Introduction: Tie Downs Points for Pickup Truck; Easy, Effective, Cheap

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Pickup trucks are great for just throwing stuff in the back and hauling it, but you do want to tie it down to some degree. The issue is hooking on points to secure the stuff is limited, and not geared to amateurs like me. I use bungee's, the elastic cords with two hooks on either end, these are very effective for the securing temporarily stuff. Ideally you would hook the bungee cord in just the right place to hold the object in place, that requires a lot of anchor points to be available. This article addresses that issue; cheaply, effectively, and gives you infinite locations to use as anchor points for your load.

I wish I could take credit for this simple brilliant solution for a problem that has bothered me for years, but it was originally published in Popular Mechanics in 2016. This is just my implementation of it.

Step 1: The BOM and Tools

Did I mention this project is so simple you really don't even need tools: its that simple and easy. All you need is

1) 2 lengths of chain the length of the side of your flatbed.

2) two turnbuckles,

3) 4 (maybe more for making turns) S hooks.

Ok, I kinda lied about the no tools. I did use a vise to squeeze the S hook closed a bit, and in one case bend it up to fit properly into the available hole in the side of the flatbed, but that's really it. If you really want to get fancy you might want to drill a hole in the inner lining of the flatbed to secure the S hook where it is better located, but if your flatbed is like mine you will find ones that are already there that are good enough.

Step 2: WYSIWYG Instructions.

annotated pictures say it all. the path to attachment starting from the front, part of the flatbed working towards the back, tailgate is as follows:

existing access hole in inner lining, loop S hook to catch that hole, close other side of S hook on chain, length of chain to back of flatbed, to a couple of S hooks to make more more links as my chain was a little short, to a turnbuckle wide open, to another couple of S hooks, to make the turn around the workings of the inner liner of the bed, to a hole that was in the inner liner where I could push a bent up S hook into it on one side.

After that was all connected I simply wound the turnbuckle tight to take up the slack,

Now you can use the chain loops as anchor points for the bungee's or rope or whatever to secure your load.