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Ranger Raptor Bed Crossbar Help

Stoogey

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Hi all, I’m struggling to find some crossbars that mount to the bed of the truck that are strong enough to support a Tentbox.

I found the below link, but out of stock for 7 weeks and can only take 60kg. I’ve seen plenty of people mount a tent on the bed, but can’t find anything suitable crossbar wise?

Yes I have J Braces installed as well, thanks in advance.

https://upcountry4x4.co.uk/products/mountain-top-truck-bed-mount-cross-bars-ford-ranger-23

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superj

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yakima won't do it?

oh, you are in the uk so maybe yall cannot get yakima?
 
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Stoogey

Stoogey

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Thanks mate, I did have a look, but can’t seem to find anything for it over here annoyingly.
 

John E Davies

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Have you researched this?

https://eezi-awn.com/product/roof-bars/

These mount to their proprietary k9 tracks, those are intended to go on top of the roof (they have a Ranger kit if you want to go that direction). There is no reason you couldn’t mount a set of straight (non-curved and non drilled) tracks on top of your bed rails, with suitable solid spacers in the “stake pocket” holes, such as those that are needed for a canopy. I have used their K9 roof system with three load bars and a 150 pound Autohome tent on a Land Cruiser 200. It was a very solid setup. I do not recommend using just two bars if you do any offroading at all with that much weight. Add 2” x 1/8” self stick neoprene padding on top, that way the tent will not try to slide around.

These bars have a thin top surface that extends about 1” further back past the extrusion itself, giving you a perfect location to drill and bolt down a tent, you do not need to use dorky and problematic clamps that cross underneath the bars.

Too bad you are not near me, I would sell you my triple crossbar bar kit at a killer price, I can’t find a local buyer….
https://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/d/spokane-eezi-awn-load-bar-set-of-three/7877982040.html

Good luck, and please post details of your solution, whatever it is!

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

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Stoogey

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My issue is more the mounting onto the bed top/through the caps. The ones in your picture slot into the roof rails, wouldn’t work in this instance.

If Ford are going to put 20+ holes in the tops of the metal of each bed side for accessories (and make the bed as watertight as a siv as a result) then where’s a heavy duty set of crossbars to buy?! Rant over…
 

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John E Davies

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My issue is more the mounting onto the bed top/through the caps. The ones in your picture slot into the roof rails, wouldn’t work in this instance.
Mount their SPECIAL roof tracks on top of your bed sides and they will work perfectly. It will NOT be a plug and play installation, you will have to do some drilling and minor fabricating. Or have a local 4wd shop do it for you, it would not be costly. Remove everything except the tracks when you are not using your tent, it will look fine. See Section 2 of this doc:

https://eezi-awn.com/wp-content/upl...ULfkagD8AD8Cr3ne54pe1JPtcyqmbIqcKMxtD0ArxQm1T

John Davies
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Stoogey

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Stoogey

Stoogey

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Mount their SPECIAL roof tracks on top of your bed sides and they will work perfectly. It will NOT be a plug and play installation, you will have to do some drilling and minor fabricating. Or have a local 4wd shop do it for you, it would not be costly. Remove everything except the tracks when you are not using your tent, it will look fine. See Section 2 of this doc:

https://eezi-awn.com/wp-content/upl...ULfkagD8AD8Cr3ne54pe1JPtcyqmbIqcKMxtD0ArxQm1T

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
If all else fails I’ll have to go this route, but it’s crazy that no one makes a standard set of crossbars for the bed?
 

Raptor Family

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Have you tried American Adventure Labs? I bought their trailer light receptacle relocation kit—installed nice. Their crossbars look bullet proof
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Stoogey

Stoogey

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Have you tried American Adventure Labs? I bought their trailer light receptacle relocation kit—installed nice. Their crossbars look bullet proof
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Thanks bud, they look decent! I’m going to guess that’s £1000 without looking? Which again, might be my only option, but if every Volvo estate can mount a tent box on some mediocre roof bars then surely someone makes a set similar that bolt into the same position as the big boy set you have for the Rangers?
 

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Thanks bud, they look decent! I’m going to guess that’s £1000 without looking? Which again, might be my only option, but if every Volvo estate can mount a tent box on some mediocre roof bars then surely someone makes a set similar that bolt into the same position as the big boy set you have for the Rangers?
They are $190 USD per rail (+tax) if powder coated. I have no idea if they would ship to the UK though. They also have a kit that adds permanent threaded connectors to the bed, which would make it easier to take them on and off.
 

John E Davies

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The AAL crossbars are quite affordable, and high quality, you would need to see if the International shipping is acceptable. They are field tested in the harshest off-road conditions to be found anywhere.

“How much weight can the Ford Ranger Bed Rack hold?
While each rail weighs under 8 lbs and is built strong, the total load capacity depends on how many rails you install (one, two, or three), how the gear is distributed, and how it’s mounted. For safe use, always check the weight of your accessories and distribute the load evenly across the rails. We cannot give a specific weight rating – Ford does not give the bed rails a weight rating. We have several customers running roof top tents on the rails without issues”

I still suggest using three for really tough driving. They appear to be weaker than the K-9 bars (bent and bolted 5000 series plate aluminum instead of one piece extrusions) and they are powder coated by another contractor, and that coating has NO warranty. But you can order them bare and have them coated locally. They should be very easy to use with their additional bed rail nut plate kit. The appearance is very industrial, if that is OK with you…. I personally would buy them, they are an excellent company to deal with, and very active on this forum.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
 

clarke

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The AAL crossbars are quite affordable, and high quality you would need to see if the International shipping is acceptable. They are field tested in the harshest off-road conditions to be found anywhere.

“How much weight can the Ford Ranger Bed Rack hold?
While each rail weighs under 8 lbs and is built strong, the total load capacity depends on how many rails you install (one, two, or three), how the gear is distributed, and how it’s mounted. For safe use, always check the weight of your accessories and distribute the load evenly across the rails. We cannot give a specific weight rating – Ford does not give the bed rails a weight rating. We have several customers running roof top tents on the rails without issues”

I still suggest using three for really tough driving. They appear to be weaker than the K-9 bars (bent and bolted 5000 series plate aluminum instead of one piece extrusions) and they are powder coated by another contractor, and that coating has NO warranty. But you can order them bare and have them coated locally. They should be very easy to use with their additional bed rail nut plate kit. The appearance is very industrial, if that is OK with you…. I personally would buy them, they are an excellent company to deal with, and very active on this forum.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

I plan on getting a set when they come out with a full height version. I need a way to carry my canoe around.
 
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Stoogey

Stoogey

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They are $190 USD per rail (+tax) if powder coated. I have no idea if they would ship to the UK though. They also have a kit that adds permanent threaded connectors to the bed, which would make it easier to take them on and off.
A lot cheaper than I thought they’d be! Thanks for this, will go this route if I can’t find a more standard looking set to fit the Tentbox to 👍🏼
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