mcnasty
Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Only 2,000 miles on my '23 XLT 302A 3.5L EB 157wb . Still absolutely loving it. Outstanding truck.
With mountain biking season upon us, I had been looking for the right solution to transport our bikes to the trails. I really didn't want an above-bed mount, or a trailer-hitch mount, because I'd like to be able to keep my rig in the garage with the bikes loaded, ready for our early morning departures. Plus, it just seems like I should be able to use the bed of my truck. Side note: @Ford Motor Company should offer an integrated rail system in the front of the bed! Would be so useful for so many things.
I wasn't looking for a cheap solution, just looking for the right solution. That said, it is very nice to save hundreds of dollars.
I decided to find a way to use the boxlink brackets for carrying the bikes. There are a few posts out there where people mention something similar, but all are short on details, so I thought I would share my solution with the community. Nothing special, but it's perfect. Very solid (no movement), inexpensive, easy on/off and easy storage.
1. Get some E-track 2x4 sockets to fit into the boxlink plates. These fit loose in the boxlink plates, but are secure. You will want to find something to wrap around / wedge behind the back of the socket so they aren't so loose. I tried a few different ideas, but landed on wrapping a bungee cord around the sock (wrap it behind the socket). This made the sockets fit very snug with zero play. I was hoping for a more eloquent solution, but this gets the job done and is very easy on/off. That said, I would love to hear anything that other people may have had success with.
I got mine for $18 for 4: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVRGPGQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
2. Get a couple fork mounts for your bikes. These are perfect, $20 each: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVRGPGQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
3. Cut a 2 x 4 to length to fit into the sockets. Attach the fork mounts to the 2x4, ensuring your handle bars won't interfere with each other when mounted. Our bikes have wide handle bars, and I attached my fork mounts 14" from the ends of the 2x4 and have roughly 3" space between the handle bars when mounted.
I painted the 2x4 black.
Side note: You can see in this photo that I cut a relief notch at the top of each end of the 2x4. The sidewall of the truck bed has some contours that interfere with easily dropping the 2x4 into the sockets, and this notch makes it super quick and easy to insert the 2x4 into the sockets.
4. A bonus on this set-up is there is space between the front of the bed and the 2x4 where you can store the front bike wheels, leaned up against the 2x4 with only the tire contacting the 2x4. I used mini bungees around the 2x4 to secure the wheels, and they hold secure, zero play. You can see this in the photos below.
5. In an odd stroke of luck, my 15 ft bike lock cable is the perfect length to thread both bikes + wheels and lock to a bed tie-down. I wouldn't leave it like this overnight, but it's perfect to prevent theft when running into the gas station or grabbing lunch.
The full solution cost about $70 ($17 sockets + $40 fork mounts + $6 2x4 + $8 stainless hardware). The bikes are held stable, no movement or shifting, even when going over rough terrain. The bike mount is very easy to take on and off. When removed, it is super simple to store, just lean the 2x4 against the wall in the corner of the garage. And best of all, I can park in the garage with the bikes loaded.
Another bonus, when ski season arrives, I will add a second 2x4 to the rear boxlink plates, then install removable dowels to create raised slots for the skis.
I hope this helps someone. And with that, you can expect some photos from Moab in a couple weeks!
With mountain biking season upon us, I had been looking for the right solution to transport our bikes to the trails. I really didn't want an above-bed mount, or a trailer-hitch mount, because I'd like to be able to keep my rig in the garage with the bikes loaded, ready for our early morning departures. Plus, it just seems like I should be able to use the bed of my truck. Side note: @Ford Motor Company should offer an integrated rail system in the front of the bed! Would be so useful for so many things.
I wasn't looking for a cheap solution, just looking for the right solution. That said, it is very nice to save hundreds of dollars.
I decided to find a way to use the boxlink brackets for carrying the bikes. There are a few posts out there where people mention something similar, but all are short on details, so I thought I would share my solution with the community. Nothing special, but it's perfect. Very solid (no movement), inexpensive, easy on/off and easy storage.
1. Get some E-track 2x4 sockets to fit into the boxlink plates. These fit loose in the boxlink plates, but are secure. You will want to find something to wrap around / wedge behind the back of the socket so they aren't so loose. I tried a few different ideas, but landed on wrapping a bungee cord around the sock (wrap it behind the socket). This made the sockets fit very snug with zero play. I was hoping for a more eloquent solution, but this gets the job done and is very easy on/off. That said, I would love to hear anything that other people may have had success with.
I got mine for $18 for 4: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVRGPGQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
2. Get a couple fork mounts for your bikes. These are perfect, $20 each: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVRGPGQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
3. Cut a 2 x 4 to length to fit into the sockets. Attach the fork mounts to the 2x4, ensuring your handle bars won't interfere with each other when mounted. Our bikes have wide handle bars, and I attached my fork mounts 14" from the ends of the 2x4 and have roughly 3" space between the handle bars when mounted.
I painted the 2x4 black.
Side note: You can see in this photo that I cut a relief notch at the top of each end of the 2x4. The sidewall of the truck bed has some contours that interfere with easily dropping the 2x4 into the sockets, and this notch makes it super quick and easy to insert the 2x4 into the sockets.
4. A bonus on this set-up is there is space between the front of the bed and the 2x4 where you can store the front bike wheels, leaned up against the 2x4 with only the tire contacting the 2x4. I used mini bungees around the 2x4 to secure the wheels, and they hold secure, zero play. You can see this in the photos below.
5. In an odd stroke of luck, my 15 ft bike lock cable is the perfect length to thread both bikes + wheels and lock to a bed tie-down. I wouldn't leave it like this overnight, but it's perfect to prevent theft when running into the gas station or grabbing lunch.
The full solution cost about $70 ($17 sockets + $40 fork mounts + $6 2x4 + $8 stainless hardware). The bikes are held stable, no movement or shifting, even when going over rough terrain. The bike mount is very easy to take on and off. When removed, it is super simple to store, just lean the 2x4 against the wall in the corner of the garage. And best of all, I can park in the garage with the bikes loaded.
Another bonus, when ski season arrives, I will add a second 2x4 to the rear boxlink plates, then install removable dowels to create raised slots for the skis.
I hope this helps someone. And with that, you can expect some photos from Moab in a couple weeks!
Sponsored