Custom Bed Rail Install

[VoicesInMyHead]

Honda Ridgeline Custom Bed Rail

Installation/Modification

and more info than you actually wanted...

First, let me say that I'm a computer geek. I have little skills, and less experience, with mechanical issues and body work. I can bolt on stuff with the best of'em, but this project was a new experience all together.

That being said, I am sure there are several different ways to accomplish the same end result – including easier ones! If you undertake this mod, and have a better/different way of doing any of the steps, or even adding/removing/changing anything listed, post it, and let everyone know!

I am not developing a prototype Ridgeline Bed Rail, just making a custom "one off", and describing how I did it. It's only my OCD that had me diagram it out, at all - I mean, I basically did this free form with a ruler, angle, and tape! LOL! Sounds kinda scary now! So, I am not trying to create a step by step instructional manual. Some common sense and actual thinking will be involved, however, I will try to help anyone trying mod this as best I can. Feel free to ask me any questions you need to – This is really not that difficult of a task – especially with the base measurements you'll find in this list.

Technically not a bolt on accessory. Until Putco, or someone else, makes a production Ridgeline rail, you're not going to find CAD type diagrams with measurements down to 1/64" showing all the curves of the Ridgeline metal rail. Remember, my stuff is just a really, really good reference... and I am not responsible for any mis-aligned items.

Thanks to Jimmy “Lex Luther”, for dragging a lot more detailed step descriptions out of me, than I had originally planned... a lot of what follows was from conversations between us.

(I know the pictures suck... sorry.)

[VoicesInMyHead]

GENERAL INFO:

Truck Described and Used:
2007 Honda Ridgeline RTL – Dark Silver Sage Metallic

Rails Described and Used:
PUTCO Locker Bed Rails - Model 88882 - Universal (All Mid Size) - Black Powder Coat

Tools Needed: Yes.

• General Tools – screwdrivers, wrenches, etc...
• Tools listed with your purchased bed rails
• Drill
• Drill Bits
• Matching bit size of rail Bolts (5/16” in this case)
• Matching bit size of Rivet Nuts (1/2” in this case - *Dremel to size)
• Rivet Nut Installation Tool (home made or commercial)
• Dremel or Metal File
• KTC Molding removal tools – or standard head screwdriver
• Common Sense, or some kind of thought process.
• Other stuff I may have left off

Other Stuff I Used:

• Mountain Dew - Substitute “Drink of Choice” (DoC)
• Rivet Nuts 5/16” x 18 (matching the size and thread count of the rail bolts)
• Caliper - to determine the width of the rivet nut
• 1 3/4” Stainless Steel Allen Head Bolts 5/16” x 18
• Blue Painter's Tape or Masking tape if you must
• Mountain Dew (DoC)
• Ruler/Tape Measure
• Plastic Adjustable Angle
• Fine Point pen or marking instrument
• Loud radio (to drown out any unmentionable language... I mean for tunes!)
• Oh, and the things I forgot to list

PLASTIC CAP VS MEATL MOUNT:

If you just want the "look" and are not going to tie anything, or lean anything against them. I guess one could mount them to the plastic cap. However, the plastic rail caps are only held in place by little plastic hooks and a 1/2" screw into plastic threads. So, if anyone grabs one to assist in getting in the truck bed - or if you ever take your truck to a drive through car wash - the rails may bend and tweak your plastic. This is just an educated guess on my part, but if you go out to your truck and grab the edge of your plastic rail cap, you can pull and move it. Now, add to that a great looking bed rail that will add some serious leverage... that just made me nervous - I wanted mine to last a long time which is why I found the best place under the plastic cap, to secure the rail anchor ends to the metal.

[VoicesInMyHead]

WHAT I DID:

I went with the 1 3/4" tube simply by chance - that was just the size of the style (#88882) I wanted. Turns out that the base of the anchoring end was 2 3/8" wide. This is important in determining how far in (towards the cab) you place the tailgate side anchoring end. You don't want the anchoring end width to stick out past the plastic bed rail width... well, at least I didn't. Just a visual thing, I don't think it would look very professional. If your rails are 2", the anchor base may be wider a little bit - just something to keep in mind.

Length of rails. I bought the shortest set available, in hopes that I would not have to have them cut down... I was wrong. So, in hind sight, I could have bought the longest set, cut those and have a total of 4 rails to use. Paint one set, sand blast or etch a design in the other... one chrome, one something else – you get the idea.

Since I am cutting the tube, the second rivet nut location is not automatic... You can make it as long as you want. Tube length was secondary. What I based my tube length on, was the strongest rivet nut placement (In My Opinion Only).

I had the caps on & off many times to mark the metal in the right place – based on where I wanted/needed them to be on the plastic cap. I also step drilled them, using 5 bits – I started with a 1/8” bit, and gradually went bigger up to 5/16”, to avoid the bits skipping or tearing up the plastic real bad.

I also did the same with the metal, using the 5 bits, from 1/8” up to 1/2”.

Parts:

I had to go to a specialty Nut & Bolt warehouse. Took me a few days to find the rivet nuts, most people looked at me like I was nuts myself. No one knew what a rivet nut was at Home Depot, Lowe's or even Ace/True Value!

You will not want a bolt longer than 1 3/4” in length for the tailgate end anchors. It will hit the inner metal wall of the bed, and you will not be able tighten the anchor down fully. If you try, it will most likely bend the top of the bed up, and pop out the rivet nut. I didn't want to verify this. I also picked up the new stainless steel bolts (1 3/4”) I used, at the same bolt warehouse.

Placement:

I mocked up the rails - measured - checked factory holes under cap - tweaked - measured, etc, etc... I spent a couple of days between watching my daughter and working to mock these up and tweak the placement of where it would seat in the metal, where everything lined up, measured out, marked & drilled.

I considered drilling out the little plastic square screw nut that holds the rail, and putting my rivet nut there... but then I could never remove the rails and replace the plastic cap. By adding my own hole for the rivet nut, I can do one of two things:
1) Take off the rails and stick black 5/16" nylon plugs in plastic rail cap to cover the screw holes...
2) Buy an extra set of plastic rail caps from Honda, and slide those on if I want to go without the bed rail tubes

[VoicesInMyHead]

Measurements:

Tailgate End - I was doing this free hand, as there are currently no spec's out there. I measured the metal rail under the cap first, and did minor adjustments to make it look good on the plastic cap - That Didn't Compromise the Rivet Nut Strength Location, eg. How close to the edges. For the Tailgate side, I drilled dead center in line with the original cap screw - just forward 1 3/8" inch, simple.

• I found the center point of where I wanted the rivet nut (Turned out to be 1 3/8" from the center of the cap screw, on center from the same screw).
• Marked point
• Taped down the side of the truck 90 degrees from the mark (flexible 90 degree angle used)
• Placed back on the rail cap
• 
  
• Measured 1 3/8" from center of screw
• Drilled at the crossing of the 2 lines
• 
  
• 
  

This did 2 things for for me - placed the 5/16" hole for the bolt exactly where I needed it to be in the plastic rail cap, and marked the corresponding spot on the metal where to drill the metal bed rail with a 1/2" hole for the rivet nut. Then just step drill the cap to 5/16" and the metal to 1/2". (Blurry pictures available, but they are just holes.)

Cab End - For the Cab side – I actually did NOT drill dead center. I was going to do that, but it placed the rivet nut too close to the inside edge of the metal, AND More Importantly To Me, was the fact that you then had the rear anchor lined up with the outer edge of the plastic rail cover, but the front anchor, inset away from the outer edge of the plastic rail cap. I did not like how it looked in mock-up – at all!

What I did was drill the hole approximately 1 3/16” from the outer edge of the plastic cap, and 1 3/8” from the back edge of the front hook hole.. This lined up the outer edge of the front anchor, just like the rear anchor, at the outer edge of the plastic rail cap. It looks Much better this way (to me anyway).

• I found the center point of where I wanted the rivet nut (Turned out to be 1 3/8" towards the tailgate from the back side of the front most hook hole).
• Marked point
• Taped down the side of the truck 90 degrees from the mark (flexible 90 degree angle used)
• Placed back on the rail cap
• Lined up the actual anchor to the tape, and the anchor base with the outer edge of the plastic cap, and marked the plastic cap through the anchor's 5/16" bolt hole.
• Drilled cap at the mark

This did the same 2 things for for me - placed the 5/16" hole for the bolt exactly where I needed it to be, and marked the corresponding spot on the metal where to drill the metal bed rail with a 1/2" hole for the rivet nut.

[VoicesInMyHead]

I sprayed Primer around the hole, to help prevent rust, we'll see.




Install the rivet nuts using your home made tool, or a commercial rivet nut tool. I tried the home made one, but I was not smart enough to get it to tighten down sufficiently - I ended up buying a commercial tool kit, and for my skill set, it was the right way to go.

Then, I bolted on the anchors and measured each side for the exact length for each tube.

[VoicesInMyHead]

Rail Tubes - I do not supply the length you will need. I do not know what length you will actually need. Based on the diagram, you have all the lengths you need to calculate what the length “should be”, however, based on variations in measuring devices, and imperfect drilling, you may be off just a bit, from what my length was. In fact, one of my tubes needed to be 1/32” shorter than the other – but you'll never guess which one without a tape measure! So, take the time to bolt on the anchors, and measure the distance for each side.

Notes - So, I may have over thought parts, and under thought others... in the end, they are on, stronger than I thought they would be, and look GREAT!!!

However, I would suggest you do not use them for tie downs, unless it's to hold down empty boxes! The bed side of the Ridgeline are not really strong, and any kind of real torque or kinetic energy build up from weight redistribution of something heavy, could compromise the metal.

03.31.2008: Wind Noise - None discernible:
I started off with all the windows open - nope, normal wind.

I then went with sun roof and back window open - nope normal (this is my normal "open window" set up).

Then, just the back window - actually, extremely quite. I could not tell anything had been added to the truck. Not even any change in wind currents inside the truck, and just by chance, I had a sheet of paper on the front passenger seat.

What might help is the fact they are behind you, but no matter how you slice it, I found no discernible change in noise or wind currents inside the cab. Nice and quiet!

04.01.2008: Vision Impairment - Little to None:
I can not see them in the rear view mirror, or the side view mirrors, unless I stretch to an unnatural position in the seat, so there is no visual obstruction on either side (for me anyway).

If you remove the rear head rests, you can see them in the rear view mirror, if you tilt your head a little - but the obstruction is FAR less than the actual rear head rests in place.

If there is interest, I will work on refining the entire install process into a PDF including the pictures - but it will be too large to post to the forum, so.... let me know if there is interest, and I'll work on it.

[BruceRTL]

Very Nice and Great Documentation!

I'm looking forward to seeing it it in person.

[VoicesInMyHead]

Originally Posted by BruceRTL

Very Nice and Great Documentation!

I'm looking forward to seeing it it in person.

Thanks Bruce! Tomorrow, the fog lights and brush guard! That will be a long day!

[Humble Pie]

I have not seen that mod yet......that is pretty ingenious and it looks really sharp......excellent job........group buy!....you are now the manufacturer!.....

[VoicesInMyHead]

Originally Posted by Humble Pie

...you are now the manufacturer!...