Putco Side Bed Rails

The Toyota Tundra is an extremely practical vehicle, especially when it comes to hauling cargo. However, some people often carry bulky gear that doesn’t always fit snugly between the walls of a truck box. It might be furniture, lawnmowers, motorcycles, or pallets of wood – anything bulky that could be damaged by too much movement from side to side. Tundras are all outfitted with cutouts and tie-downs that allow for ropes and chains to be attached, but they are positioned at very fixed locations, and it’s not always easy or convenient to use them.

Putco SSR side bed rails on an 07′ Tundra.

Putco has come up with a solution that is both stylish and useful. They offer a line of side rails that are designed to stretch the length of your truck bed. These rails are simple to install and come in a variety of designs. Made out of chromed stainless steel, they are not only strong but they look great too. The rails are designed to anchor into the Tundra’s current tie-down cutouts, and they can easily be installed with simple hand tools. There are three main pieces – the two curved anchors and the long steel bar. Once these parts have been joined together, you simply place the anchors on top of the cutouts and then use an Allan key to tighten the mounting bar from the top. There are no visible clamps, and a rubber gasket goes between the rail and your paint to make sure there isn’t any scuffing or scratching.

On the left, a close-up of the mount for the rails. On the right, the driver’s side view of the rails installed on an 07′ Tundra.

The basic locker side rails have a simple steel tube which has a cutout at each anchor end for more involved tying. They can hold up to 1000 pounds, which is more than enough for most hauling. You can also upgrade to 2.5 inch tubing with the same designed if you feel you need a heftier look, but these ‘Boss’ railings, as Putco calls them, only hold 500 pounds. If you want more than just two tie downs, the Putco Pop Up Lockers have 4 hidden tie downs rated at 500 pounds along that railing that can be ‘popped’ to use when you need them. Otherwise, the railing maintains a solid appearance, lacking even the openings found at the anchor points on the standard version. For those looking to only enhance the appearance of their truck bed without necessarily needing the option of a tie down, the SSR Locker fits the bill.

Rear view of Putco side bed rails.

The side rails are also useful for people who find themselves frequently climbing in and out of the bed of their Tundra, especially in wet conditions where bed liners or bare steel can be especially slippery. The rails make for excellent hand grips, and can also be good for providing you with leverage when reaching over the side of the truck bed to get at items located down on the cargo floor. The only real downside to installing railings like these is that it makes it impossible to use a tonneau cover – although if you are regularly hauling large gear that probably wasn’t an option anyway. Putco side rails are a great way to dress up your Tundra, they’re fairly inexpensive (about $200) and add a practical edge at the same time.

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