Installing OEM Bed Extender - DIY Instructions & Photos

[Starman202]

Installed OEM bed extender [Part# PT392-35240]. Hope this will help others looking to do the same.

First, as usual with OEM Toyota parts, it will NOT come with instructions, if you're lucky, maybe a tech. will print you out one. I've attached a PDF copy here. Following the instructions [PDF attached], install didn't go as smoothly as i'd hope. Drilling was the easy part and applying some sealant around the holes. The rest wasn't so easy.

The included OEM rivets are tough and longer than ones you typically see in a rivet kit. Using a hand held rivet gun was extremely hard to get the rivet going, and when it finally did, it would break the OEM rivet before it can fully latch into place. You really do need a pneumatic rivet gun to get the OEM ones to latch. [the instructions mentioned using 6mm drill bit, which is fine for the OEM rivets due to the longer stem, but if you want to use aftermarket rivets, that would be too large of a hole, so keep that in mind]

Welp, I improvised, I had a couple of stainless steel bicycle bolts and screws laying around that was perfect for use [sorry i didn't measure it nor know the size of the bolts], but needed to annoyingly remove the taillights to complete this

1. using painters tape, tape all around the painted taillight area to avoid damaging the paint
2. Unscrew the two 10mm bolts that holds the taillights in place
3. It's held by two clips, unlike the 3rd gen where you pull out to the rear, with the 4th gen Tacoma, you want to pull out towards the side of the truck to fully remove (there are a few youtube videos showing this better, but for some reason, theirs pops out easily, mine was a PAIN to remove, it was on there real tight, and I actually broke the green clip on the body, luckily it's easily replaceable -- top green clip is part# 90467-A0045 and bottom pink clip is part# 90467-09112)

Now that the taillights are off, using a magnetic grabber tool makes the install process easier as there was no way I was able to fit my hand\fingers to get the bolts secured on the screws. Then used some loctite to make sure it doesn't loosen over time.

For those wondering, I do have the powered-tailgate, when you lock the straps in place, it prevents from the the tailgate to go up. Instead, when you push the "open\close" tailgate button, it releases the latch so you can remove them.

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[larkhen]

just to clarify, when you press the side button to automatically open the tailgate, it does NOT go up if the latches of the bed extender are in place? I've heard that people turn off the auto tailgate open/close because they worry that it will try to close with the bed extender latched in.

 

[Delirious]

just to clarify, when you press the side button to automatically open the tailgate, it does NOT go up if the latches of the bed extender are in place? I've heard that people turn off the auto tailgate open/close because they worry that it will try to close with the bed extender latched in.

Anytime there's any kind of pressure on the tailgate, whether you want it to open or close , it instantly stops
trying to open or close because it feels the resistance.

 

[Delirious]

Your post is amongst the best I've ever seen for instructions for an install of anything.
Good job.
I'll refer back to your post if I ever decide to install an extender.

 

[Chico]

Very good information, the rivets seem to be the most common issue for everyone trying the DIY installation on these extenders, they are just hard to get them in place. I wonder if the rattle when they are folded in, I hear from some people that they do. I am thinking about getting one, but I probably get it installed at the dealership, I just don't have pneumatic rivet tool but I have a good relationship with the accessories manager and he'll give me a price on the part with installation, plus I get the 1 year warranty.

 

[WKTJR1]

The supplied rivets are high-grade, and a handheld tool won't do the job. I just used it as an excuse to purchase a cheap electric rivet gun and used aluminum rivets. The best part is that the bed already has dimples, so there's no measuring needed to line up the clips. Having installed bed extenders in the past, I didn't need the instructions; it was a fairly easy job for me.

 

[Starman202]

just to clarify, when you press the side button to automatically open the tailgate, it does NOT go up if the latches of the bed extender are in place? I've heard that people turn off the auto tailgate open/close because they worry that it will try to close with the bed extender latched in.

Correct, i tried many times to make sure... If the tailgate is down, and as long the straps are in and latched, when you push the button (whether it's on the FOB, taillight buttons, tailgate button, or interior button), it will not attempt to go up, instead it'll release the latch so that you can remove the straps.

....I just used it as an excuse to purchase a cheap electric rivet gun and used aluminum rivets..

yes, that was my backup plan as the handheld gun came with a few rivets of its own...but I had already drilled the 6mm hole which was a bit too large for the rivets that came with the rivet gun itself, so had to use the screw\bolt method.

Maybe if someone had the expensive Milwaukee's 2,000 lb Pulling Force electric rivet gun it could get the job done

 

[bsquaredMTB]

I had the same problem with the rivets. I drove down to a local body shop and they didn't even charge me to use their pneumatic rivet gun. The guy at the shop just did it for me. Maybe you guys can find a friendly shop that'll do this for you too!

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