A Backrack is purchased in two pieces: the cab guard itself, and the installation kit that secures it to the bed of your pickup. The rack is chosen based on usage (ladders, rear window protection, lights). The kit, meanwhile, is chosen based on your truck and what is inside the bed: nothing at all, a tool box, or a tonneau cover. If you just remember that, you've just avoided half the ordering errors we see.
The rack and the kit are sold separately
At Backrack, the rack is sold alone, without hardware. The manufacturer states it clearly: each rack requires an additional installation kit, which contains the hardware, mounting brackets, and instructions. Ordering just the rack is a bit like buying a trailer without a hitch: it looks good in the driveway, but it isn't going very far.
The kit is specific to each truck. On most pickups, it bolts into the square holes found on top of the bed, just behind the cab (the "stake pockets"). That is why the majority of installations are done without drilling. On a truck that does not have these holes, Backrack indicates that you must drill into the bed rail.
Which rack to choose based on your usage
From a distance, the models look similar. Up close, they don't all do the same job. They are made of steel with a powder-coat finish.
- Original: the classic, with an open design, featuring a flat bar to hook your ratchet straps or bungee cords. It is used to lean a ladder or long lumber between the uprights, and to prevent the load from sliding toward the cab.
- Safety Rack: the same principle, but with a wire mesh that covers the entire rear window. A good choice if you are loading material that could fly toward the cab during loading or on the road.
- Louvered: the louvered version, with a low profile, also made for ladders and long loads.
- Original Short: a shorter version, designed to reach the height of the cab roof when installed with the "Wide Top Rail" tonneau cover adapter (not offered for all trucks). Practical if you enter a garage or a multi-level parking lot.
There are also "Half" versions (Half Safety, Half Louvered). Regarding accessories, the manufacturer gives the example of the Louvered: strobe lights, signal arrows, or antennas bolt or attach to the rack, without drilling the truck. For a work light, there is the Backrack 91007 light mounting bracket. Backrack also makes light brackets that fold down when you are short on clearance.
Which installation kit: look in your bed first
This is where it happens. There are three situations.
1. The bed is empty: the standard kit
The standard kit is made for trucks that will not have a cross-bed tool box behind the cab. It includes a plate that sits on the bed rail and reinforces it, which provides a solid base for the rack. Like the other kits, it is specific to each truck (make, model, and years).
2. You have a cross-bed tool box
Backrack has a kit for a standard 21-inch tool box. The box rests on brackets and can be moved forward in the bed, so you don't lose space. It is fixed with sheet metal screws passed through the box (you drill the box, not the truck). 31-inch brackets also exist. Good to know: for the same truck, the standard kit and the tool box kit are two different products. In case of doubt, write to us before ordering.
There is also a "Low Profile" kit for some large recent pickups. It puts the box at the height of the bed rail, but it requires drilling holes on top of the rail. And be careful: tool box kits are not compatible with tonneau cover adapters. It's one or the other.
3. You have a tonneau cover: look at where it attaches
With a tonneau cover, you don't buy the standard kit. Instead, you take a tonneau cover adapter, which contains everything needed to install the rack. There are two families, and the choice depends on how your tonneau cover is attached:
- Numbers starting with 40 (Inside Rail): for tonneau covers that attach inside the bed walls. Example: the 40120 kit for Silverado and Sierra.
- Numbers starting with 50 (Wide Top Rail): for tonneau covers placed on top of the rails. According to the manufacturer, this kit raises the rack by two inches. Example: the 50120 kit for Silverado and Sierra.
You see the trap: for the same truck, there are two different adapters. The right one depends on the tonneau cover, not just the pickup. The test is simple: open your tonneau cover and look at where its frame is installed. Inside the walls, it's a 40. On top of the rail, it's a 50. If you don't have a tonneau cover yet, choose it from our tonneau covers before ordering the kit.
What we advise
- Note the year, the exact model (1500, 2500, etc.), and the bed length. Some kits change according to these details, and with Ram, according to whether the truck has a RamBox or not.
- Decide before ordering if you will have a tonneau cover, a tool box, or nothing. Changing your mind later often means changing the kit.
- Order the rack and the kit at the same time, so you don't end up with a nice rack leaning against the garage wall.
- Check the compatibility chart on the kit's product page before paying.
All racks, kits, and accessories are in the Backrack collection. Hesitating between two kits? Write to our customer service with the year, the model of your pickup, and your type of tonneau cover, and we will look into it with you.