Smittybilt 18604 Black Contractors Rack

Put this on a 2023 Ram 3500. Assembly took a bit of time as the instructions are pretty poor (B&W xerox style photos that are barely discernable) but the finished rack is significantly better than the Weather Guard racks we have on our other trucks at half the price.

Had to cut 5.5" from each riser and drill new holes the same distance from end to center as the original holes, fits and functions perfectly. Used T-Rail clamping system also purchased on Amazon.Strong and time will tell of durability.

I installed this rack on a 2005 ram 2500 long bed quad cab. As others have mentioned, it does sit a bit higher than most would want it to, but I actually prefer that. I drive my truck in places that require a lot of flexing between the cab and bed, so the extra clearance is welcome. On a truck as long as mine, the over-cab portion of the rack gets pretty short, and only comes about half way over the cab. Not a big deal, and I expected it with a universal fit rack, but aesthetically, it bothers me. The length of the rack from the front hoop to the removable cross bar is 11'3" if that helps to visualize it.The installation process was a little more difficult than I expected, but it may have just been my rack. The crossbar between the two upright supports on the cab end of the bed did not line up well at all. I eventually got it on, but it took some effort. Other than that, it's big and heavy, so two people to install it is a good idea. The instructions are well written, which is good, since the pictures seem to be taken with a black and white Polaroid camera, copied on a copy machine about a dozen times, and then printed on a printer that is running out of ink.Once on the truck, the rack is very sturdy. I had it secured with the j hooks for about a week just to see if I liked it. They did there job fine, but I found myself constantly looking in the rearview to see if the rack had come off the bed rails. This is just me being paranoid, but I ended up drilling holes in the bed rail and using the included bolts. All the hardware is grade 8 with nylock nuts. The tubing is 2" and powdercoated with a rough texture finish, and seems more stout than other racks I have seen. I have about 400-450 pounds on this rack at any given point, and believe it could probably hold at least the 800 pound rating, if not a bit more if you absolutely had to.Road noise is minimal up to about 45 mph. After that, I start to hear a dull "wub wub wub". It is on a diesel with rubber floors and oversized AT tires, so my truck is pretty loud to began with. You may notice road noises sooner. I have not noticed a marked drop in fuel economy, but I don't pay that close of attention to it.Overall, this rack seems to be the best option for a universal fit rack, especially in this price range. It is sturdy, and does its job well. Installation was easy enough with two people, even with useless pictures in the instructions. If you are looking for a one size fits all rack option for your truck, this should serve you well.

It took some modification to make all the horizontal bars the same plane

Very impressed with this rack. I installed it on my 96 dodge ram 1500. It wasn't a highly difficult task to install, but I would recommend having a second person help or use a 2x4 jig. Took me 3.5 hours by myself roughly. Sorting the nuts bolts washers and lock washers is what took me the most time as it all came in one single bag. And the instructions are a bit weak as other reviewers have stated. But once assembled its very sturdy and strong. I don't think I could buy the steel to build this for the price I paid. Not to mention the powder coating and hardware. I like the adjustable mid bar and removable back bar. I'm a carpenter, so I'm always loading odd shaped and tall stuff so thats a plus. I would like to point out that the top bars where you'd load your material onto are a textured powder coat like all smittybilt parts. I'd prefer a smooth coat, but it will do fine. It is a little tall and I was originally thinking of cutting the uprights down a few inches and drilling new holes, but it wasn't obscenely high and I want to be able to put it on a new truck sometime in the future if need be. A very versatile rack in my opinion. I'd say this would fit any full size or mid size pickup. Long or short bed. I'll be loading some 2x6 tomorrow and I'll update and report how it works. I dont think I'll have any issues. P.S. there was a lot of extra bolts. Some I had no idea where they go to. Oh and this comes with the j bolts for temporary mount and bolts washers, lock washers and nylon lock nuts for permanent installation.Update. June 7 2020All seems well. I added some rack straps this last week. I then loaded 6 12 ft 2x10s and 6 12 ft 2x8s. Not a problem. I imagine this thing could take 20 footers with realitive ease. This things going to be awesome for hauling our kayaks too. I see many years of use ahead.Update june 29 2020This thing is capable of hauling some pretty heavy loads. I moved our aluminum pump jack poles along with ladders and planks and it handled it all well. Only thing was i lost one of my cotter pins for the removable back section. No falt of the product. Just my own tom foolery.

Very sturdy and easy to set up

Fits perfect and looks amazing!!!! Very well built. Would definitely recommend this ladder rack system.

good product but poor assembly instrutions