Choosing The Best Truck Bed Racks
Choosing the Best Truck Bed Racks
Welcome to our review on Choosing The Best Truck Bed Racks.
Here we delve into the world of Truck Bed Racks to give you the best advice possible. Let’s start.
Imagine a sunny weekend. You’re packed and ready to head out on an adventure you bought that 4×4 truck for, but something about that stock truck bed doesn’t sit right with you.
It’s not the sleekest looking and above all doesn’t fit the adventurous lifestyle your truck is capable of.
You can do many things to upgrade your truck, but if you don’t want to compromise on storage, truck bed racks are some of the best aftermarket accessories you can buy.
Truck bed racks come in many styles, some are designed to free up space, others to carry your tents. While it’s impossible to buy an overland truck bed rack and an overhauling truck bed system without breaking the bank, our list has the best of both worlds and ranks the best truck bed racks to buy.
Best Truck Bed Racks - Yakima Overhaul HD System
Yakima is no stranger to the rack market. The Yakima overhaul HD is designed as a one-stop truck bed rack that can do it all. Seriously, this rack can adapt to just about anything you throw at it and makes full use of the towers. The truck bed rack is fairly big but has an aluminum construction which makes it lightweight and corrosion-resistant. So, don’t be afraid to get it wet or take it offroading. The rack has a rated capacity of 500 lbs on paved roads and 300 lbs on off-road tracks. The tower height can be adjusted to a maximum of 30” and sits at least 19” from the housing. The rack itself weighs around 50 lbs but expect more added weight with all the crossbars and attachments. If you’re concerned about compatibility with tonneau covers, the rack attachments are compatible with slimmer covers, but you can work your way around it with a little drilling. Since the Overhaul clamps to the side rails, you should check the compatibility of the side rails with the clamping units.
Yakima’s Overhaul is designed to stay on your truck bed for ages.
The rack is designed to be multipurpose and you can carry many things on the towers with a few attachments. For instance, add crossbars to the top and you’ve got a kayak carrier.
The sides can hold traction boards for when your truck gets stuck in sand or mud. You can add a rooftop basket and have even more storage capacity. The list goes on and on for shovels, fuel containers, bike racks, etc.
Plus, there’s nothing in the truck bed, so you’ve got the whole truck bed capacity untouched.
Yakima’s Overhaul is the most versatile rack that can be purposed for carrying logs during the day and hauling a rooftop tent whenever the weather suits.
All the various functions and adjustability come at the cost of a tedious assembly.
But once, put together and installed, the rack feels solid and sturdy.
To install the Yakima Overhaul, make sure the bed rails are compatible with the base of the uprights.
You’ll find two bases, the locking base goes toward the driver’s side, and the spring-loaded, non-locking base towards the passenger. Once equally distanced from the edge of the bed rails, clamps can be attached to the bottom using a bolted assembly.
The towers or uprights can be lowered into the base and tightened for a solid grip. It’s better to add a crossbar attachment as you go along, making it more sturdy and providing support. All four bases and towers can be installed similarly and the rack feels like part of the truck with its powder-coated aesthetic.
Pros
- Versatile
- Height can be adjusted
- Sturdy and strong base connections
- Easy to remove
- Easy to install
- Works with some tonneau covers
- Many accessories that expand rack’s use
- Built-in bottle opener
- Lock cylinder
Cons
- Time-consuming assembly
- Crossbars sold separately
Best Truck Bed Racks - Thule Xsporter Pro
Thule has some of the best stowage accessories for all types of purposes.
Their rack design is simple and functional, but most of all they are known for quality.
Thule Xsporter Pro has a simple rectangular design with four towers and included crossbars.
It’s compatible with most trucks and proves to be extremely functional with its minimal design. Xsporter Pro has a lightweight aluminum construction and comes in black and silver tones.
It has a rated load capacity of 450 lbs and uses a simple clamp assembly to lock onto the side rails.
There is a bit of assembly involved with washers, bolts, and wrenches.
But with that done, the installation is pretty simple. The installation starts by cleaning the bed rails and placing rubber shims on the bed rails where the base of Xsporter sits.
Two c-clamps slide into the t-tracks of the base and the bolt can be used to tighten the c-clamps.
The same process is repeated for the other three clamps while making sure everything is parallel and at an equal distance from the ends of the bed rails.
With the rack installed, you’ll feel one of the sturdiest bolted assemblies by Thule that is capable of carrying more than 450 lbs in static load.
The uprights can be lowered into the base and tightened with a speed knob found on all 4 base assemblies.
With the rack installed, you’ll feel one of the sturdiest bolted assemblies by Thule that is capable of carrying more than 450 lbs in static load.
By design, the 500XTB looks simple, but many tiny details make it worth the investment.
