Bed Tie Downs(again but different)

[LocoEngr]

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, besides this isn't a forum on the new Mustang <insert rim shot sound effect here>

OK... Should have been six but only came with four... Ford bad.... Now we're all caught up except.......

I keep hearing that there should have been six, but isn't there actually holes for eight? Two in the back, two in the middle, and two up front but then another two above the two up front?

I am planning on getting a DECKED Drawer System for my Ranger and I was watching an install video. In order to mount the Drawer System, you have to remove the two front tie downs and replace them with brackets that DECKED sends you. The person in the video said that they were going to keep the tie downs, get new bolts and mount them in the holes above where the brackets go.

A real quick estimated measurement sure seems like these holes are the same size. Is this what they are for? Is it OK to mount the tie down in that position? Will it hold?

Also, has anyone else put a DECKED Drawer System in their Ranger? I'm getting the eye bolts that I saw mentioned on this forum and I was curious.... If I placed the eye bolts where the center tie downs should be, could I run some paracord from the eye bolts, up the side of the drawers to meet in the middle to use as a tie down strap across the deck of the Drawer System? Obviously, for light duty purposes.

Lastly, I know a lot of people were upset about not getting the middle tie downs but that isn't what bothered me. I upgrade to the Ranger from a SportTrac. I knew I was going to miss the boat type cleats on the outside of the bed as I used them all the time but I found some after market cleats that "work with most trucks". I was OK because I figured I could get some of them. After buying my Ranger, I found out that it isn't like "most trucks". I'm no truck designer but I'm not sure why the Ranger bed couldn't be like "most trucks".

I believe I saw it in a thread on this forum where someone bought these....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5SOMJK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AOKT1PKD1VANV&psc=1

I've been looking on and off since I saw that post and until now, they have always been unavailable. I think I will get a pair to try.

I also found these which I saw on a post on Pinterest(I think) that had a tag for Ford Ranger

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...tie-downs/74129-tie-down-anchors?item=99K6990

I contacted the company and they said they couldn't say if they worked with the Ranger or not but if not, they could be returned. Any Thoughts?

Anyway, thanks if you read this far on another tie down post.

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[Dunneldeen]

I have a decked system on my Ranger. The holes near the top of the bed, next to the cab, are close to the ones the tie-downs will be removed from, but not exact. You will need to elongate the holes in the tie-downs a bit; the 8mm bolts will work in the factory holes.
For center tie-downs, I drilled some holes and installed some 8mm rivnuts; to those I mounted E-Track cleats.

 

[Sanctus Rimor]

Decked has a rail system for tie downs. Would be better if they sat further out, probably. But I only ever have coolers and camp gear to secure, so it works for me.

I'd scrap the center tie down/paracord idea. It will only cause frustration at some point. You'll have to pull the decked system if you need to replace the paracord.

 

[Sanctus Rimor]

I saved mine to do that exact same thing. Thanks for posting the necessary info.

 

[LocoEngr]

I have a decked system on my Ranger. The holes near the top of the bed, next to the cab, are close to the ones the tie-downs will be removed from, but not exact. You will need to elongate the holes in the tie-downs a bit; the 8mm bolts will work in the factory holes.
For center tie-downs, I drilled some holes and installed some 8mm rivnuts; to those I mounted E-Track cleats.

Since they don't fit exactly, do you know if the other holes in the front are still reinforced for a tie down or are they just holes in the sheet metal?

Thanks

 

[LocoEngr]

Decked has a rail system for tie downs. Would be better if they sat further out, probably. But I only ever have coolers and camp gear to secure, so it works for me.

I'd scrap the center tie down/paracord idea. It will only cause frustration at some point. You'll have to pull the decked system if you need to replace the paracord.

Yeah, I saw the Core Trax system that they offer but I really wanted something that went all the way across and I didn't really want to pay that much money for something that wasn't really what I wanted.

The other idea was just because I hate wasting something that is all ready there. I figure eventually the paracord would break from rubbing on the deck. I'm going to put the eye bolts in there anyway. Maybe I'll come up with some other bright idea how to use them

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Since they don't fit exactly, do you know if the other holes in the front are still reinforced for a tie down or are they just holes in the sheet metal?

Thanks

The other two holes in the front are for mounting a tie-down track system. The other end mounts against the back of the tail light housing. With sliding cleats, you can have as many anchor points as you wish. Super Crew only. Benny @LevittownFordParts.com can hook you up but availability is questionable.

Rail Assembly Pick Up Box - Ford (LB3Z-2655200-A)

 

[Dunneldeen]

Since they don't fit exactly, do you know if the other holes in the front are still reinforced for a tie down or are they just holes in the sheet metal?

Thanks

I don't have a direct answer for that, really, but they feel strong. The only ones I trust to be load rated are the ones with factory threaded holes. The E-Tracks I added to the middle I consider to be light duty, but I'm usually tying down camping equipment or lumber, so that's all I need. The factory tie-downs near the tailgate remain usable even with the decked system, they are just tucked under the drawer system a little.

 

[dkirby]

A real quick estimated measurement sure seems like these holes are the same size. Is this what they are for? Is it OK to mount the tie down in that position? Will it hold?

Since they don't fit exactly, do you know if the other holes in the front are still reinforced for a tie down or are they just holes in the sheet metal?

Thanks

The other upper holes are spaced 110mm on center, while the (3) 'original' tie down hole sets are spaced 95mm on center. So you'll need to spread the factory tie downs out another 15mm for optimum fitment. All (16) holes in question are the same size and reinforced the exact same way; with M8 weld nuts and a reinforcement plate. The (4) mounting points in either forward corner are actually attached to a single long reinforcement plate.

TL;DR Those extra holes above the front tie downs are (by design) just as strong as the tie downs holes themselves.

 

[LocoEngr]

We have been traveling today. At one point we passed a wrecked Ranger on a flatbed... I briefly had visions of me jumping across out of the passenger side window with a wrench in my teeth to liberate the tie downs

Anyway, now I'm thinking about putting the tie downs from the front in the spots on the side and putting the eye bolts in the upper spots, since the tie downs won't fit in those spots.

I still have some time before my package from DECKED arrives.

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