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I know there are 1 or 2 with this thread but hey everyone needs answers when they ask and timely. Details Details! $500 max setup.
2023 Hybrid Carbonized Gray
Xlt Luxury Package
Bed Extender Rail
--------------------------------
Tools needed--- all can be purchased at Harbor Freight lol!
Impact or a drill
Basic Grinder or something to cut steel
1/2 inch socket wrench
1-1/16'' big socket and basic socket kit up to 1 inch
Vice grips or adjustable wrench is perfect
1 inch step-up up drill bit
Can of Matte Black paint i used Krylon Fusion Matte Black
Welder
--------------------------------
My Spray in bed liner was removed to speed delivery so get that myself later.
I seen on here and picked up foam fatigue pads from harbor freight for 9.98$ 4 squares grabbed 2 sets
4 squares on bottom of bed and 2 squares for bed against the cab until the bed liner goes in.
20$ cheap bed liner! Cut to shape was done in 20 minutes! Then tape down for temporary or something.
Harbor Freight Truck Ladder Rack $300 average cost minus taxes or discounts.
They have a ton of coupons and deals so worth the sign up!
Then paid a buddy to weld the parts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ive used them on many other full sized trucks and have had only 1 issue.
Years of abuse and carrying up to 1000lbs on them running scrap.(on full size truck!)
Issue. After a few years of daily outside weather the bolts and rail where they meet will get surface rust and cause some staining from rain
and can over long time discolor your paint over the years. Keep it clean and you ok or fix it!
Simple fix. Either some good primered paint, or i like to use the rubber paint spray can and it seals everything nicely. Just spray and coat
all the bolts and nuts! Simple.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 things had to be modified from the rack in order to get proper installation without issues.
They both are a weld issue, very small job but a must nonetheless. Unless you perm mount then you must drill the holes into bed, i never did.
------They top rail is in half and meets in the middle, top and bottom post a small and big one. The slide into each other then get pinch plated.
They join and have a flat plate coupler that simply pinches the two in the middle by a bolt. Thats all.
Due to the short bed of the truck out coupler is unusable due to the front rail post will land dead center on the joint itself! SO WELD NEEDED!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st: weld job:
The top rail and bottom both will need to be fully welded together since we cannot use the coupler on short bed.
Weld the 2 joints as pictured, grind down and paint. Keep them level as possible! We just used the box or jack to level the front end!
Then to add reinforced strength we added a C channel steel plate over the top small rail junctions where its welded together.
Then welded it fully in place over it for increase area coverage as precaution.
2nd: weld job: ---(- IF NOT PERMANENT BOLTED BY DRILLING THE BED RAILS and using drop in bolts -)
The Temporary bolts or J-Bolts are more if not better than permanent mounting due to increased surface coverage in my opinion and
less damage to bed. or if rails removed its clean and not in the bible as a holy spirit!
Ive always used the temp bolts and even used them
to help mount my truck rail boxes and hides the mounting all together.
They need the middle cut out and shortened to more of a V rather than a J or a tighter J bolt. Its far to wide to use as is.
Cut out the center section and re-weld them together and done!
3rd job: Cut 6 inches off the bottom of each 4 rail post that mounts onto the bed, simple measure and cut up 6 inches.
i just used a hand grinder, cut all 4 posts smoothen out and remove and burrs and painted to coat the open steel.
4th job:
The new bottom rail now needs the holes re-drilled to mount on truck. 2 on each for the mount bracket, bottom hole is important top hole has a lot of free room
Mount the Mounting plates on each corner of the bed as far apart as you can, get them real snug tight.
2 ways to mark Holes to drill and mount i though was best.
Lower rack down onto the bed and into position and mark hole location for drilling *after have the Mount Brackets mounted and snugged*
Mark the locations with a marker raise up and drill out, then deburr, and paint!
Or measure on floor and place the mount brackets on 2 - 2x4's measure 52.5 inch inside to inside of the plates left to right and about the same front and back ((((Place something under the rail bottom to keep it off the Mount Plate we want a small gap here, i used a basic hand wrench and laid one in all 4 mount plates and laid the rack on top of them so when the rack is mounted it itsnt rubbing and scraping the bottom mount plate as it rides-- it will have some space))))and put the rack on them to mark drilling locations whatevers easier, i did mine on the floor fyi
Harbor freight to the rescue again! 12.99 Warrior 3 pc speed step up drill bits, the big one is all you need! get to drilling! Then coat with paint to seal the steel!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then just put it together mount and hang! Tighten everything GOOD Crank it! We want it locked down forever!
