hatallica
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #1
This is just an example of how I did it, not a recommendation. Ford pissed me off by tripling the price of the factory stowable bed extender and then removed the threads to mount it (requiring taillight removal to apply a nut/washer on the backside). So, this was an exercise in pure, spiteful stubbornness. Decide for yourself if there are any products or practices worth emulating. It won't hurt my feelings if the answer is "NO!".
Parts Used:
Why not a standard M10 Rivnut? The hole is significantly larger than the recommended range for a standard rivnut. It would leave about 1mm of purchase around the circumference, which simply did not give me much comfort. Others report doing it without issue, so use your judgment. This type of insert has about 3.5mm of purchase around the circumference and a large cross pattern of material on the backside. This type is also more prone to spinning, but that is the point of the entire assembly, so not really a worry for me.
The catch is that this insert is longer than a standard rivnut, so my rivnut installation tool will not quite reach the threaded part. There are lots of examples of installation without specialty tools - here is one. I chose to work with what was readily available to me on a Sunday morning - long-nose locking pliers and ratcheting wrench. It worked but I wouldn't recommend it over a more proper method.
Photos pretty much tell the rest of the story with a few exceptions. The 4 plastic inserts were smacked into place using a scrap of wood and a rubber mallet. The rubber feet may require tweaking for your application. I chose to keep short feet on the bed rug and long feet on the tailgate side. T50 bit felt like it had a lot of play in the screws but minimal torque is needed.
Parts Used:
- Aftermarket bed extender - I cannot distinguish any difference from my previous factory unit
- Wurth 09179010 Pre-Bulbed Insert M10-1.5 - search a couple Kia parts websites for best price plus shipping to your location. This is a darn-near perfect fit for the unthreaded mounting hole in the bed. Other options had no stock and required minimum order quantities of 1K or more.
- M10-1.5 x 50mm - only for a makeshift way to install the threaded insert. I added a thin 3/8" washer that was on-hand.
Why not a standard M10 Rivnut? The hole is significantly larger than the recommended range for a standard rivnut. It would leave about 1mm of purchase around the circumference, which simply did not give me much comfort. Others report doing it without issue, so use your judgment. This type of insert has about 3.5mm of purchase around the circumference and a large cross pattern of material on the backside. This type is also more prone to spinning, but that is the point of the entire assembly, so not really a worry for me.
The catch is that this insert is longer than a standard rivnut, so my rivnut installation tool will not quite reach the threaded part. There are lots of examples of installation without specialty tools - here is one. I chose to work with what was readily available to me on a Sunday morning - long-nose locking pliers and ratcheting wrench. It worked but I wouldn't recommend it over a more proper method.
Photos pretty much tell the rest of the story with a few exceptions. The 4 plastic inserts were smacked into place using a scrap of wood and a rubber mallet. The rubber feet may require tweaking for your application. I chose to keep short feet on the bed rug and long feet on the tailgate side. T50 bit felt like it had a lot of play in the screws but minimal torque is needed.
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