Eye bolt reinforcement aluminum F-150

After reading posts regarding bed deformation on F-150’s with aluminum beds I decided to upgrade. I put together a common sense plan and engineered a system that should fit the bill for years to come. The stock FWC installation is a good system but, is a bare bones system IMO. I think the FWC system on conventional steel beds is a solid system and would be adequate for most applications. Most of my travels will be on pavement, this upgrade for off road guys with a aluminum bed could be a nice upgrade. This is a easy and fairly inexpensive upgrade for DIY project for most handy guys/gals.
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1/4” cardboard patterns made including bolt hole locations.

1/4” aluminum plates fabricated from a local metal shop. Sanded and clean for undercoating.
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Plates ready for installation.
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3/8” rubber gym mat material used for filler on the upward corrugation on the edge. Spray glue to hold in place until the plate was sandwiched the two in place.
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Gym rubber shim in place with the original FWC plates still In place.
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Examples of front and rear plates installed with a final coat of spray undercoating. Undercoating was applied to protect from the Midwest salt/chloride treated roads in fall/winter. I had the truck fully under coated knowing this truck would be a long term ride. The plates extended over bed hat channel flanges. This puts the upward torque onto the structural portion of the bed assembly and not just the bed skin. Installation would have been a little easier with the camper removed but, with help from my Carol, total time about two hours. Also a thanks to (Helmut) for his response on this subject.
Be safe all Wayne

Nice mod Wayne. I would think that spreading the load incrementally would be even better. I'd have kept the stock FWC bits and put them between the fender washer and your nice new bits. Thus 1/2" thick alum near the bolt, and your 1/4" thick further out.

Vic Harder said:

Nice mod Wayne. I would think that spreading the load incrementally would be even better. I'd have kept the stock FWC bits and put them between the fender washer and your nice new bits. Thus 1/2" thick alum near the bolt, and your 1/4" thick further out.

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Thinking the same! I kept the 3x5x3/16” plates that I will install this winter over the modified 1/4” plates. They will be easy to install after the camper goes on the dolly this winter. There is just enough thread left to install with a full nut bearing.
Thanks Vic!

I just completed this very same install on my 2016 F150. Large 1/4" plate aluminum...there was enough room on the length of the eye bolts so I also added the FWC smaller aluminum rectangle plate as well for just shy of 1/2" of under bed eye bolt support.

I had my backing plates made from steel and used tremclad rust protection, should they be aluminum? I know the set from FWC are aluminum but i made mine 4x6 with steel thinking its much stronger. Thoughts?