Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Actually, there's a page just for the kickstand that the tech sent me. I like the opening sentence: "Kickstands are for leveling and providing support for the rails." Just exactly what I needed. So the tech threw in a pair of them as well as a pair of the "A" brackets. I felt I needed two more kickstands so paid for another pair.

I'm guessing that I won't like the extra bolt length sticking out so will probably shorten things once I find out how long they need to be.

Got the two front A-brackets installed. But not without some issues.

First I measured and marked the bed lips for the holes. Before drilling it looked like they'd be very close to the top of the bed and it might be difficult to get the nuts and bolts in. As it turned out they fit, just.

Then I started to install the brackets in front. But whomever came up with this plan didn't think through how all of this would go together. Today it dawned on him that there is no way to get a bolt through the top of the A-bracket. The bracket has to be slid into place until the hole in it lines up with the one in the lip of the bed. So the bolt has to come through from the outside and the nut has to be on the inside.

Well, had I realized this initially I'd have tapped the bracket, but as it was I'd drilled it out 1/4" and didn't want to go larger. So I put nutserts in. But the face of the bracket needs to go flush against the lip of the bed, so I spot-faced the bracket so the nutsert's flange is flush with the face of the bracket.

However, the thickness of the bracket is apparently greater than these nutserts were designed for and they didn't really want to crush. But a trip to the 20-ton press convinced them to do so, although I did have to chase the threads a bit.

Then I installed the brackets. That was FIDDLY! But they are on and provide quite a bit of support, although the other brackets are certainly going on when they come in. However, that should be fairly easy.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got the two front A-brackets installed. But not without some issues.

First I measured and marked the bed lips for the holes. Before drilling it looked like they'd be very close to the top of the bed and it might be difficult to get the nuts and bolts in. As it turned out they fit, just.

Then I started to install the brackets in front. But whomever came up with this plan didn't think through how all of this would go together. Today it dawned on him that there is no way to get a bolt through the top of the A-bracket. The bracket has to be slid into place until the hole in it lines up with the one in the lip of the bed. So the bolt has to come through from the outside and the nut has to be on the inside.

Well, had I realized this initially I'd have tapped the bracket, but as it was I'd drilled it out 1/4" and didn't want to go larger. So I put nutserts in. But the face of the bracket needs to go flush against the lip of the bed, so I spot-faced the bracket so the nutsert's flange is flush with the face of the bracket.

However, the thickness of the bracket is apparently greater than these nutserts were designed for and they didn't really want to crush. But a trip to the 20-ton press convinced them to do so, although I did have to chase the threads a bit.

Then I installed the brackets. That was FIDDLY! But they are on and provide quite a bit of support, although the other brackets are certainly going on when they come in. However, that should be fairly easy.

I'm obviously not understanding how these guide/rack rails fit into the motorized canister.

Or the bed half of the adjustable A style brackets ultimately attach to the track half that slides into the guide extrusion.

 

[Gary Lewis]

I'm obviously not understanding how these guide/rack rails fit into the motorized canister.

Or the bed half of the adjustable A style brackets ultimately attach to the track half that slides into the guide extrusion.

The rails fit into extrusions in the canister that are just like the upper piece of the brackets I installed today, the one at the end of the arrow.

But I'm not sure what "Or the bed half of the adjustable A style brackets ultimately attach to the track half that slides into the guide extrusion" means. Can you say that a different way?

[ArdWrknTrk]

The rails fit into extrusions in the canister that are just like the upper piece of the brackets I installed today, the one at the end of the arrow.

But I'm not sure what "Or the bed half of the adjustable A style brackets ultimately attach to the track half that slides into the guide extrusion" means. Can you say that a different way?

We see how the 'track half' of the bracket takes a bolt from up through the bed half of the bracket.

The track half has to slide onto the track, but the bed half of the bracket doesn't.

What makes it that you can't attach the bed half of the bracket and then attach the rail half to the bed half using that screw?

None of the drawings or photos seem to show that they aren't independent of one another.

[Gary Lewis]

We see how the 'track half' of the bracket takes a bolt from up through the bed half of the bracket.

The track half has to slide onto the track, but the bed half of the bracket doesn't.

What makes it that you can't attach the bed half of the bracket and then attach the rail half to the bed half using that screw?

None of the drawings or photos seem to show that they aren't independent of one another.

Oh, now I see the light!

Yes, the two halves of the A-bracket are separate. But they both butt up against the canister to prevent it from moving. And since the canister fits under the lip of the toolbox it has to be installed first.

