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Need recommendation on installing tie down anchors for motorcycle tie downs. Are there designated mounting points incorporated in the bed structure? Want to retain the bed liner. Thanks
The four corner pockets are the normal tie down attachment points.
On my F250 I drilled holes in the floor and bolted in eye bolts, but I do not have a bed liner in my F250.
My F150 has the plastic bed liner. I hauled my street bike a few weeks back and used four corners.
Just not comfortable with the anchoring points to be that high but will give a shot. If one was to install the anchors in bed, where would be the strongest area yet allow for access to tighten the anchor bolts from the back?
Here's what I did for mine, works great on the motocross bikes. I drilled the holes in the box and built a backing plate out of 1/16 steel, although fender washers would work too. They work great. I'd go thru the bed liner if you don't ever remove it. Larry
I can cut out the opening in the liners for the anchors. Will go with d rings - simple to install and out of the way when not needed, just need to find strong mounting points with back access.
What I did was using a 4x8 sheet of plywood and got transport trailer style anchors from home depot and bolted 1 on each corner and 2 in the middle which gives me at least 6
anchoring positions each. Also got anchor straps and anchor eye holes for different tie downs.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I have a buddy who has an 87 F150 that has one of that type bedliner and it trapped water and started rusting bad. That's why I'm going to the spray in type. He got a replacement bed at JY. I see you have a factory third-brake light - those are really hard to find now in decent shape. Mine just started coming apart. Good luck with your projects!
Thanks for the heads up Eagle. Besides your keen observation about trapping moisture the liner can get slippery from fluids. I’ll look into spray in bed liner, plus it will simplify the process of mounting tie downs.
Ensure the drain holes in the bed are larger than the drain holes in the liner and you've solved 99% of the problem. It's not humidity behind the liner, it's water accumulating that causes the problem, normally at the front. You could also remove the liner, spray in a good coat of WD-40, and then put the liner back and not lose any sleep over it.
Back to the tie down question... On the front I've used the stake pockets. They're right in the corner where there's a lot of inherent strength. But I wouldn't use the center pockets, or especially the rear ones. That seems like a good way to get floppy bed sides. (Having said that, I'm sure someone will say they do it all the time and it works great. But I'm still not going to take the risk). In the rear I run the strap out below the tailgate and hok it to the frame or a bumper mount or something.
But the last few trucks I've had tie downs for a slide-in camper. They mount to the front of the bed, and I run a 1" square tube across inside the bed to stiffen them. Then I welded some chain links to the square tube to make it easier to hook up tie downs inside the bed. I'm not saying this is a great simple option for everyone. But since I have the camper tie downs already it works well for me.
The truck I bought had the same camper set up you did. Got them camper tie downs in the front but the straps will rub on the body. I like the idea of hooking the straps under the bumper, never thought about that. I've decided to dust the plastic liner, apply spray-in liner and install some tie down anchors.
The truck I bought had the same camper set up you did. Got them camper tie downs in the front but the straps will rub on the body....
To be clear, I don't use the camper tie-downs (on the outside of the bed) to tie down things in the bed. I have the 1" square tube that crosses inside the bed from one side to the other. Without that tube the tie-downs flexed too much when I pulled the camper tie-downs tight. So I bolted that tube to the backing plates inside the bed (see the picture above). It's that tube inside the bed I use as a tie-down point for things in the bed. And I welded the chain links to it to give easy places to hook up and so the tie-downs won't slide back-and-forth along the tube.
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