While most bed racks are clanky and cause a lot of noise, the Xsporter has rubber shims that remove most of the vibrations and sounds.
Thule’s crossbar has an asymmetrical design with a rounded front that is more aerodynamic and the t-track is covered with a rubber lining that acts as a diffuser to lower wind noise further.
Also, the rack comes with four load stops which can be adjusted anywhere on the t-track and the height of the uprights can be anywhere from 29” to as low as the bed liner allows.
Everything on the rack is lockable, so you don’t need to worry about any theft.
The rack for all purposes is very basic, but a champion in functionality.
You can haul, lumber, kayaks, surfboards, bikes, and a host of items with Thule accessories sold separately.
Another advantage of a simple design is more items in the package like the load stops and crossbars, for which you might have to pay extra when buying other racks.
Pros
- Versatile
- Height can be adjusted
- Sturdy and strong base connections
- Easy to remove
- Easy to install
- Many accessories that expand rack’s use
- Aerodynamic
- Noise and vibration reduction
- Included crossbar and load mounts
- Lock cylinders
Cons
- Loose end caps, which can fall off
- Bed liners can restrict the height adjustment
- Cheap plastic pieces used on the rack
Best Truck Bed Racks - AA-Racks Model APX2501
No matter how big your truck is, a good truck bed rack makes the job of transporting much easier and fun. It also improves the aesthetic of your truck and makes the truck bed more than a storage unit. The AA-Racks Utility Truck Bed Rack is designed for tough jobs on a tighter budget.
The technical specs of this rack are a load capacity of 450 lbs, a weight of 50.5 lbs, and height adjustability between 17 and 29”.
Construction is an industry-standard aluminum with powder coated finish to resist corrosion and weather damage.
In the box, you’ll find clamps, tie-downs, uprights, and crossbars.
The rack has a few compatibility problems with trucks and doesn’t work with tonneau covers, side rail tracks, and some Chevy and Toyota models.
Since this is a budget rack, there’s not a lot of complexity with the parts or micro-adjustment for the perfect fit.
An advantage of this is an easy assembly and an easier installation.
The uprights are welded to the base so, there’s one less assembly.
To install this rack, simply position the L-shaped base and uprights onto the bed rails and place the two-part c-clamp on the base and side rails and use a wrench to tighten the c-clamps.
There are markings on the upright to adjust the height and the crossbars have t-tracks to facilitate more parts and accessories from other manufacturers.
The perks of AA-Racks APX2501 are the small price and a sturdy base which allows you to spend money on other attachments that you can use with the rack for overall rugged functionality.
Things like J-style kayak racks, fork mounts for bike racks, or sidebars for loading more stuff.
You’re getting the best value for money in this package but the only downside is missing details like being able to fix the height anywhere along the track instead of fixed 6 levels or having a more noise absorption assembly.
Pros
- Versatile
- Height can be adjusted
- Sturdy and strong base connections
- Easy to remove
- Easy to install
- Easy to assemble
- Included crossbar and load mounts
Cons
- Compatibility issues with truck beds
- Side rails can obstruct the clamps
- Water can enter channels shortening product life
Best Truck Bed Racks - Fab Fours Overland Adjustable Rack SYSTM
If you’re a fan of rugged aesthetics, ballistic looks, and all things heavy-duty, the Fab Fours Overland is the right truck bed rack for you.
It makes it to our list because of its use in overlanding and we wanted to have something specific for the vagabond lifestyle.
The Fab Fours Overland is designed to almost mimic military-grade accessories.
Unlike other racks, it’s made from 11 gauge steel with a sleek powder-coated finish.
The thick steel allows you to load 700 lbs onto the rack at a stop or about 300 lbs when traveling.
All the steel means a large weight of 200 lbs but a stable and rugged feel when carrying your tent.
The height on this rack is fixed at 19” but the width can be adjusted to accommodate large or small trucks.
In terms of features, the rack has some unique combinations.
There are slots and holes all over the rack to attach whatever accessory you feel like you might need on a night in the wild.
This also reduces weight and improves the aesthetic.
Four crossbars on top can handle large tents or other attachments.
Various tie-down points and mount areas are all around the rack. You’ll immediately notice 4 large cut-outs on the rack, these are step locations to climb up easily from all sides or double as a tiedown location.
Four bright LED lights on the rear crossbar add a visual aid at night.
The real reason you’ll be getting this rack is its large weight capacity which allows you to keep your tent loaded without the risk of it collapsing.
Pros
- Versatile
- Sturdy and strong base connections
- Heavy-duty steel construction
- Many accessories that expand rack’s use
- Bright LED lights
- Large weight carrying capacity
- Step location to climb
- Lock cylinder
- Four crossbars
Cons
- Heavy
- Requires two people to install·
- Crossbars limit the height to load large things in the bed
- Expensive
- Not suitable for smaller trucks
The rack feels natural on a full-sized truck bed.
