tob
04-02-2010, 11:33 AM
I have decided to extend my mini truck's bed sides, by installing new bed rails. As most of you know the bed sides are only 12" in height. While that is usually high enough for most loads, it does not give me a good feeling when I take all of my wife's family's kids to the farm.( I would not want any of them to bounce out).
What I did to alleviate this problem is to install two rails made of 1 and a half inch schedule 40 pipe with back to back 90s--34". The 90s are 6' in height. One for each side. You could use ready made 90s but a lot more welding.
I took a piece of 3/16" by 4" flat bar, bent it to fit the bed side and welded the rail to it. I drilled a 5/16" hole in the center of the bent bar that wrapped the bed side and also two 3/16" holes on each side of the center hole. (all the way through the side of the bed) For the bolt that went through the bent metal and the bed side, I used a 5/16" x2" carriage bolt. I had to file out the hole to make it square so the bolt would fit.(I did not want a regular bolt head sticking out from the truck). The nuts I used are the ny-lock type that once are tighten on the bolt will not back off. The two other holes, I used 3/16" blind rivets (maybe over kill) but I feel OK about it. I used a total of (4) carriage bolts and (16) 3/16" blind rivets. I will post pics tomorrow, still raining out. :pop::pop:
What I did to alleviate this problem is to install two rails made of 1 and a half inch schedule 40 pipe with back to back 90s--34". The 90s are 6' in height. One for each side. You could use ready made 90s but a lot more welding.
I took a piece of 3/16" by 4" flat bar, bent it to fit the bed side and welded the rail to it. I drilled a 5/16" hole in the center of the bent bar that wrapped the bed side and also two 3/16" holes on each side of the center hole. (all the way through the side of the bed) For the bolt that went through the bent metal and the bed side, I used a 5/16" x2" carriage bolt. I had to file out the hole to make it square so the bolt would fit.(I did not want a regular bolt head sticking out from the truck). The nuts I used are the ny-lock type that once are tighten on the bolt will not back off. The two other holes, I used 3/16" blind rivets (maybe over kill) but I feel OK about it. I used a total of (4) carriage bolts and (16) 3/16" blind rivets. I will post pics tomorrow, still raining out. :pop::pop: