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Best Commercial Truck Racks Summary
The best commercial truck racks offer increased functionality, especially for fleet applications, be it adjustable positioning, lashing points for cargo, or cab protection from items that may shift while driving.
Some commercial racks will accommodate specific tonneau covers, toolboxes, and other truck accessories.
The Backrack offerings are designed to protect your truck from damage while working and hauling cargo.
Automoblog Review & Evaluation Process
Best Commercial Truck Racks Overview
When selecting a rack for your pickup truck, it helps to consider how you will use it (and how often you plan to use it). On this list are five options: the Elevate Rack, Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack, and Holman Pro IV, plus two options from Backrack: the Safety Headache Rack and Ladder Rack.
Workday vs. Weekend Warrior
The Elevate Rack is a “best of both worlds” option, as it can be used for both work and play. It is compatible with specific tonneau covers and has height adjustments to accommodate everything from lumber to kayaks.
Meanwhile, the options from Weather Guard and Holman are designed for fleet and commercial use. There is less of a “weekend warrior” aspect to these racks. They have higher cargo capacities, integrated grab handles, and a removable rear crossbar to account for taller cargo.
Although there are exceptions to every rule, looking at a generalized comparison between the three racks—the Elevate, Weather Guard, and Holman—the Elevate is good for personal use, while the Weather Guard and Holman racks are best for upfitting a fleet of work trucks.
Headache & Ladder Racks
The Safety Headache Rack and Ladder Rack from Backrack are not racks in the traditional sense, but they do protect the cab (Saftey Headache Rack) and tailgate (Ladder Rack) while working.
Safety Headache Racks have additional mounting points, are compatible with toolboxes and tonneau covers, and can be fitted with amber strobe lights, the latter of which is a helpful accessory for a fleet of work or maintenance trucks on the road.
Likewise, as the name suggests, the Ladder Rack keeps ladders or lumber off the tailgate to prevent damage. There are additional lashing points and hooks, and the entire rack can be installed and removed in short order.
Brand & Model2024 Award & AccoladesElevate RackDual-Purpose DesignBackrack Ladder RackPrevents Tailgate DamageBackrack Safety Headache RackRear Cab & Window ProtectionWeather Guard Steel Truck Rack“Big Daddy” of Commercial RacksHolman Pro IV Aluminum Truck RackIdeal for Heavy-Use Fleet Applications
Elevate Rack
Although one of the best commercial truck racks, the Elevate Rack can haul fun weekend toys when you’re off the clock. Key features include its aluminum construction, textured powder coat finish, and telescoping load bars that adjust to 18, 23, or 28 inches, depending on your needs.
Given its flexibility and robustness, the Elevate Rack is a good option if you are looking to purchase your first-ever rack for your truck. If you need something beyond a standard roof rack, the Elevate is a solid choice.
What We Like: Versatility & Compatibility
The Elevate Rack can haul everything from ladders and baskets to bikes and kayaks, while the telescoping feature lets you move the load bar height accordingly.
If you need to transport something longer that would otherwise extend over the cab, like ladders or lumber, you can set the load bars at their highest setting (28 inches). Conversely, the load bars can drop to the lowest setting (18 inches) for something like a cargo basket.
Meanwhile, integrated T-Slot channels will accommodate a range of rack accessories, including load stops with anchor points, adjustable tie-down cleats, channel guards to minimize debris build-up, and the aforementioned cargo baskets.
We appreciate how the Elevate Rack was designed with tonneau and bed covers in mind. Although it doesn’t fit every available tonneau cover on the market, the Elevate Rack is compatible with TruXedo covers, including the TruXport, one of the best affordable tonneau covers today.
Likewise, the Elevate Rack will accommodate T-Slot-compatible covers like the Retrax XR and Roll-N-Lock XT.
Designations & T-Slot Rails
You will see two designations for the Elevate truck bed rack: FS for full size and CS for compact size. These designations are simply two sizes of the Elevate Rack, one to fit full-size trucks and the other for midsize trucks. The T-Slot rails are a separate add-on applicable in one of the following scenarios:
You want to run the Elevate system over an open bed (i.e., no tonneau cover).
You already own a functionally compatible tonneau cover for the Elevate Rack, but it doesn’t have built-in T-Slot rails.
A good example of the latter would be the older TruXedo Pro X15 tonneau cover with no built-in T-Slot rail system. The Pro X15 will roll and unroll with the Elevate Rack installed, but the tonneau cover needs a mounting system for the rack itself.
The T-Slot rails are “sandwiched” between the bed rail and the tonneau rail (they use the same clamp system). In most cases, you will swap out the gasket material on the tonneau rail to a thinner gasket (provided) so the overall distance between the rails stays intact.
Installation Notes: Don’t Lose The T-Bolts!
Set aside your utility knife (or scissors), tape measure, and a half-inch socket with your ratchet for most applications. Keep the T-bolts organized for later, and don’t let them grow legs and walk away!
