Crew bed rails

[foghorn23]

Even though the warmest day we've seen where I live was about 79 degrees, I came out to find both bed rails of my 04 Crew looking like this

 

 

 

Both sides of the truck about 2 feet back of the front of the bed did it. I just put a Truxedo Lo Profile tonneau on, (it's black) and I guess all the black and hot sunshine did a number on it. What do you guys think. Think a clamp and some 3M tape will work to secure it back again. Seems to get fairly flexible when heated. I would take back to the dealer, but I have stainless bed rails bolted into the stake pockets. The bolts have overspray from the Linex liner.....bet they'd be a bear to get out if even possible. Those of you with crew might want to find a shade tree this summer. Any other suggestions on how to "engineer" this?

 

vroten

[MS3DALE]

Hey vroten,Is that the rails themselves bent or the black plastic bed-rail protectors on top that are bent?

Just asking because it looks like the protectors are bent and not the rails themselves.

[foghorn23]

Hey vroten,Is that the rails themselves bent or the black plastic bed-rail protectors on top that are bent?

Just asking because it looks like the protectors are bent and not the rails themselves.

 

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Sorry, I wasn't clear. It's the plastic bed rail covers. No I'd be having a heart attack if it were the actual rails. (I understand that GM has had some trouble though with weak rails on the 99+ trucks and that they can give way under load.) Hoping I can use the 3M double sided tape to pull them back down to the metal.

 

vroten

[AirForceAngler]

The 3M tape might work. Can't hurt to try.

 

The bed rails that GM was having trouble with were the Pro-Tec plastice pickup beds. They are no longer being made.

[Wingnut]

I think my plastic bed rails (Protec) are stronger than the steel ones. I'd like to know who was having those problems and what they were doing, because I've beat the tar out of mine, and they are none the worse for wear.

[MrQuadrasteer]

I think my plastic bed rails (Protec) are stronger than the steel ones. I'd like to know who was having those problems and what they were doing, because I've beat the tar out of mine, and they are none the worse for wear.

 

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Sounds like those bashing Quadrasteer.... without a clue !!!!!

 

The Pro-Tec beds were awesome. Thank GM for once again blundering it

[hihosilverado]

My 02 is a stepside so it came with the factory rail protectors. I had a tonneau cover on there for a year when I was having to use it as my daily driver and doing a lot of traveling. I noticed the same thing happening to my covers when going into summer but I was able to remove tonneau before the summer heat got bad. I added the factory rail protectors to my 04 last spring when I purchased her and they still look fine. To wrap up my bantering, I would say you are on to someting with the tonneau cover. My 02s never got worse after I took the tonneau off.

[MS3DALE]

Yea,Maybe the clamps are putting too much pressure on them and causing the protectors to warp when under a lot of heat.

[biochemist]

Take everything off the top and go for Line-X, they can make it match what you already have done...later,

[caremd99]

My 2004 CC has the same warp in the same place but only on the drivers side. I tried gluing it down but it did not work. My bedliner is a spray-in and my Tonneau cover only touches the bed rail cap with a rubber gasket so there is nothing putting any weird pressure on it.

[jeffbf89]

My crew cab also has a slight bulge on both sides in this place. It is only noticable if you look straight down the side, and not worth going to the dealer to get fixed. I don't have a tonneau cover on mine, so maybe this is just a sloppy glue job at the factory and all the Crew cabs have it, I would also say that the extra heat from the cover made it worsen. Hope you get it worked out.

[caremd99]

My crew cab also has a slight bulge on both sides in this place. It is only noticable if you look straight down the side, and not worth going to the dealer to get fixed. I don't have a tonneau cover on mine, so maybe this is just a sloppy glue job at the factory and all the Crew cabs have it, I would also say that the extra heat from the cover made it worsen. Hope you get it worked out.

 

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Do you have anything in the stake pockets that clamp down like tiedowns?

[foghorn23]

My crew cab also has a slight bulge on both sides in this place. It is only noticable if you look straight down the side, and not worth going to the dealer to get fixed. I don't have a tonneau cover on mine, so maybe this is just a sloppy glue job at the factory and all the Crew cabs have it, I would also say that the extra heat from the cover made it worsen. Hope you get it worked out.

 

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Do you have anything in the stake pockets that clamp down like tiedowns?

 

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Putco locker side SS rails are secured in stake pockets. However the bulge is about 2 ft from either stake pocket. The clamp that secures the tonneau is about eight inches to the rear of the bulge. Can't see anything putting pressure where the bulge is. I'm going to get it in bright summer sunshine and try the 3M tape... guess we'll see if it works or not. Again don't think it's worth the hastle of taking it in.

 

 

vroten

[jeffbf89]

I don't have any modifications to mine.

[foghorn23]

Well another warm day some 3M double sided tape a couple of boards and a clamp equals plastic bed rail covers that look like they're supposed to again. Hope this is a permanant fix, but I guess time will tell. Hope no one else has the same problem, but if so this seems like the way to go. (At least so far)

 

vroten