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Bike mounting solutions for truck bed rail -- need help figuring something out.

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Bike mounting solutions for truck bed rail -- need help figuring something out.

Old 08-23-21, 06:13 PM
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RNAV
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Bike mounting solutions for truck bed rail -- need help figuring something out.

I'm looking for something a bit different and hope you folks can help. I've got a bed cover with integrated T-slot rails. Yes, I can run crossbars and mount up a tray. The problem is that when I need to transport the bike, I'm also hauling a horse trailer and need to load stuff in/out of the bed, which means the crossbars/bike would be in the way. Yes, I know I could get roof-mounted crossbars, but I'd really rather not spend the money on that when I've got a perfectly good slotted rail, I just need a unique mounting solution.

So, what I want to do is figure out a way to mount a bike on the bed rail, in parallel with the T-slot. If I could do that, then the bike would be out of the way and I could still load stuff in/out of the bed. Unfortunately, everything I can find is setup to mount perpendicular (not parallel) to crossbar T-slots. Here are some pictures of what I'm working with. What are your ideas?




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Old 08-24-21, 09:08 AM
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To clarify, are you asking for a way to essentially mount your bike on top of the bed sides?

If that is the case, why not get use some bolts and washers to run a 2x4 or 2x6 up the length of your bed rails then use fork mounts and a velcro strap for the rear wheel?

Of course, I would be concerned that such a set up would not be particularly stable and could fall over. A cross beam or two would help add stability.

Last edited by topflightpro; 08-24-21 at 09:31 AM.
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Old 08-25-21, 05:44 AM
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I know there are side-mount options for my Toyota Tacoma, for trucks fitted with a bed rack, tent platform, etc:

Side Mount Bike Rack

But I think your retractable cover makes that a no-go. Does your cover manufacturer offer any accessory mounts?
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Old 08-25-21, 09:35 AM
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How many bikes you carrying? Open the cover, lay the bike down inside the bed. Close the cover. Easy Peasey!
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Old 08-25-21, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by topflightpro
To clarify, are you asking for a way to essentially mount your bike on top of the bed sides?
Correct. I'd thought about a 2x4, but was hoping for something more substantial with a finished look -- preferably made out of metal.
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Old 08-25-21, 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by redcon1
I know there are side-mount options for my Toyota Tacoma, for trucks fitted with a bed rack, tent platform, etc:

Side Mount Bike Rack

But I think your retractable cover makes that a no-go. Does your cover manufacturer offer any accessory mounts?
Who makes the rack you pictured? The cover manufacturer does offer accessories, but they're crossbars and will get in the way.
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Old 08-25-21, 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
How many bikes you carrying? Open the cover, lay the bike down inside the bed. Close the cover. Easy Peasey!
Just one, but my bikes are way too nice to ever be disgraced by being placed on their side on a truck bed. Plus, the truck bed will be full of hay and other horse-stuff whenever I need to carry the bike (if I'm just transporting my bike to go somewhere to ride, I put it in the back row -- not an option when I'm taking the family to a horse show).
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Old 08-25-21, 07:30 PM
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Yakima makes 2 systems that install on a truck T rail system, Overhaul and Outpost. Overhaul puts cross bars at roof level (30"), Outpost is 19" above side rails and also has cross bars. Both can then take assorted bike trays, (Frontloader as example).

Looks like you've a retractable Tonneau cover so either of these work. They are also very pricey at around $1000 for the towers, plus the T rail fit kit, plus the HD crossbars, then add the cost of the bike trays, the Frontloader is about $250. This design does let you get full access to whatever is stored in the bed.

The Yak stuff is the only stuff that works with T rail as far as I could determine when I was exploring the options for a Frontier I purchased last Feb. By the time I looked at a Pace Edwards cover, plus the Yak gear, it was near the price of a Leer cap with T rails, which was the route I chose.

Last edited by Steve B.; 08-25-21 at 07:37 PM.
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Old 08-26-21, 05:45 AM
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Originally Posted by RNAV
Who makes the rack you pictured? The cover manufacturer does offer accessories, but they're crossbars and will get in the way.
Square One Creations makes that, along with other Tacoma accessories

Square One Creations
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Old 08-26-21, 07:07 AM
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Mount on the front of the horse trailer?
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Old 08-26-21, 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by RNAV
Correct. I'd thought about a 2x4, but was hoping for something more substantial with a finished look -- preferably made out of metal.
What's your budget? Many small machine shops are willing to take on small projects like this and may already have a solution you could use. That said, one-off products tend to be expensive.

I think the challenge is going to be that you need some lateral stability. I question whether one T-Rail could support a bicycle on it's own?
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Old 08-26-21, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by topflightpro
What's your budget? Many small machine shops are willing to take on small projects like this and may already have a solution you could use. That said, one-off products tend to be expensive.