But all the weight and sturdiness equal more assembly and installation time.
It’s really hard to find any weld spots on this overlanding truck bed rack, that’s because it’s largely a bolted assembly.
All the slots on this rack provide great adjustability in length and width for the perfect dimensions.
There isn’t any complex t-track, washer, or tricky attachment.
The good old bolt and wrench will fix this rack up into two parts.
To install the rack, you’ll need a second person to gently lift it onto the rails and the same bolts are used in the mount to attach the rack to the side rails.
Eight bolt-on mounts provide the necessary stability for this heavy rack system.
Overall, this rack is a much-needed addition for regular outlanders who need the rugged aesthetic.
Although you can load just about anything on the rack and find your truck bed still available, you won’t be using its full potential if you plan to use it for kayaks or lumber only.
Best Truck Bed Racks - Ecotric 1000 lbs Ladder Rack
To finish this list, we’ve got something that speaks utility to every truck owner.
The Ecotric ladder rack comes with a small budget but has the largest footprint of all racks.
If you’ve ever been to Home Depot or Ace Hardware you’ve probably seen this rack on one of the trucks parked outside.
Ecotric ladder or construction rack is made from alloy steel which is important for its rough use.
The exterior is painted black, not powder coated, which sacrifices some long life but saves cash.
It has a rated load capacity of 1000 lbs and the rack is about 140” long and almost 28” high.
There are no complex features to the rack, just standard steel, and long tubes that can haul ladders and construction equipment safely.
It consists of three crossbars and a long board that sits on top of the crew cabin.
Plus round handles on the rear on both sides to get up or mount hardware on top of the rack.
A few issues are to be expected for a rack this size at a small price, but these small things which make the experience unpleasant.
For instance, the rear crossbar can obstruct getting taller things into the truck bed, like ATVs or bikes.
If you have a toolbox upfront it might not open all the way depending on the height and size of the box.
The truck bed rack is so long, that the assembly needs two people.
It’s lightweight but awkward to handle on your own.
Once all the bolts and nuts are in place, you can install this rack fairly easily.
The base with the uprights connected, can be placed on any position on the side rails and J-bolts can be used to tighten the base into place.
It works as expected for hauling heavy lumber, construction equipment, and hardware, but provides many other uses.
This truck bed isn’t designed to haul surfboards or kayaks, but this doesn’t restrict its use.
After all, it’s a utility rack designed to work through any situation.
Pros
- Cheap
- Easy to install
- Large weight carrying capacity
- Great for utility
- Steel construction
- Handles on the rear to climb
Cons
- Time-consuming assembly
- Awkward to put together
- Crossbar limits the use of the truck bed for larger items
- Complains of bolts not aligning
- Paint can chip while assembling
- Easier to rust; no powder-coated finish
How to Buy a Truck Bed Rack
Overlanding or Utility?
You should start with where you intend to take your truck and what you expect from it.
Truck bed racks are popular for Overlanding and offroading, in which case you’ll need a flat top or crossbars with no poking mounts or frames.
The weight capacity can be a little less than utility racks and truck bed racks with side rails, different attachments, and accessories are preferred.
You can use aluminum racks but with utility and ladder racks, some heavy-duty steel might be the better choice.
Weight Capacity
When you buy a rack, don’t be fooled by the large-weight-capacity advertisement.
It’s most likely static weight capacity, which simply means when your truck is parked and not moving.
Parked trucks can carry more weight, which is great for setting up large tents.
The dynamic weight of most racks is around 300 lbs.
You’ll be driving around and in those conditions, the rack supports less weight because of all the wind, vibrations, and movements that can collapse the rack.
Compatibility
All truck beds are different.
The liner can have different cutouts or the side rails can have tracks and covers that might not allow you to install the clamps or base of the truck bed rack.
For this reason, it’s better to check the compatibility of your truck bed with the rack.
The most common problems are obstructing the tailgate, liner obstructing the uprights from lowering into the bed, or tonneau covers.
Final Word
The Best Truck bed racks are designed to be multipurpose and most will do the job of transporting your sports gear, kits, and kayaks safely.
The only differentiating factors are the quality of the rack and its versatility.
If you’re looking for something specific for work or construction, cheaper ladder racks are the option to go.
Expensive overlanding racks will not be practical and you’ll find their use limited and all the features unnecessary.
No matter how much your heart is set on the bottle openers and LED lights of the racks, always check for compatibility first and make sure the rack fits your truck bed size.
We hope you enjoyed our review of Truck Bed Racks.
You may also be interested in Best Hitch Cargo Carriers and our article on Rooftop Cargo Carriers
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