Just curious to see what other people are using for tie down anchors for their truck. I use my 77 as a truck and am always picking up material and parts and lets face it, there are no real anchor points in these trucks. I recently picked up a new water heater which I did not want to lay on its side and wish I had some secure mounting points for my ratchet straps. I was thinking of something like one of the following, something like 3 on both sides of the bed, front, rear and over the wheel well. Maybe use rivet nuts or just regular rivets to mount in place. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks

 

Initially, my '77 had OEM extruded long aluminum bed rails, easy to bend and once bent, well ..... bent ones look bad.

Then I removed them before mine were damaged, and I had a shell to put on. At first I used a roll of sticky back shell sealer. But it got damaged when the shell was removed for hauling something. I also had fastened the shell with 6 precisely placed 3/8" bolts, 3 each side, 1" from the lip.

Still in the '80s, I discovered a black thick vinyl product, "Rail Guard" it was attached with a wide tape under it. It included end pieces for TG and bed front wall rail. I decided to go with it and drill those same 6 holes in it so the shell still fit exactly in place, and on top of the rail guard. Then when the shell was off, I found I needed tie downs for a old Player Piano I wanted to haul home from an old Church over 100 miles away. I was gonna use eye bolts, but then saw these Chromed alloy tie downs, they used 3/8" studs lock-tited in the base, I use ny-lock nuts& washers under the bed rail. 6of them use holes drilled in the '80s They look great, and they have never failed me. Each one is 2" OD at the base, about 2" tall, and the hole is 1", they come with a rubber base washer. I put 6 on the bed and two more on my bumper out at the ends for like if using the TG down.
I had a under lip type drop in bed liner since about 1991 too.

In 2021 I was getting ready to have new bed sides, etc. I removed the tie downs and the Rail Guard and the drop in liner. The bed liner had some damage, I bought a new one. I was gonna reuse the RG but the new tape was gonna be needed, I found new RG with tape on line for about the same. I bought same new tie downs too, but now have 5 on each bed rail and the two on the bumper. The RG is tuff stuff. . Inside my added tool box,there are the two front most tie downs poking up through 2" holes cut with a hole saw. It uses smaller padded J bolts to resist wind, but those two tie downs mean it ain't moving.



It may look like a drop it "over the lip" type bed liner here, but it's a "under lip" type still. I kept the old "Rail Guard" for a future project maybe. It is useable still, but what I found was less $$$ than just replacing the double sided tape itself.The tie downs I found all over Ebay, come in twin packs. I replaced the rubber base washers with thin washers cut from smooth piece of the old bed liner, using a hole saw so that when I need to twist one, it doesn't scuff the RG. That old "Rail Guard"s tape pulled some paint too when removed. After new bed sides went on, was easy to redrill holes from below as the original holes were still all there in the thicker inner bar side. Rail Guard is actually Pacer Rail Guard, sold in various kits. I used #21-107. Rail Guards I was just looking and found it, maybe a garage sale,I forget, but it was cheap enough. I found a dealer for the bed liners that still had Pendaliner # 83001 SRX bed liner in his warehouse, was free shipping to his store just 20 miles away on a regular supply truck.I see now was a good thing I bought it then. My old anchors became some pitted over the 30 or more years, but I still might put them to use on my trailer? New anchors are like these, HF has them too. 4 Pc Universal Fit Truck Bed Anchor Chrome Plated Tie Down Loop Hooks Pickup Bed | eBay

I did add a single pop rivet to the ends of the RG in the same place as old ones, so it would stay put at the ends. I also have added me some hand holds to safer climb in / out of the bed.

 

Some food for thought… if it’s attaching to sheet metal, a screw or rivnut is only going to take so much load before pulling out. I suggest backing with a flat washer and nut. The bigger the surface area the more the load is spread out. Hardened fasteners are also important. A lock nut will help keep it all together.

