Tie Down Anchor Help/Ideas

[brycebba]

Hey all, I just my 96 GMC 3500 Long Bed and it came with a drop in plastic bed liner. I looked behind it because there werent any tie down anchors visible and I dont see any behind that either. It looks like the only thing is the holes in the top of the bed which are covered by my tonneau cover. What have you guys done to add tie down anchors inside the bed to secure loads? I saw the AnchorTrax kits which look cool but I dont want to spend that much money if someone has cool ideas that are cheaper and secure. If you have pictures that would be great!

I searched the forum using the utility but its search method isnt very good for mutli word searches without quotations. I would love to see the forum implement the google search tool since it scans and indexes the forum content just like it does for web pages.

 

[thz71]

I just hood under the bed rails

 

[someotherguy]

So you've got a lid/tonneau cover? I'd just carefully mark holes in the bedliner to correspond with the holes in the sides of the stake pockets front middle and rear, and also the drain holes in the front of the bed... remove the bedliner to drill 'em so you don't also damage the bed. Then pop the liner back in and install large eye bolts with fender washers. Cheap and effective. Just don't go crazy with them because they will distort the stake pockets and bed floor if you ratchet down too hard on them with a strap.

Richard

 

[thz71]

So you've got a lid/tonneau cover? I'd just carefully mark holes in the bedliner to correspond with the holes in the sides of the stake pockets front middle and rear, and also the drain holes in the front of the bed... remove the bedliner to drill 'em so you don't also damage the bed. Then pop the liner back in and install large eye bolts with fender washers. Cheap and effective. Just don't go crazy with them because they will distort the stake pockets and bed floor if you ratchet down too hard on them with a strap.

Richard

Drain holes?

 

[someotherguy]

There's two holes at the front of the bed in the floor. Drain holes that keep the bed from filling up with water. Tonno cover or lid in place, don't need 'em.

Richard

 

[thz71]

There's two holes at the front of the bed in the floor. Drain holes that keep the bed from filling up with water. Tonno cover or lid in place, don't need 'em.

Richard

Yah i wish chevys had tie downs in the front like dodges

 

[brycebba]

I know! My Dodge has cleats like boats and docks use in the lower part of the bed in all corners. I'm pretty interested in the eye bolt idea, I think I am going to give it a shot. I like the bedliner for the protection but it just the slick plastic so without hooks everything just slides around

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[kink3]

I have bed rail caps on mine so there is absolutely nothing to attach straps to. I'm definitely buying some of these and bolting them in with some huge washers. http://www.amazon.com/ProGrip-82261.../ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[brycebba]

Where do you plan on mounting them? I bought eye bolts for the corners but have not put them in yet. I'm not in love with the idea the more I think about it because the holes are right at the top of the bedside. I would love to mount something about halfway up the side of the bed or a little lower because it's going to be stronger and won't tweak the bed potentially

- Bryce -

 

[kink3]

I was thinking about 3/4 of the way up the bed. They have to be low enough to make sure that smaller stuff can still be strapped down, yet high enough to still have access to if the bed is full. Yeah, I'm over thinking this, lol.