Stephen Abbene
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Stephen
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2019
- Threads
- 8
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction score
- 101
- Location
- South Bay
- Website
- www.notion.so
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 ford ranger fx4 xlt, 1988 ford ranger 4x4 xlt
- Thread starter
- #1
On my old truck I used 4 bungee cords to hold my rods on top of the bed. I’d take two and wrap them together and attach them to the post holes in the top of either end of the bed. Then I’d stick the rods diagonally across the bed between the twisted bungee cords. The new truck doesn’t have post holes on top of the bed, so I had to figure something else out.
I got 4 four way ABS fittings. The top and bottom holes are 2” the sides are 1.5”. I connected the sides together with 2” lengths of 1.5” ABS pipe and cemented them together.
The pipes coming out of the top of the fittings in 2” and are not cemented in place in case I wasn’t to take them off and cut them shorter. I need to see how they work when the reels are attached to the rods.
The 1.5” pipes on the very edges are also not cemented in. This allows me to push (fairly hard) on the center of the rack and have it pop out of the ABS end caps holding the rack to the bedside.
The rack is attached to the side of the bed. I found some oblong holes in the bedside and cut some washers down so I could just fit them in the holes, but they don’t come out unless they are at just the right angle. Using those washers I bolted some ABS flat end caps to the bedside and attach the rack to them.
Once I got everything fitting snugly, I took everything what wasn’t cemented together apart. I drilled two holes in each of the four way connectors. Then I gave all the pieces a coat of rusto bed liner. Once the bed liner was dry, I made some leashes out of 80lb steel leader. I made a loop through the holes I drilled in the connectors and crimped it. Then I crimped another loop in the other end of the leader and attached a carabiner. The carabiner clips to the fishing rods to keep them from flying out of the bed just in case.
I probably should have squared up the pipe that I used to attach the four way connects together because it has a bow to it.
My next project will be to figure out how to make an a-frame over the bed. On my old truck I used the post holes. I’d take 3 sticks, put one in each post hole by the tail gate, then run the third in the fork at the top of the cross beams to the top of the cab. Then I’d just put a tarp over the top of it and be all set.
I got 4 four way ABS fittings. The top and bottom holes are 2” the sides are 1.5”. I connected the sides together with 2” lengths of 1.5” ABS pipe and cemented them together.
The pipes coming out of the top of the fittings in 2” and are not cemented in place in case I wasn’t to take them off and cut them shorter. I need to see how they work when the reels are attached to the rods.
The 1.5” pipes on the very edges are also not cemented in. This allows me to push (fairly hard) on the center of the rack and have it pop out of the ABS end caps holding the rack to the bedside.
The rack is attached to the side of the bed. I found some oblong holes in the bedside and cut some washers down so I could just fit them in the holes, but they don’t come out unless they are at just the right angle. Using those washers I bolted some ABS flat end caps to the bedside and attach the rack to them.
Once I got everything fitting snugly, I took everything what wasn’t cemented together apart. I drilled two holes in each of the four way connectors. Then I gave all the pieces a coat of rusto bed liner. Once the bed liner was dry, I made some leashes out of 80lb steel leader. I made a loop through the holes I drilled in the connectors and crimped it. Then I crimped another loop in the other end of the leader and attached a carabiner. The carabiner clips to the fishing rods to keep them from flying out of the bed just in case.
I probably should have squared up the pipe that I used to attach the four way connects together because it has a bow to it.
My next project will be to figure out how to make an a-frame over the bed. On my old truck I used the post holes. I’d take 3 sticks, put one in each post hole by the tail gate, then run the third in the fork at the top of the cross beams to the top of the cab. Then I’d just put a tarp over the top of it and be all set.
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