 

I used the 4 bottom looking ones, they are what comes in the 201x something super duties. I made plates to go behind the sheet metal and welded nuts on the back. The plates behind the brakes lights are about 2x7", the ones in front are about 1.5x4.5"

 

As far as placing a cap on the bed rails, I used Sill Seal ( a construction thin rolled foam-like material used under sill plates when constructing a home) and the standard interior cap clamps. Gives just enough protection and not bulky

 

I installed eye bolt tie downs in the factory hole at each bed corner.

 

Probably overkill, but the bigger the surface area the better

 

I didn’t want to stress the bedsides if having a heavy load, so I have 4 of these. I filed out the hole for the bed bolts square shank then massaged the bed bolt pan head to nest in the lower area. They sit a little high but I’m satisfied with them.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/26595833936...mis&media=COPY


125 gal tank tied down to bed bolt d rings

 

My parts truck came with 4 of the pocket type hold downs. They fit in the pockets have a rubber block with a large square flat washer nut and when fitted in the pockets twist the top ring and it pulls up on the flat nut and spreads out the rubber to lock the tie down in the pocket. I dont know how much weight I would want to put on them to hold something in place but I had to haul a large wooden bench with a tall back and did not want it tipping over and they worked good for that.

Now a buddy did something that was great for tie downs.
He bought D-Rings that have a metal tab and used the bed bolts to hold them in place. https://www.lowes.com/pd/DC-Cargo-Ti...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Being they are between the ribs they lay pretty flat so you can slide things across the floor.
I may look into them as a 2nd way to tie things down.
Dave ----

 

My brother in law used those rubber block based chrome tie downs on his Dodge 3500 dualies bed top to move stuff from Ga. to Va., then took them out (they can rust) and gave them to me in case I have a need, all 6. I have just put them in a box for next time his wife tells him that he needs them. Those lay flat D-rings come in stainless too, but likely cost more, but then no rust..

About bed D-ring tie downs, some removable eye bolts I bought on a sale at Northern once, CargoSmart Light-Duty Forged Bed Bolts, 2-Pack, 7/8in. Dia. | Northern Tool .... They use a 1/2" hole in a surface and the base is like a hollow bolt with big washer. The eye has a smaller 3/8" threaded stem, screws into the mounted base for use. Even has plastic plugs to plug the mounted part. Was gonna use them in a trailer floor, but no need ever arose. I had forgot about them until you mention the bed floor. Might be what I'm seeing in Post 6 above?

 

Has anyone used these,,, they fold down out of the way.
They were on my 79 and now on the shelf I think..

 

I had them behind the seat storage till I needed to move the bench for Santa then move it back just have not taken them off yet but might leave them.
I think they have been installed on the other truck for a long time and I dont see any rust starting.
Thing is every time you want to install or remove you need a large bar or something to turn the opening to pull up on the plate to smash the rubber.
Also the rear pockets have the latch chain bolt flare side gate, taking up room and I cant get one of them in all the way without a rubber mallet to drive it in.
Oh also with them installed all the time I then have something to hook the "spider web" bed cover to if I have to keep something in the bed from blowing out.

I also have a set of the bolt in eye lets that I think were on my truck, holes still on the bed rails, but they just dont look as nice as the pocket ones.
Also if I had to really tighten something down it would bend the bed rail
Found a picture of what the parts truck had and now on my flare side.

Dave ----

 

I plan to add a couple of strips of this to the side of my bed where it is metal. Granted, I dont plan on hauling a ton in there, but when I completely ATC70 restomod, it would be cool to have it in the bed my my '77 and want it secured adequately.



https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/t...edge/p/230012/

 

I did the same thing that Nutter3 did about nine years ago. I have strapped engines, ATVs, barrels, a heeping load of fence posts, and a lot more other things. No issues at all and holding up great.

 

Here are the D ring with tabs that I have on mine and what Fuzzface mentioned. They mostly sit under the ribs but are a bit higher in a few places. I like this method because the tie down is direct to the frame not the bed sheet metal.

file out the tab's hole to fit bed bolt square shank