Weather stripping is included for the load bars, which helps reduce wind noise (use your utility knife to cut it in place).
The Elevate Rack takes 30 to 60 minutes to install, depending on whether you have a tonneau cover. If you need further insight during the process, in addition to the printed instructions, RealTruck has this helpful installation video on its YouTube channel, which includes the extra steps for tonneau covers.
Once installed, the Elevate Rack will have a total static weight capacity of 750 lbs. (i.e., when your truck is parked). When driving on paved roads, the rack has a total weight capacity of 500 lbs., decreasing to 250 lbs. when off-roading.
Backrack Safety Headache Rack
The Backrack Safety Headache Rack allows you to transport longer items, such as a ladder, without dropping your tailgate or causing damage to the top of the cab. Similarly, the wire mesh protects your back window from things in the bed that may shift unexpectedly.
The straightforward, work-oriented nature of the Safety Headache Rack is the primary selling point. Fancy “bells and whistles” are exchanged for a durable all-weather design combining a tubular steel frame for increased rigidity and a black powder-coat finish for corrosion resistance.
What We Like: From Wall Street to Main Street
The Backrack Safety Headache Rack can accommodate a number of industries and professions, from agriculture and construction to landscaping, plumbing, and HVAC. Regarding trucks in the field, this Backrack offering has practical uses for both larger companies and smaller businesses.
For example, fleet managers at a bigger company may find the Headache Rack is a viable option if they need a cost-conscious accessory to ensure a truck’s utility and employee safety. Sole proprietors and smaller family businesses may turn to this rack for the same reasons.
Additional mounting points accommodate amber strobe lights or other work tools (for example, to secure shovels, rakes, or brooms against the rack in an upright position).
Installation Notes: Use a Heavy Blanket
Most applications require no drilling during the installation process.
When ordering on RealTruck’s website, you are asked if you have a toolbox or a tonneau cover. You will be sent the correct install kit, depending on whether or not you have those items. Backrack offers tonneau cover and toolbox compatibility bracket kits for the Safety Headache Rack.
RealTruck has this helpful installation video on their YouTube channel, which touches on what to do if you have a bed liner (for the shake bolt). It’s also a good idea to drape a heavy blanket over your cab to protect it during the installation.
Backrack Ladder Rack
The Backrack Ladder Rack can be used alone or paired with the Headache Rack above. As the name suggests, this truck ladder rack is for hauling a pair of ladders and is a great alternative if you are not sold on a standard four-post rack system.
Key features include the 12 gauge steel construction, black powder coating, and a two-inch tube with hooks and lashing points to secure everything from ladders to lumber. It’s also compatible with tonneau covers that mount inside the rails.
What We Like: Daily or Occasional Use
Although you can use it daily, the Backrack Ladder Rack is also handy for those one-off jobs or occasional outings, given how fast it can be installed and removed.
If you only haul a ladder some of the time, purchase lumber every so often, or take your canoe out once in a while, the removable Ladder Rack is a good “as-needed” option versus a four-post rack.
In either case—be it daily or infrequent use—the Backrack Ladder Rack will prevent the top of your tailgate from getting scratched or damaged. Even with the Ladder Rack in place, your tailgate will open and close as usual.
Installation Notes: Quick & Easy
The Backrack Ladder Rack fits into your truck bed’s stake pockets. Removal is as easy as the installation, which requires no drilling for most applications.
Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack
Sometimes referred to as the “Big Daddy” of commercial truck racks, this Weather Guard setup boasts 1,000 lbs. load capacity in its standard version, with a heavy-duty variant that supports up to 1,700 lbs.
Key features include its steel construction, black powder coating, and front welded airfoil to reduce wind noise and drag (i.e., better aerodynamics). Meanwhile, the protector screen shields the cab and rear window from any cargo that may unintentionally shift while driving.
The Steel Truck Rack will accommodate a range of accessories, including permanent ratchet straps, cross bars, roller bars, and Weather Guard truck boxes. Unfortunately, the Steel Truck Rack is not compatible with tonneau covers.
What We Like: Grab Handles
Every Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack has rear upper grab handles with a removable crossbar (via pins) for oversized cargo. All four adjustable legs have tie-down loops to secure anything you might be hauling.
The rear grab handles are for safely getting in and out of the bed, a feature those who work on rough or less-than-forgiving terrain may appreciate. During the winter, when the rear bumper or your boots can be slippery, the grab handles are worth their weight in gold.
Beyond the Steel Truck Rack itself, we admire the story of Howard Knaack, who purchased the rights to build Weather Guard truck equipment in 1968 (in 1960, Knaack began building his now world-famous toolboxes and job site storage solutions in a small shop in Crystal Lake, Illinois).
ProDriven Global Brands has since acquired Knaack and Weather Guard, yet the established history is something we value when purchasing any product, including a commercial truck rack.
Fitment & Capacities
Depending on the model year, the Steel Truck Rack will fit a range of beds, including crew cabs with a short box, extended cabs with a bed in the 6’5″ neighborhood, and long box trucks with an eight-foot bed. Likewise, it will fit most midsize, half-ton, and HD trucks, depending on the model year.
Heights and capacities vary, depending on your truck. For example, a half-ton truck rack (i.e., full-size truck) has an approximate height of 35.9 inches, while midsize trucks have an approximate height of 33.38 inches. HD trucks have an approximate height of 34.9 inches.
The 1,000 lbs. cargo capacity version of the Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack is available for all three models: midsize, half-ton, and HD.
However, if you drive something like a Silverado Duramax or Ram Cummins (either 2500 or 3500 in both instances) or a Ford Power Stroke (either an F-250 or F-350), opting for the Steel Truck Rack with the 1,700 lbs. cargo capacity might be a better option. That extra 700 lbs. load capacity may come in handy down the road.
Installation Notes
The Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack does not require drilling as the front legs adjust to fit the length of your bed—likewise, the protector screen lines up with pre-drilled holes on the front legs. No-drill clamps (included) ensure the rack secures to your truck’s stake pocket holes.
You will likely need a set of wrenches, Allen keys, a utility knife, and a rubber hammer for installation (depending on your truck’s make and model). According to the installation manual, if you plan on carrying ladders, it’s recommended to reverse the carriage bolts to have the bolt head on the inside of the rack.
Holman Pro IV Aluminum Truck Rack
The Holman Pro IV is a durable rack for any work truck, especially trucks running year-round, regardless of the season or geographic region. In essence, the Holman Pro IV was designed to withstand the elements, from blistering summer heat to bitter winters.
T6 aircraft aluminum tubing (T6 being the temper or degree of hardness), stainless steel fasteners, and a powder coat finish each provide corrosion and abrasion resistance. Likewise, the rack underwent salt spray testing during production and development.
An optional center crossbar increases the structural rigidity of the Holman Pro IV, while the standard rear crossbar is removable (without tools) to account for taller items in the bed.
What We Like: Portable When Needed
The flexibility of the Holman Pro IV is one of its best attributes. Be it regular cab trucks with longer boxes or crew cabs with shorter beds, the front legs of the Holman Pro IV adjust manually during installation to fit any truck. Likewise, the rack is easy to remove and place on another truck should the need arise.
Four bolts secure the mounting brackets for the rack (listed as “feet” in the installation manual). Once you remove those bolts, the Holman Pro IV can be installed on another truck.
We like this aspect because if you run a smaller operation and are working with a strict budget, you can move the Holman Pro IV to another truck as needed. Given how “portable” the Holman rack can be from truck to truck, purchasing a second rack might not be necessary.
The Holman Pro IV is one of the best commercial truck racks available today.
Grab Handles & Cargo Capacity
Like the Weather Guard Steel Truck Rack above, the Holman Pro IV has rear grab handles to assist with getting in and out of the box. When work safety is a priority, especially in winter when rear bumpers can get slippery from ice and slush, the grab handles make all the difference in the world.
The total cargo capacity is 1,000 lbs., with the mounting brackets (i.e., feet) distributing the weight over the truck. We recommend the optional center crossbar to help support heavy loads on the rack.
Installation Notes: Two Options
According to the installation manual for the Holman Pro IV, there are two methods:
Clamping the feet to the side of the bed with rail clamps and bolting the feet to the stake pockets (i.e., no drilling).
Drilling and permanently mounting the Holman Pro IV through the side rails.
It’s worth noting that the Holman Pro IV is not compatible with tonneau covers.
Holman does offer racks for truck caps, racks for platform bodies and service body trucks (or service body racks), and different rack accessories. Holman also sells a forklift loadable service body rack.
Best Commercial Truck Racks Conclusion
To ensure you purchase the right commercial truck rack, take a few mental notes on your specific needs.
If you need a proper commercial rack for heavy use or fleet applications, the Weather Guard or Holman options are your best bet. By contrast, the Elevate Rack is a good choice if you also want your rack to have a “weekend warrior” aspect.
The Backrack offerings are straightforward and less complex but still protect your cab or tailgate from damage. While not racks in the traditional sense, the Backrack offerings are solid options if the Elevate, Weather Guard, or Holman are more than you need.
Either way, the most important thing is finding a rack that adds to the functionality and enjoyment of owning a truck. Each entry on this list will help you do just that. Once you’ve got something picked out, review the warranty and any other vehicle-specific info you may need to consider during installation.
Carl Anthony is the Managing Editor of Automoblog and the host of AutoVision News Radio and AutoSens Insights. As a respected automotive industry thought leader, Carl has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Digital PR Explained, in addition to appearing as a regular contributor on MotorMouth Radio on WHPC 90.3 FM. His work can also be seen and heard 24/7 on the Automoblog YouTube channel.
Original article: Best Commercial Truck Racks (2024 Buyer’s Guide)
