Make your own Maverick bed tie-downs: DIY bed side rail tutorial by Ford

[bombast]

That’s kind of what i was thinking. Did you happen to paint the channel? Curious about surface prep since most of it comes electroplated or galvanized.

I did not. I left mine bare and galvanized.

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[Theunknown_87]

ON TOPIC.
The bolt size needed to attach the rail, is an M8 Bolt (machine thread).
That's 3/8" (ish) and you will need four 1" fender washers for the bolts to attach rail to bed.
I bought the last of the 3/8 cone nuts Lowe's had yesterday.
Most of stuff is in one spot too.

 

[Jworth914]

ARGHHH The video says the Bolts are M6-1x25 That is clearly not right, as they are way too small just slip into the hole. Another reply says M8, but the M8-1x25 won't thread. I finally found some M8 bolts that fit in my shed, probably M8-125 x25 but it was a frustrating waste of time.

 

[KenJ45]

Also, the parts list on the video fails to include the washers needed to attach the bolts through the strut to the bed. It only includes the washers for the eye-bolts.

Yep, noticed that right away when watching the video...

 

[deadeye]

I just completed this, except for the eye bolts which I should receive on Saturday. I used the half depth struts instead of the square type in the video. M9 screws work for the bed itself. The hardest part was cutting the struts but it is very solid once installed.

Very cool, I was also looking at smaller depth unistrut (closer to the factory depth rails). If you have pictures I would love to see how it looks. I am debating removing the front tie downs to extend the rail all the way forward, and all the way rearward picking up all the M6 and M8 holes I can.

 

[JanTheSexyVektan]

Very cool, I was also looking at smaller depth unistrut (closer to the factory depth rails). If you have pictures I would love to see how it looks. I am debating removing the front tie downs to extend the rail all the way forward, and all the way rearward picking up all the M6 and M8 holes I can.

It's funny how I see unistrut sticking out of dumpsters all over the place until I want some. Anyway, it's solid and looks pretty clean.

 

[Krrr]

Does anyone know of a thread or have any layout of pre-drilled holes in the bed cab wall?

 

[Chicago Mike]

Anyone have some pointers on removing SIBL from the mounting holes?mine are clogged and I have been trying to get them cleaned out without stripping the threads. appreciate any help…

 

[gschmoel]

Aren't they M6? The installation video calls for (6) M6 screws to mount the channel rails. That would be 3xM6 threaded holes each side.

I have tried M6, M7 but not M8 (1.0) M6 just slides right in/out and does not hold. M7 feels just right for about 1 turn and then it stops like the threading is not matched. M8 is too big me thinks. My dealer's part dept. does not have part numbers in the Mav schematics yet for what fits in the threaded holes. It doesn't matter what cargo attachment I want to put back there if I can't even find the right sized bolt or screw. I ordered 8 tie-downs for the 8 holes but there they sit.

 

[Barracuda340]

I ended up doing this setup with undrilled surface mount aircraft logistics track. I made the first logistics tracks to fit these trucks with just this spacing and ignoring the other threaded holes that arent 1" on center and not inline. Afterwards somebody came up with a nice drawing of the spacing I used. I used a 90° countersink. Front 2 holes are M6, the middle and aft hole are M8. I used stainless steel torx bolts. The tie down loops came from evilbay.

The reason for using just this bolt spacing is logistics track hole centers are 1" spacing on center. These 4 threaded holes per side are the only holes on that truck bed that offer the 1" on center hole spacing. It works fine, allows all the lugs to be used, and wont be a hacked up mess like the pic shown on the previous pages with L track.

 

[KdeB]

Aren't they M6? The installation video calls for (6) M6 screws to mount the channel rails. That would be 3xM6 threaded holes each side.

They are M8. The Ford video is wrong.

(We installed DIY bedrails in our XLT, and used M8s…. we read this earlier on the forum that Ford video was in error.)

 

[KdeB]

I have tried M6, M7 but not M8 (1.0) M6 just slides right in/out and does not hold. M7 feels just right for about 1 turn and then it stops like the threading is not matched. M8 is too big me thinks. My dealer's part dept. does not have part numbers in the Mav schematics yet for what fits in the threaded holes. It doesn't matter what cargo attachment I want to put back there if I can't even find the right sized bolt or screw. I ordered 8 tie-downs for the 8 holes but there they sit.

M8 is the proper size. We put DIY bed rails in our XLT, and M8 is it.

 

[Catmandu]

I ended up doing this setup with undrilled surface mount aircraft logistics track. I made the first logistics tracks to fit these trucks with just this spacing and ignoring the other threaded holes that arent 1" on center and not inline. Afterwards somebody came up with a nice drawing of the spacing I used. I used a 90° countersink. Front 2 holes are M6, the middle and aft hole are M8. I used stainless steel torx bolts. The tie down loops came from evilbay.

The reason for using just this bolt spacing is logistics track hole centers are 1" spacing on center. These 4 threaded holes per side are the only holes on that truck bed that offer the 1" on center hole spacing. It works fine, allows all the lugs to be used, and wont be a hacked up mess like the pic shown on the previous pages with L track.

Where did you get the track? (and other parts?)

 

[Barracuda340]

Tie down loops from Evilbay about $20 for 10 loops

Fasteners from www.belmetric.com
These were 90° countersink, and I purchased a 3 flute 90° countersink bit off Evilbay, and used a drill press and drill press vise to locate and accurately drill them. I purchased enough to do 2 sets of tracks and drilled a second set for a friends maverick

Track is from www.cargoequipmentcorp.com I ordered the 48" length surface mount undrilled tracks. This way I put the holes only where I wanted them. I had to cut I think 5" off one end to make them the right length. Tracks are $29 each plus shipping. Rated at 2,000 lbs pull, you will collapse the bed before these fail.

The end cap shown in my pic is 1 of 8 pieces I custom made from .040" stainless steel to cap off the track ends. I gave the other set to my friend.

Since the round lug holes in the tracks are 1 inch on center, it's easy enough to count the circles to where you need to drill, center up on the Circle and drill through. The lug holes are 1" on center hole to hole, but the circles themselves are 3/4" . For this reason I recommend a drill press and drill press vise.

The 2 front factory tie downs are removed to mount the track. I threw mine in a box with other stuff I pulled off this truck as I modified it. The L track tie downs have more adjustment and come in many different types and styles to fit this track

I work in aviation sheetmetal fabrication for a living, however I think if you have access to a drill press, you can do this. See specs below.

 

[TimBru99]

Anyone have some pointers on removing SIBL from the mounting holes?mine are clogged and I have been trying to get them cleaned out without stripping the threads. appreciate any help…

Use an M8 thread chaser.

I didn't use a thread chaser. It was kind of a pain, but the bolts did eventually all thread in just fine, despite the SIBL being in there.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/M6-M8-Th...fPaDZlHYaF6snVnnNhF6cjC8ElIYeP-kaAut9EALw_wcB

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