I think the challenge is going to be that you need some lateral stability. I question whether one T-Rail could support a bicycle on it's own?
Hoping to be around $100. It's not really a t-rail . . . it's a bedrail that has a t-slot machined into it, and it's secured with bed rail clamps and is pretty sturdy. I've got a bed rack that installs into the bedrails (for rooftop tents, kayaks, etc.) and the system is rated to 500 pounds. I could use my bed rack, but I was hoping to come up with a solution that I could leave installed most of the time. I only use the bed rack a handful of times a year.
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Old 08-26-21, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
Mount on the front of the horse trailer?
Nice idea, but not an option (no place to install a mount).
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Old 08-26-21, 08:41 AM
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Something that bolts on like the SideRide above but has a hitch receiver sitting above the bed. Plug in a hitch carrier as needed. The receiver would face inward and the hitch carrier would be parallel with the bed.
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Old 08-26-21, 09:33 AM
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Originally Posted by RNAV
Hoping to be around $100. It's not really a t-rail . . . it's a bedrail that has a t-slot machined into it, and it's secured with bed rail clamps and is pretty sturdy. I've got a bed rack that installs into the bedrails (for rooftop tents, kayaks, etc.) and the system is rated to 500 pounds. I could use my bed rack, but I was hoping to come up with a solution that I could leave installed most of the time. I only use the bed rack a handful of times a year.
In that case, maybe try to find a piece of black extruded aluminum tubing in a 2x4 or 2x6 size that you could attach to the T-rail and then bolt on a fork mount and rear wheel strap.

Or go with just a roof tray. Many have a t-rail like your bed. I'm just not sure how you would tighten it down (you could drill holes in the tray)/
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Old 08-26-21, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by topflightpro
In that case, maybe try to find a piece of black extruded aluminum tubing in a 2x4 or 2x6 size that you could attach to the T-rail and then bolt on a fork mount and rear wheel strap./
That's exactly what I'm considering. I was hoping there was a ready-made solution out there that I just didn't know about. In the absence of that, I'll create my own solution. Thanks for the help!
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Old 08-26-21, 07:03 PM
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I know I wouldn't be trusting my bikes to a $100 home brew solution. I would be installing Yakima/Thule or Rock Mount 58" cross bars with a T rail adapter on the towers, then how ever many bike trays as needed. I would get parts if possible on Craigslist (except the T rail kit), and install the bikes as far towards the center of the bed as possible to allow side access into the bed. This system would only be maybe 4" above the truck side rails so easy to lift bikes into the trays.
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Old 08-27-21, 08:50 AM
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Seems like you need something like this guy has. Doesn't your bed cover mfr offer anything similar? Even if it's just the rails going from left to right side of the bed over the cover, then you can DIY something.



https://renegadecovers.com/wp-conten...v=7516fd43adaa
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Old 08-27-21, 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Seems like you need something like this guy has. Doesn't your bed cover mfr offer anything similar? Even if it's just the rails going from left to right side of the bed over the cover, then you can DIY something.



https://renegadecovers.com/wp-conten...v=7516fd43adaa
I think all 3 major rack system manufacturers - Yak/Thule and Rocky Mounts make T rail adapters, I have one on my truck cap, so I can use my Yak system. They are not particularly cheap, I think about $120, for a set of T nuts (the T on a bolt plus a nut), and custom feet for the towers. Mine are the Yakima units that have a quick clamp release so the rack goes on and off the truck in about 30 seconds. It's a nice system, better than Thule, IMO, but essentially similar to what's in your photo.
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Old 08-27-21, 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
I think all 3 major rack system manufacturers - Yak/Thule and Rocky Mounts make T rail adapters, I have one on my truck cap, so I can use my Yak system. They are not particularly cheap, I think about $120, for a set of T nuts (the T on a bolt plus a nut), and custom feet for the towers. Mine are the Yakima units that have a quick clamp release so the rack goes on and off the truck in about 30 seconds. It's a nice system, better than Thule, IMO, but essentially similar to what's in your photo.
The OP has horses. As a percentage of that budget, 120 bucks is something one can wipe their nose with. Just like when I had my sailboat, I was dropping pretty hefty amounts of change into the ocean.

At least that's what my wife told me. I don't remember doing so!
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Old 08-27-21, 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I was dropping pretty hefty amounts of change into the ocean.

!
Completely off topic, a buddy just purchased a twin diesel 34ft power boat, had it moved from north coast of Nova Scotia to Eastport Maine, where he ran non-stop to Scituate, MA. 273 gallons of diesel used at about $3.25 a gallon. Big ouch but if you've got the money for the boat, you pay the bill for repairs and gas. Bikes and accessories like roof racks are cheap.
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