long loads level and from sliding around as well. best $45 spent so far other than cam buckle straps