Let's talk Bed Racks for Tonneau Covers

[AdventureLab]

Just fixed it.

How thick are the bars and how wide is the tray you had highlighted in blue?

Here's an image from the product page that has the dim's on it.

The rails are about 100mm wide.

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[el_sabio]

We have had a ton of requests to adapt our existing bed rack design to the various tonneau covers on the market. We're doing that today! Yes, unfortunately on Sunday. Raptor Rally is coming up in a few days, so I'm trying to cram this into our booth before we pull out for the show on Wednesday. We'll have the Raptor R and Ranger Raptor in the booth.

I would love to hear your input and ask you to complete the poll so we can gauge interest on what style tonneau cover you have.

Yes, this is a Raptor R in the video, but the design will remain the same and port over to the Ranger easily.

So, what would you like to see in a bed rack? What options? What would you use it for? Here's your chance to influence the design.

Vehicle balance and center of gravity is very important to us. We will have the version you see in the CAD rendering that is as low as possible, just high enough to clear the latch on the sliding covers. We'll also have slightly taller versions that will clear the roll up covers. We'll also have a version that works with the covers that sit on top of the entire rail.

Was just looking at your site. I have an inexpensive Gator rollup and love your bed bars and the quick attach brackets. That's great for my needs, and I bet many others. I don't have a 'track'. I think your rails will work if they were a bit taller for the roll up. I only want to add something like a Roam box (you have pictured) and a bike rack, and love the integrated chase lights.

 

[AdventureLab]

A riser is what I was referring to for raising it up to roof level for Canoes. My Canoes are 16.5' and 19', so I need to be able to clear the roof. For whitewater kayaks, I assume that any height will work over the bed, since they would only stick out a few feet out the back.

One thing I notices from the images you posted was that you'll need to change the angle of the vertical section or somehow offset the more towards the outside of the bed rails. At the current angle, it looks like the Bak 4XS will collide with it when you are rolling it up.

@clarke would you mind checking a measurement for me when you get a minute? I'm concerned about the lean of the "uprights" encroaching on the rolled cover when it's fully rolled up against the back of the cab. I don't want to make the rack any taller than necessary, so it should be a little tight, but it needs to be comfortable when rolling up the cover.

Do these measurements work? Keep in mind that the bottom measurement on my diagram below can be taken from the inside edge of the plastic "stake pocket" cap, as the uprights go right to the edge of that cap.

I can definitely stand the uprights up more, but this angle matches the cab and looks great. From an aesthetics standpoint, I would like this to work.

Please let me know if that makes sense. If not, I can do some more diagrams.

Thanks for your help with this!

 

[clarke]

@clarke would you mind checking a measurement for me when you get a minute? I'm concerned about the lean of the "uprights" encroaching on the rolled cover when it's fully rolled up against the back of the cab. I don't want to make the rack any taller than necessary, so it should be a little tight, but it needs to be comfortable when rolling up the cover.

Do these measurements work? Keep in mind that the bottom measurement on my diagram below can be taken from the inside edge of the plastic "stake pocket" cap, as the uprights go right to the edge of that cap.

I can definitely stand the uprights up more, but this angle matches the cab and looks great. From an aesthetics standpoint, I would like this to work.

Please let me know if that makes sense. If not, I can do some more diagrams.

Thanks for your help with this!

I'm at a karaoke bar right now, but when I get home in a few hours I'll roll it up and see how the measurements work. Where on the side rail would I align the part of the drawing designated as angle 3 at the base of the upright?

 

[AdventureLab]

I'm at a karaoke bar right now, but when I get home in a few hours I'll roll it up and see how the measurements work. Where on the side rail would I align the part of the drawing designated as angle 3 at the base of the upright?

Definitely sounds like more fun than what I'm doing right now!

I wouldn't worry so much about the angle. If you could just roll the cover all the way up to the window, I think you could get the straight line measurements from that. Basically, what I want to be able to do is make sure the roll doesn't impact those rails. If you measure in and up from the inside edge of the stake pocket caps, that should give you the two measurements I have in the drawing. Hopefully the roll is more "inset" and "shorter" than the measurements I have in the diagram. If not, I can adjust the model to make it fit.

Thanks!

 

[AdventureLab]

Here's an early preview.

I would love to know how many people would want 2 rails or if you would want all 3 rails. I will have to build some cross braces to run between the braces to help with stability of things attached to the rails (ex. rooftop tent). I would rather not make a ton of options. It just makes the ordering process confusing.

 

[clarke]

Here's an early preview.

I would love to know how many people would want 2 rails or if you would want all 3 rails. I will have to build some cross braces to run between the braces to help with stability of things attached to the rails (ex. rooftop tent). I would rather not make a ton of options. It just makes the ordering process confusing.

Is there a load bearing difference for static load between 2 or 3 cars or is the max static load ultimately limited by the bed and j braces and not the number of bars?

