Purpose/Uses of factory bed liner's notches?

[86_FX4]

I have the exact same bed liner as in this photo (just scraped off a you-tube vid). I always have some issues strapping down things that aren't taller than the tie-down points.

What tips and tricks do you have or know about making these beds more functional? I assume In the vertical slots I can just drop a 2x4 or 2x6 as a simple divider? Are there more uses? What about the little ridged sections with the 3 divots, they seem too intentionally placed to be just for looks. I feel like some of you older ranger heads or farm guys know EXACTLY how to best use these features. Lets hear it!

 

[Brain75]

you place a 2x4, 2x6, etc vertically into that notch and it makes a cargo retainer wall (to keep small loose items at the back for easy access and without them rolling all over the place)..


fun fact the two horizontal ones are for 2x6's and when you do that you can lay full size sheet goods (4x8 plywood, drywall, etc) on top of that platform and they are properly supported without bowing on the wheel wells.

2nd Gen does not have the fore and aft vertical, only the newer ones have those, but the horizontal for sheet goods has been there all along - Ford was thinkin smart back then.

 

[Brain75]

notches aren't just skin deep in plastic, those are formed in the sheetmetal too.

 

[86_FX4]

The vertical ones made sense to me, but are you saying the area with the little 3 finger divots are for 2x6 horizontally? NICE. I've definitely struggled with the wheel wells and carrying full sheets or just longer pieces. Thanks!

Do you know if anywhere is designed for me to sink a screw into or drill and through bolt the 2x6 while in the slots (either vert or horiz)?

 

[Brain75]

I don't think Ford intended for you to punch a hole in the sheetmetal and introduce an unpainted place for rust to start, but you can certainly do whatever you like to the truck....

 

[Brain75]

FWIW, my little truck has been in the family since '96, and has carried 3 or 4 full basements worth of sheetgoods for just those projects alone, I have never had an issue with them walking around, gravity holds em down pretty solid.

 

[86_FX4]

FWIW, my little truck has been in the family since '96, and has carried 3 or 4 full basements worth of sheetgoods for just those projects alone, I have never had an issue with them walking around, gravity holds em down pretty solid.

Good to know. I've got 2x6 board on my list for the next home depot run! The fact that I could just add some light duty tiedown points on to 2x6 board seals the deal for me.

-Yeah, makes sense. I don't play around with drilling through the body/frame unless I have to. Just curious if maybe some smart engineer hid a pre-painted knockout or through hole just under the plastic. Wasn't sure!

 

[Brain75]

Rather than pay for 2 full length 2x6's I went to the very back where they put all their "cull" lumber in a junk bin (typically they paint it with some purple or something), if you look for 2 that are just long enough to do the job trim em to length and walk out of there for little nothing.... assuming your store is reasonable on cull.. one home despot I went to in Denver wanted more for cull than regular stuff - kinda brain dead store overall though.

 

[scotts90ranger]

On my '97 daily driver I leave a 2x4 in the front notch so I can just put stuff in front of it like gas cans and random stuff that I don't want to find a place for in the cab, being at the front it works great, combine that with a dumb cinch type strap to the upper tiedown points and it keeps most of my random hauling perfectly safe... I haven't gotten crazy and made anything tall enough to haul 4x8 sheets using both of the notches in my liner... if I think ahead I'll just take the F350 for that or leave the tailgate up and just leave it angled...

 

[Brain75]

I like the bed ties on the 5th gen rangers - kinda sorta a marine double horned cleat kinda thing with a big ring hole in the middle... if you want corner tie spots that are better than the 2nd gen, that would be on my "keep an eye out" list for the u-pull-it place. I don't know what the 4th gens got for corner anchors.

 

[scotts90ranger]

My '97 just has stupid little loops that are just big and open enough to get the hook of a ratchet strap into if you hold your tongue right through the little hole in the bedliner... but yes, my '90 doesn't have anything good just that ~3/4" hole at the stake pockets that nothing fits in... but so does my '97 F350...

 

[86_FX4]

I recall my 99 bring a huge pain in the butt to even attach a ratchet strap to. My 2004 has better access to the loops but nothing at all down low for little simple things I just don't want sliding around all day. Not that the older one did either though.

Would be nice if they added more solid tiedown points for utility. More than once I've had to load something heavy or awkward alone with a comealong and some ramps. Less than ideal, but for the simple stuff I'm glad they at least thought of adding the slots. A solid, front bottom of bed center tieoff would be ideal, along with bottom front corners.

 

[RobbieD]

The older trucks are even more primitive when it comes to tie-downs.

On one my past trucks I put these under the bed bolts, and it worked well for me:

When not in use, the D-ring folded flat to the floor, and was below the bed ribs.

If memory serves, I scored them out of a ex-rental box truck, that was being converted into a camper.

 

[Brain75]

ooh I hadn't thought of that location, but with the recess in the floor already there for the bed bolts that would be ideal, especially for moving motorcycles or random single piece of furniture. have to do some diggin to find D rings like that big enough for bed bolts though.

 

[86_FX4]

The older trucks are even more primitive when it comes to tie-downs.

On one my past trucks I put these under the bed bolts, and it worked well for me:

View attachment 122777

When not in use, the D-ring folded flat to the floor, and was below the bed ribs.

If memory serves, I scored them out of a ex-rental box truck, that was being converted into a camper.

I was thinking about something like this, but the rails in the drop-in liner are way too skinny. I can definitely imagine this working under liner or with the older trucks with the squared, wider rails.