No. I haven't used the bar yet, but it does look useful.
In my other truck I ran a plastic coated cable from the front cargo point back to the rear, across the rear, and back to the front. This allows me to put the straps and bungee in any configuration. I have another cable with loops to feed...
I do it all the time. Just be cautious of bad weather. For that, I keep some extra construction grade trash bags to put the suitcases in. Then I use bungee or ratchet straps to keep the bags from flapping so they won't develop holes in the bags.
Thanks for the update and info. I am going for a third battery on my dime, which will be an H8. I didn't know about the battery type change. Thank you for including that!