 

[AdventureLab]

Is there a load bearing difference for static load between 2 or 3 cars or is the max static load ultimately limited by the bed and j braces and not the number of bars?

There would definitely be more capacity with the three rails. Not sure how much yet, though. Spreading the load over three connection points per bed side would be a big benefit for heavy loads.

 

[AdventureLab]

Here's a quick early thought on the cross braces with 3 RAILs. Really liking the look of this setup!

The gap at the top of the cross braces is so you can reach in and roll up the tonneau.

 

[nullderef]

Here's a quick early thought on the cross braces with 3 RAILs. Really liking the look of this setup!

The gap at the top of the cross braces is so you can reach in and roll up the tonneau.

I like the look of those as well. Not sure the ergonomics of reaching over the cross braces to roll up the cover would be ideal for me though. Ditching the cover altogether might be my better option.

 

[clarke]

@clarke would you mind checking a measurement for me when you get a minute? I'm concerned about the lean of the "uprights" encroaching on the rolled cover when it's fully rolled up against the back of the cab. I don't want to make the rack any taller than necessary, so it should be a little tight, but it needs to be comfortable when rolling up the cover.

Do these measurements work? Keep in mind that the bottom measurement on my diagram below can be taken from the inside edge of the plastic "stake pocket" cap, as the uprights go right to the edge of that cap.

I can definitely stand the uprights up more, but this angle matches the cab and looks great. From an aesthetics standpoint, I would like this to work.

Please let me know if that makes sense. If not, I can do some more diagrams.

Thanks for your help with this!

@AdventureLab
I did a cardboard mockup and it didn't seem to work.

It did not clear the rolled up cover at the bar location closest to the rear window and the angle was not steep enough to align with the mounting location and not block the rolled up cover.

Some of the contributing factors seem to be...
1) The cover does not roll up round. For the test, I rolled it up as tightly as I could and when measured at the crossbar location closest to the glass, it would have been too tall to clear underneath the bar. Also, tightly rolling it up is not easy unless it is rolled from inside the bed.
2) Even though I followed Bak's instructions and both mounting rails are mounted flush to the inside of the bed, the rolled up cover is not the same distance on each side to the mounting points' removable caps. 4.3cm Driver Side and 3.5cm Passenger Side. This variance will need to be taken into account when choosing the final interior angle. Could the interior angle be close to 90 and the exterior angle remain as you have it now?

If this would be easier to explain on the phone, feel free to shoot me a DM and I can send you my number.

 

[AdventureLab]

I like the look of those as well. Not sure the ergonomics of reaching over the cross braces to roll up the cover would be ideal for me though. Ditching the cover altogether might be my better option.

Thanks! Depending on the use of the rack, and what's attached to the top of it, the side braces may be necessary. There's just a lot of leverage the higher the rack goes. The braces will be lower than the top of the tonneau roll, though. I'm hoping they won't feel like they're in the way too badly.

 

[AdventureLab]

@AdventureLab
I did a cardboard mockup and it didn't seem to work.

It did not clear the rolled up cover at the bar location closest to the rear window and the angle was not steep enough to align with the mounting location and not block the rolled up cover.

Some of the contributing factors seem to be...
1) The cover does not roll up round. For the test, I rolled it up as tightly as I could and when measured at the crossbar location closest to the glass, it would have been too tall to clear underneath the bar. Also, tightly rolling it up is not easy unless it is rolled from inside the bed.
2) Even though I followed Bak's instructions and both mounting rails are mounted flush to the inside of the bed, the rolled up cover is not the same distance on each side to the mounting points' removable caps. 4.3cm Driver Side and 3.5cm Passenger Side. This variance will need to be taken into account when choosing the final interior angle. Could the interior angle be close to 90 and the exterior angle remain as you have it now?

If this would be easier to explain on the phone, feel free to shoot me a DM and I can send you my number.

That's absolutely perfect! That's a huge help. I think I can run with it from here.

To your question, could the interior angle be more vertical, yes, absolutely. I don't like going too thin with these verticals, though. We may be able to move the verticals outboard some as well.

Thanks again!!!

I'll post an update later in the day. My morning is pretty slammed.

 

[clarke]

Thanks! Depending on the use of the rack, and what's attached to the top of it, the side braces may be necessary. There's just a lot of leverage the higher the rack goes. The braces will be lower than the top of the tonneau roll, though. I'm hoping they won't feel like they're in the way too badly.

I think that you could pretty much leave the design as you showed it in the video. It looks like it would be usable for 2 or 3 cross bars.

 

[clarke]

That's absolutely perfect! That's a huge help. I think I can run with it from here.

To your question, could the interior angle be more vertical, yes, absolutely. I don't like going too thin with these verticals, though. We may be able to move the verticals outboard some as well.

Thanks again!!!

I'll post an update later in the day. My morning is pretty slammed.

Glad I could help. I have plenty of cardboard to make some more templates to check again if needed this afternoon.

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