The Floating rail that can mount anywhere normally in back But now it just mount it in the middle of the front 2 rails to even out all 4 rails nicley and tighten down.
I did it all by myself by using ratchet straps and my garage ceiling joists to lower it and mount it solo!
----Current pic is of Garage doors mounted and traveling Maiden Voyage. Even with hwy and city and on 1st tank of gas still averaged 36 mpg. Loaded.
----Current door is roughly 200lbs on rail. 249lb with all parts in bed +ladder and tools.
----Even loaded still hit electric mode cruising city of flat lands.
So far no issues and ran great, Rail was strong and solid driving, and was very windy day to add to it! Will be slowly adding more weight to rails to test out.
My only concern is the strength of the bed rail steel itself whether it can handle to weight!
Fun Facts:::
Bed extender adds about 2 ft extra length to the bed, basically lower the tailgate and it about goes to the end of it. So 4.5 bed to a 6.5 bed in a flash.
Just wish the extender slided out rather than flipping up and over would help with ladder or materials in the bed. Its flat on the tailgate when closed so can only raise about 2 inches before it hits tailgate and stops. So nothing really can go under it when all closed up. Easily removable though.
I was considering removing backseat for tools, but its actually spacious Under seat storage now standard on 2023* took all my tools, grinder sawzall brad nailer and more from my work chest i had a big 2 drawer milwakuee packout box in silverado.
Cover the seat and put my wheelable smaller tool box on top no issue so easily still a family vehicle without all the unloading tools! Nice touch!
Last 2 pics are of 2 of my other trucks the gray one has been running since december 2015 and red november 2019
The pinch plate is shown here where it normally would be, but is where we welded the 2 rails together can see from both pics and outlined upclose.
One last fun fact!
The 6 inches you cut off, is easily replaced by the 6in EXTENDER tubes (supplied) that raise the whole thing up, which is NEVER NEEDED!! My 3 trucks are proof.
So with that, even after you cut it, a full sized truck can still use this rack with issues!
2023 Hybrid Carbonized Gray
Xlt Luxury Package
Bed Extender Rail
--------------------------------
Tools needed--- all can be purchased at Harbor Freight lol!
Impact or a drill
Basic Grinder or something to cut steel
1/2 inch socket wrench
1-1/16'' big socket and basic socket kit up to 1 inch
Vice grips or adjustable wrench is perfect
1 inch step-up up drill bit
Can of Matte Black paint i used Krylon Fusion Matte Black
Welder
--------------------------------
My Spray in bed liner was removed to speed delivery so get that myself later.
I seen on here and picked up foam fatigue pads from harbor freight for 9.98$ 4 squares grabbed 2 sets
4 squares on bottom of bed and 2 squares for bed against the cab until the bed liner goes in.
20$ cheap bed liner! Cut to shape was done in 20 minutes! Then tape down for temporary or something.
Harbor Freight Truck Ladder Rack $300 average cost minus taxes or discounts.
They have a ton of coupons and deals so worth the sign up!
Then paid a buddy to weld the parts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ive used them on many other full sized trucks and have had only 1 issue.
Years of abuse and carrying up to 1000lbs on them running scrap.(on full size truck!)
Issue. After a few years of daily outside weather the bolts and rail where they meet will get surface rust and cause some staining from rain
and can over long time discolor your paint over the years. Keep it clean and you ok or fix it!
Simple fix. Either some good primered paint, or i like to use the rubber paint spray can and it seals everything nicely. Just spray and coat
all the bolts and nuts! Simple.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 things had to be modified from the rack in order to get proper installation without issues.
They both are a weld issue, very small job but a must nonetheless. Unless you perm mount then you must drill the holes into bed, i never did.
------They top rail is in half and meets in the middle, top and bottom post a small and big one. The slide into each other then get pinch plated.
They join and have a flat plate coupler that simply pinches the two in the middle by a bolt. Thats all.
Due to the short bed of the truck out coupler is unusable due to the front rail post will land dead center on the joint itself! SO WELD NEEDED!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st: weld job:
The top rail and bottom both will need to be fully welded together since we cannot use the coupler on short bed.
