Originally, pick-up trucks were designed to carry different loads, hence their suitability for jobs like transportation and construction. However, nowadays, they symbolize status and are one of a family’s most preferred or must-have cars. People prefer them due to their versatility and flexibility; hence, you can use them to carry cargo and for other needs like having fun driving around. Despite the changing roles, they still maintain their core duty of carrying cargo.
To utilize them effectively to carry all sorts of cargo, you need the right kits fixed in the truck bed. The bed is vast and can be unsuitable for smaller goods like cartons, hence the need for load bars and other kits. With these kits, you can extend the bed vertically, divide it into compartments, and carry different types of goods securely.
For further guidelines, let’s explore the types of bars you need, and you can use them for organization and space maximization.
- Load Lock Bars
There are occasions when you must transport a few items but fear they may keep moving on the truck bed, leading to damage. Instead of damaging things, the bars can help you secure the load on your truck bed. For such needs, buy load lock bars with rubber foot pads that you can bolt or weld on the bed to create compartments to organize the goods.
Once you are done transporting the cargo or wish to extend the space to carry other items, you can easily remove the load bars. You can also attach the cargo nets on the load bars to evenly spread out and secure smaller, movable items that may slide into the bed.
When buying these bars, you need to ensure you determine the bed size so that they are cut or customized to fit into that space. With the bars, you can divide the bed into multiple sections to organize different types of items into each of the compartments. You can customize them based on the inches suitable for carrying heavy loads.
Additionally, you can buy different types of load bars for your cargo. The variations depend on the bed size, type of cargo, and other details. Notably, you can use aluminum load bars for lighter goods and steel bars for heavy loads.
- Vertical Load Bars
The pick-up bed bars are generally meant to increase your space for various goods in your trucks. One of the greatest benefits is that it allows you to carry bulky and bigger goods that cannot fully fit into the truck bed. Double cabin truck spaces are generally limited to carrying bigger goods like refractors.
Therefore, one of your best options is to extend the bed vertically to carry the items vertically. You can install the bars on the pick-up bed to extend the vertical space, giving you enough space for your goods. They can secure the cargo depending on how you position them to ensure goods do not swerve or tilt.
- Hoop Load Beam
This is one of the beams common in most trucks; all you have to do is anchor it on the pick-up. A single bar hooked to the bed can be a great advantage since you can shift its position to anchor the cargo safely. This is especially ideal when carrying cargo that requires more vertical space. For other smaller goods, you can use it for space separation and anchoring the items to stay in position while driving.
For more flexibility, the best type is the bolted hoop load bar, which can move from space to space. When transporting the boxes, hook them at the lower part of the bed, while for the vertical goods, try to hook the bars a little higher for more security. When carrying heavy boxes with fragile items like glasses, the hoop load bars can save you from breaking every item. Lower the position closer to the bed floor for other smaller goods like shopping bags.
- Flexible Load Bars
Flexible load bars are those that enable you to stretch them into position. They can be longer depending on the cargo space you want to cover. Moreover, they are not rigid, unlike other bars customized to fit the exact position.
Ratcheting Load Bars
If you are unsure how to install load bars in your truck or would not want to weld or bolt anything on the truck bed, these are the best ones to consider. They are flexible and straightforward to use, even for amateurs, since all you have to do is keep stretching until they are firmly in position. First, put the bars between the walls, then stretch them equally on both ends until they reach the walls.
The one downside of these bars is that they are not the strongest for some of the heaviest goods. Therefore, you need to know the type of cargo before using them. Another precaution is to ensure they are fully stretched and are parallel to the bed to avoid any dents or weaknesses in case the cargo swerves. If they are not straight, it is much easier for them to break.
Jack Load Bars
They work similarly to the ratchet bars; however, the difference is how you stretch and fix them into position. You can use the telescopic mechanism to anchor these bars into position. All you have to do is keep screwing the mechanism until the bar is safely on the bed walls and is firm enough. After that, you must confirm that it is perfectly stretched and tight since it can easily break when loose.
Conclusion
When deciding on the best load bar and other kits, you need to understand the types of cargo to carry or the truck usage. If you use them for commercial needs or heavy loads, go for the firm bars and consider those made of more substantial materials like steel. For ordinary use, you can consider the flexible option to secure it in place and remove it when not needed.