My process is to put the canister on supports to get it at the final height. Then slip the rails through the extrusions in the canister and slide the rails and canister forward and into position. Then bolt the upper half of the A-brackets to the lips of the bed and slip the lower half along the rails and under the upper half and bolt them together.

Does that make sense?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Oh, now I see the light!

Yes, the two halves of the A-bracket are separate. But they both butt up against the canister to prevent it from moving. And since the canister fits under the lip of the toolbox it has to be installed first.

My process is to put the canister on supports to get it at the final height. Then slip the rails through the extrusions in the canister and slide the rails and canister forward and into position. Then bolt the upper half of the A-brackets to the lips of the bed and slip the lower half along the rails and under the upper half and bolt them together.

Does that make sense?

I guess that's why I asked last night why you didn't fixture the bracket and then slip the rails out, in order to access the bracket and bolt it to the bed.

If the rails are fixed in the canister and the tool box overhangs, I can see how that 🔩

[Gary Lewis]

I guess that's why I asked last night why you didn't fixture the bracket and then slip the rails out, in order to access the bracket and bolt it to the bed.

If the rails are fixed in the canister and the tool box overhangs, I can see how that 🔩

Probably not my best design.

But I'm getting there. I've slipped the other brackets on, the ones the kickstands attach to. So when those parts come in I just have to install the kickstands and then deal with the A-brackets. On the rear I can pivot the tracks out a bit to get the bolts through the brackets and the lip of the bed. So I don't need to thread the bracket, which I like 'cause I'd rather have a steel nut than aluminum holding it on.

Once the A-brackets are all on I can level it up with the kickstands. But that won't take much as the rails are pretty much level now. However, as and when the racks and tent are installed that may change, so I'll have the wherewithal to keep them level.

[Gary Lewis]

Probably not my best design.

But I'm getting there. I've slipped the other brackets on, the ones the kickstands attach to. So when those parts come in I just have to install the kickstands and then deal with the A-brackets. On the rear I can pivot the tracks out a bit to get the bolts through the brackets and the lip of the bed. So I don't need to thread the bracket, which I like 'cause I'd rather have a steel nut than aluminum holding it on.

Once the A-brackets are all on I can level it up with the kickstands. But that won't take much as the rails are pretty much level now. However, as and when the racks and tent are installed that may change, so I'll have the wherewithal to keep them level.

Nothing to actually show for today, but I started on the wiring from the bed to the cab. That will include power and ground as well as close and open signals for the bed cover, lighting power for the bed, and input to the security system from pin switches on the toolbox.

Those wires will feed down the driver's side front stake pocket then through a new hole in the back of the cab, which I drilled today. I'll post pics of it later as I get it done, but this will lead into finishing the wiring for the security system.

[Gary Lewis]

Nothing to actually show for today, but I started on the wiring from the bed to the cab. That will include power and ground as well as close and open signals for the bed cover, lighting power for the bed, and input to the security system from pin switches on the toolbox.

Those wires will feed down the driver's side front stake pocket then through a new hole in the back of the cab, which I drilled today. I'll post pics of it later as I get it done, but this will lead into finishing the wiring for the security system.

Question for y'all. As I'm pulling the wires to the bed I'm debating on how I want the lights in the bed to be powered/switched. I'd initially thought I want them to be on the cargo light circuit so I can turn them on with the headlight switch. But that means I need to put a switch in the Highliner headliner to turn the dome light off. So now I'm thinking I'll just put a switch in the bed so they can be turned off/on from there.

Thoughts?

Jim - What LED strip lights did you use under the hood? Do you like them?

[Nothing Special]

Question for y'all. As I'm pulling the wires to the bed I'm debating on how I want the lights in the bed to be powered/switched. I'd initially thought I want them to be on the cargo light circuit so I can turn them on with the headlight switch. But that means I need to put a switch in the Highliner headliner to turn the dome light off. So now I'm thinking I'll just put a switch in the bed so they can be turned off/on from there.

Thoughts?

Jim - What LED strip lights did you use under the hood? Do you like them?

I'd keep them separated from the dome light. I don't like having to turn on lights I don't want on when I want to turn other lights on. In fact, on my '85 F-250 I put the factory cargo light on a separate switch so I didn't need to have the dome light on with it.

As far as where to put the separate switch, in the bed seems like a good location (if you can find a good location in the bed). You typically won't be in the cab when you want to turn those lights on or off, so having the switch closer to where you'll be when you want to use it seems good.