Your Guide to Putco Side Bed Rails

by: JasonLancaster
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The typical pickup truck is an extremely practical vehicle, especially when it comes to hauling cargo. However, some people often carry bulky gear that doesn't always fit snugly between the walls of their truck's box. It might be furniture, lawnmowers, motorcycles, or pallets of wood - anything bulky that could be damaged by too much movement from side to side. Most newer pickups are outfitted with cutouts and tie-downs that allow for ropes and chains to be attached, but they are positioned at very fixed locations, and it's not always easy or convenient to use them.

Putco has developed a stylish and utile solution to this problem: a line of side rails which span the length of your truck bed. Made out of chromed stainless steel and available in a variety of designs, these rails are easy to install, are strong, and will look great on your truck.

Designed to anchor into your truck`s current tie-down cutouts, the rails can be easily installed with simple hand tools. The three main pieces - two curved anchors and a long steel bar - are joined together, the anchors are placed atop the cutouts, and the mounting bar is then tightened from the top with the use of an Allan key. There are no visible clamps, and scuffing or scratching is prevented by a rubber gasket which goes between the rail and your paint.

The basic Putco locker side rails have a simple steel tube which has a cutout at each anchor end for more involved tying. They can hold up to 1000 pounds, which is more than enough for most hauling. You can also upgrade to 2.5 inch tubing with the same design if you feel you need a heftier look, but these 'Boss' railings, as Putco calls them, only hold 500 pounds.

Putco's Pop Up Lockers are a great option if you need to have more tie-downs, but don't want to clutter your truck's bed rails. These lockers have 4 hidden tie-downs rated at 500 pounds along the railing, which can be "popped" up to use, but otherwise appears solid, without the openings at the anchor points like on the standard version.

Putco SSR Lockers are perfect for those who want a good chrome accessory for their truck bed, but don't necessarily need to have the option of tie-down. These lockers add shine to your truck without competing for attention with the rest of your truck, which some accessories may do. Chrome wheel well flares, for example, compete with your truck's wheels because of their proximity to each other. Adding a chrome accessory in an area which doesn't already have a lot of shine will be more appealing to the eye.

Those who frequently climb in and out of their truck bed will find bed side rails to be useful, especially in wet conditions when bed liners or bare steel are more slippery. The rails are great for hand grips, and provide leverage when reaching over the side of the truck bed to get something from the cargo floor. The only real disadvantage of bed side rails is that you will no longer be able to use a tonneau cover, which probably wasn't an option anyways, if you're regularly hauling bulky loads. Putco side rails are a great way to accessorize your truck, at a rather inexpensive price of about $200, and have the added benefit of being practical as well.

About the Author

The author Jason Lancaster is the editor of TundraHeadquarters.com, a web site with info, news, and reviews of Toyota Tundra parts and Tundra accessories.  

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