Datin Metal Fabrication

[Datin Metal Fab]

Hey guys, Tanner from Datin Metal Fab checking in! We are a small shop located in Middleton Idaho! If you aren't familiar with us or our products, please check us out here:
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(Yes I know its 2nd Gen, we don't have any pictures with 3rd Gens and our rack, want to be the first?!)

 

[Silent_Taco4x4]

Hey Tanner, welcome to the forum! I didn't see on your website the weight capacity of your rack. Also, with the 12" rack, what is the visibility out of the rear window like?

 

[Datin Metal Fab]

Hey Tanner, welcome to the forum! I didn't see on your website the weight capacity of your rack. Also, with the 12" rack, what is the visibility out of the rear window like?

Thanks for the welcome! We don't have a weight capacity on our rack because I'm not sure what the load rating is on the actual bed rails. I'm very confident that the rack will hold more weight than the bed rails. I'd hate to say you can load 1000lbs on the rack and the bed rails only be able to hold 500 or something like that. Visibility out the rear window is pretty bad, even worse with the tent, but no worse than any other comprable rack or bed bar setup. It's a catch 22 however, because I can make a rack that doesn't impede the rear window at all, but then if you want to put a tent on it, your CG is going to be way to high. If you are on the Tacomaworld forum at all, my little brother CCPTacoma is running a 12" rack and tent and can probably give you way better answers as he experiences it every day.

This photo kind of shows about where the horizontal goes across the window.

 

[Silent_Taco4x4]

Thanks for the info, the rack looks good and it looks easier to add accessories compared to some of your competitors. I agree with keeping the CG low, I also think that would help with less wind drag. It seems like most everyone does 12" or 16". Is it possible to go lower? Like a 8" or 9" rack?

 

[Datin Metal Fab]

Thanks for the info, the rack looks good and it looks easier to add accessories compared to some of your competitors. I agree with keeping the CG low, I also think that would help with less wind drag. It seems like most everyone does 12" or 16". Is it possible to go lower? Like a 8" or 9" rack?

I could design something custom for you, DM me for details. And yes, its really easy to mount accessories to the rack anywhere. I have found though, going lower than 12" makes it hard to fit rotopax on the outside. I also would probably do a 2 hoop design, more of like a bed bar type of thing for an 8" or 9". Here is my brothers 2nd gen, he put rotopax and his hi-lift on the outside, and mounted his quickfist ax and shovel mounts on the inside of the rack.