Buying a pickup truck is one of the best decisions.
A truck is a very versatile vehicle.
You can use it to travel with your family, for example.
A truck has the advantage of being able to carry a lot of things. Hence, you can carry all the necessary things for long vacations. Even for moving to a new house, a pickup truck is ideal.
If you have a business, then buying a truck is almost a must. Practically any brand has a truck in its vehicle offers. You can use a truck to transport merchandise. Delivering products to your customers is also much easier with a truck.
For many types of services, you often need to transport a portable ladder (A-frame, extensible, etc.). In many cases, the cargo bed cannot accommodate it properly.
Then, you need to outfit your truck with an accessory to carry it more properly. This accessory is a ladder rack.
Reasons to Install a Ladder Rack
There are several reasons to consider installing a ladder rack on your truck:
- A ladder rack optimizes the space on the cargo bed. The rack gives you additional space to carry bulky items;
- A rack will make the operation of loading/unloading a ladder much safer;
- Using a ladder rack for your business will result in higher productivity. Your personnel won’t lose much time to load/unload a ladder. Moreover, fewer people can perform this operation.
Commercially, there are different ladder racks to choose from. While you can pay someone to install one on your truck, this is something you can do yourself. Below, you will find the general instructions to do it.
Steps to Install a Ladder Rack
Installing a ladder rack on your truck is not difficult, especially if you are a DIY type. Although there are different types of ladder racks, all of them include an instruction manual.
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Regardless of what ladder rack you buy, you must always install it following the instructions. Otherwise, your rack will not work as it should.
Tools You Will Need
You won’t need special tools. A drill and its accessories, a hammer, tape measure, some screwdrivers, and a wrench will suffice.
Take into account that some ladder racks don’t require any drilling. Instead, they’re fixed using clamps. If you get a rack like that, you won’t need a drill.
Choose the Ladder Rack for Your Truck
There are different types of ladder racks on the market. Choosing the right one for your truck is not a trivial task. First of all, you must ensure that the ladder rack that you choose fits your truck.
Also, consider whether you want it to transport only a ladder, or you will use it for other items. There are racks with accessories to carry pipes, tools, etc.
You don’t want it to break when you load it, do you? Therefore, it is advisable to look at the warranty of the ladder rack that you select.
Make sure you purchase the right ladder rack for the vehicle you have. There are ladder racks for pickup trucks, vans, and even sedan cards. Hence, before buying, sketch what configuration you want.
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Prepare Your Truck
Independently of the type of vehicle, you need to do some preparations before the installation of the ladder rack. For instance, if you own a pickup truck, you should remove the bed lining first. This will expose the metal body of your truck.
Sometimes, the material is fiberglass. It doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to install the ladder rack directly on the material of the cargo bed.
To ensure the safety of the ladder rack, inspect the cargo bed. Look for any damage like rusted metal.
Mark the Holes’ Positions
Next, you must mark the position of the holes, depending on the configuration in which you will install the ladder rack. You need to measure the positions accurately.
If possible, mount the structure of the ladder rack on your truck in its intended position. This way, the marks for the holes will be more accurate.
Assemble the Ladder Rack
Now, you are ready to install the ladder rack. Take all the pieces out of their boxes. Invariably, there will be a manual in the kit. Read and identify the different parts that form the ladder rack.
Lay all the parts on a flat surface and verify that no part is missing. If you notice that the kit is not complete, contact the seller. They must provide the missing parts or exchange the entire kit.
Now, you can fix the bottom bars on your truck using the bolts and nuts provided by the manufacturer. Then, put the other parts of the ladder rack together according to the instructions. You should do this operation on a flat surface.
When assembling the ladder rack, make sure that all the bolts and nuts are properly tightened.
Place the Ladder Rack in Its Final Position
Once you complete assembling the ladder rack, you’ll have to raise it into position. Now, you can put again the lining that you removed previously.
The entire racket can be heavy. Hence, you have to ask someone to lend a hand. You may need more than one person to help.
Position the ladder rack such that the holes on the body of the truck are in line with those on the ladder rack. Fix it firmly using the hardware provided by the manufacturer.
Final Test
After completing the installation of the ladder rack, you have to test it. Load and unload a ladder to see whether it can carry the load without any issues.
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Check that the locking mechanism works flawlessly. To verify the stability of the ladder rack, drive your truck around with the rack loaded.
Conclusion
A ladder rack will increase the functionality of your truck. It allows you to optimize the space of the cargo bed. Moreover, it makes the operation of loading/unloading a ladder much safer. Invest in a ladder rack if you need it. It is worth the money.
