Toyota Tacoma Bed Stiffeners: Why You May Need Them

Overlanding
Written By Jordan W.

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Bed Stiffeners in the bed of a Toyota Tacoma

Photo from Victory4x4

If you’ve been shopping around for your next modification for your Tacoma, you may notice a ton of bed stiffener options in just about every shop. While these inexpensive and small modifications may seem completely unnecessary, they actually have a lot of functionality especially if you plan to be adding modifications and accessories to your bed such as bed racks, rooftop tents, and more. Here’s why bed stiffeners are important and why you should consider picking up a set.

What Do Bed Stiffeners Do and When Should I buy them?

Bed stiffeners do exactly as the name suggests, they reinforce the bed to make it stiffer. The reason these even exist is because the Tacoma (2005 and newer) utilizes a composite bed which can be pretty tough but when you do harsh off-roading or start carrying a lot of weight in the bed such as a camper shell, rooftop tent, bed bars, or just a lot of gear. This can causing cracking and fracture which affects how your truck bed sits and overall the structural integrity of your bed. Honestly, I think anyone getting into overloading with their Tacoma should get a set of bed stiffeners as they are relatively cheap, super easy to install (requires drilling), and gives a little peace of mind.


Where to Buy A Set

While they all look similar, some bed stiffeners aren’t built the same. Some utilize cheap materials while others use steel and offer additional tie down points. Here are my favorite picks for bed stiffeners made specifically for the Tacoma 2005 - Current.


Cali Raised LED

Features/Specifications

  • Black Powder Coat

  • Works with Decked Drawer System (and Camper Shells/Covers)

  • Minimal design to minimize impact on bed storage space.

  • Zinc coated hardware

 

AllPro Offroad

Features/Specifications

  • Add 7 tie down points

  • 3/16” thick ASTM A36 steel

  • Built in top mount for CB antenna, flag, or lights (on both stiffeners)

 

Total Chaos

Features/Specifications

  • Built in top mount for antenna, flags, and lights

  • 6 eyelets for tie down points

  • 3/16'' thick mild steel laser cut brackets

  • Black powder-coat

  • Grade 8 mounting hardware

Jordan W.
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