Adding L-Track to a truck bed

[SwampNut]

My Gladiator had cargo rails and the typical sliding anchor points.  Super useful.  It was very heavy and could be used to tie down anything, load limits were realistically nearly as good as solid tie down loops.  So I decided to get a similar system for the Rivian, and after looking at so many options, went with generic aircraft L-track.  It seems lighter than the track in some trucks, but people seem to love it.

 

Anyone have this?  Experiences?  Tips?

 

The bed has a series of existing threaded holes intended for mounting tie-downs or MOLLE panels.  I'll use those, and if needed, some spacers to attach the rails.  They are said to be solid.  My routine usage will be random small shit with light straps (Ron Straps, bungees) and occasional motorcycle loading with ratchet straps.

 

 

 

I got these for more heavy duty use and flexibility.

 

 

And these for casual hanging stuff, low load needs.

 

 

 

 

Edit to add:  I got four tracks.  One for each side up high, and two across the front.  This is how the factory mount holes are set up.  I have seen some motorcycle chocks that can go into the front rails, not sure if I would want them or not.

[SwampNut]

Well you guys were useless, LOL.  Works great, pretty cheap for the utility.  That odd looking thing with the two plugs is the Rivian's gear cable, it locks/unlocks the connectors with the truck lock/unlock.  So you can secure shit in the bed even if you have to leave the cover open.

 

 

 

[TOXXIC]

On 5/26/2024 at 9:15 AM, SwampNut said:

Well you guys were useless, LOL.

I don’t know shit about this track stuff but was trying to visualize how to put it on the floor of the TJ or somehow fab a way to put it under the gun rail in the rear cargo area,

[SwampNut]

For light use, self-tapping screws would be just fine to attach.  Next up would be outserts if you have single sided access, and of course normal bolts and nuts is ideal.  

 

10 hours ago, TOXXIC said:

gun rail

 

...?  Gunwale converted by Siri?  The cargo area lip should be just like a truck bed right?  Where they are meant to go?

 

 

[TOXXIC]

1 hour ago, SwampNut said:

Gunwale

Correct, thanks Siri.  😜

 

1 hour ago, SwampNut said:

Next up would be outserts if you have single sided access,

 

The lip of metal on a TJ is pretty low profile and single wall if memory serves. Oscar might know better. This past weekend I had to use an old school bungee with curved metal ends to get under the Jeep equipped lash points in the cargo area....look like footman loops. I like the track system idea to add great options and convenience for lashing down chairs, coolers, tool boxes etc.

 

I am not familiar with "outserts"?  I have used nutserts to attach to the frame and A pillor posts on prior rigs.

[SwampNut]

14 minutes ago, TOXXIC said:

I am not familiar with "outserts"?

 

Thanks auto-correct.  Nutserts.

 

[TOXXIC]

😂

 

Appears Outserts are also a thing.

 

https://ethicsarchery.com/collections/outserts

[blackhawkxx]

1 hour ago, TOXXIC said:

look like footman loops.

Learn something new here daily as I didn't know what they were called.

[SwampNut]

 

 

 

[blackhawkxx]

15 hours ago, SwampNut said:

 

 

 

This is about some kind of bondage fetish isn't it?

[SwampNut]

What I do with my truck is my business.  

 

Totally unrelated, for no reason, any idea how I can remove the escape button for the powered bed cover?

 

[SwampNut]

So damn useful.  I've found a reason/need to strap people things down in the bed nearly every day for the last week.

 

 

 

[rockmeupto125]

I see you brought extra fuel for the trip. 🤣🤣🤣

 

Now I know you can make it to NeXXT with that thing. 

[SwampNut]

 

 

 

 

[superhawk996]

Seeing that the Rivian gets worse MPG than my motorhome was enlightening.

 

I really wish we'd thought to do an MPG test, but it's probably not too late to get an estimate.  The generator probably has published data on run time per tank at XX% load, from there it can be mathed out.

[SwampNut]

52 minutes ago, superhawk996 said:

from there it can be mathed out.

 

 

[superhawk996]

I found some kwh/gallon numbers on a few inverter generators and they averaged around 5khw/gallon at around 75-80% load which seems to be their sweet spot, and I think it's about what you were running.  At 2 miles per kwh, which seems to be about average for an R1T, that's 10MPG.  My shit talking guestimate at camp was that it would be 10MPG, I wasted a lot of time researching and mathing.

[superhawk996]

I also learned that rum turns shit talking into fact.

[SwampNut]

We just spent enough electricity asking various AIs to charge the truck for a year.  Your estimate is probably very wrong, so far we have Grok, Perplexity, and ChatGPT putting us at 15-22, Gemini at 11, and a non-consumer internal AI at Nvidia saying 16.

[SwampNut]

Every AI assumes a charge efficiency that is lower than the truck shows on its display.  They go with 85% and the live data in the truck was far better.

 

Grok however assumes a driving efficiency that is higher than realistic.  Nvidia's GPT6 assumes one that is too low, but only a little.  The others were in a range.

 

 

Now which AI do I use, to feed all the AI answers into, and let them fight it out?  And what’s the prompt?