Weld the 2 joints as pictured, grind down and paint. Keep them level as possible! We just used the box or jack to level the front end!
Then to add reinforced strength we added a C channel steel plate over the top small rail junctions where its welded together.
Then welded it fully in place over it for increase area coverage as precaution.
2nd: weld job: ---(- IF NOT PERMANENT BOLTED BY DRILLING THE BED RAILS and using drop in bolts -)
The Temporary bolts or J-Bolts are more if not better than permanent mounting due to increased surface coverage in my opinion and
less damage to bed. or if rails removed its clean and not in the bible as a holy spirit!
Ive always used the temp bolts and even used themto help mount my truck rail boxes and hides the mounting all together.
They need the middle cut out and shortened to more of a V rather than a J or a tighter J bolt. Its far to wide to use as is.
Cut out the center section and re-weld them together and done!
3rd job: Cut 6 inches off the bottom of each 4 rail post that mounts onto the bed, simple measure and cut up 6 inches.
i just used a hand grinder, cut all 4 posts smoothen out and remove and burrs and painted to coat the open steel.
4th job:
The new bottom rail now needs the holes re-drilled to mount on truck. 2 on each for the mount bracket, bottom hole is important top hole has a lot of free room
Mount the Mounting plates on each corner of the bed as far apart as you can, get them real snug tight.
2 ways to mark Holes to drill and mount i though was best.
Lower rack down onto the bed and into position and mark hole location for drilling *after have the Mount Brackets mounted and snugged*
Mark the locations with a marker raise up and drill out, then deburr, and paint!
Or measure on floor and place the mount brackets on 2 - 2x4's measure 52.5 inch inside to inside of the plates left to right and about the same front and back ((((Place something under the rail bottom to keep it off the Mount Plate we want a small gap here, i used a basic hand wrench and laid one in all 4 mount plates and laid the rack on top of them so when the rack is mounted it itsnt rubbing and scraping the bottom mount plate as it rides-- it will have some space))))and put the rack on them to mark drilling locations whatevers easier, i did mine on the floor fyi
Harbor freight to the rescue again! 12.99 Warrior 3 pc speed step up drill bits, the big one is all you need! get to drilling! Then coat with paint to seal the steel!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then just put it together mount and hang! Tighten everything GOOD Crank it! We want it locked down forever!
The Floating rail that can mount anywhere normally in back But now it just mount it in the middle of the front 2 rails to even out all 4 rails nicley and tighten down.
I did it all by myself by using ratchet straps and my garage ceiling joists to lower it and mount it solo!
----Current pic is of Garage doors mounted and traveling Maiden Voyage. Even with hwy and city and on 1st tank of gas still averaged 36 mpg. Loaded.
----Current door is roughly 200lbs on rail. 249lb with all parts in bed +ladder and tools.
----Even loaded still hit electric mode cruising city of flat lands.
So far no issues and ran great, Rail was strong and solid driving, and was very windy day to add to it! Will be slowly adding more weight to rails to test out.
My only concern is the strength of the bed rail steel itself whether it can handle to weight!
Fun Facts:::
Bed extender adds about 2 ft extra length to the bed, basically lower the tailgate and it about goes to the end of it. So 4.5 bed to a 6.5 bed in a flash.
Just wish the extender slided out rather than flipping up and over would help with ladder or materials in the bed. Its flat on the tailgate when closed so can only raise about 2 inches before it hits tailgate and stops. So nothing really can go under it when all closed up. Easily removable though.
I was considering removing backseat for tools, but its actually spacious Under seat storage now standard on 2023* took all my tools, grinder sawzall brad nailer and more from my work chest i had a big 2 drawer milwakuee packout box in silverado.
Cover the seat and put my wheelable smaller tool box on top no issue so easily still a family vehicle without all the unloading tools! Nice touch!
Last 2 pics are of 2 of my other trucks the gray one has been running since december 2015 and red november 2019
The pinch plate is shown here where it normally would be, but is where we welded the 2 rails together can see from both pics and outlined upclose.
One last fun fact!
The 6 inches you cut off, is easily replaced by the 6in EXTENDER tubes (supplied) that raise the whole thing up, which is NEVER NEEDED!! My 3 trucks are proof.
So with that, even after you cut it, a full sized truck can still use this rack with issues!
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