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This article details the design & installation of a 5' section of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strut_channel Strut Channel] into the bed of my 2012 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab SV 4x4. This is a functional (although different) stand-in for the [http://www.nissanusa.com/innovations/utili-track.article.html Utili-Track™] that comes as an option on some Nissan Frontiers. Frontiers that did not come standard with the Utili-Track™ cannot have it easily installed because the bed-frame is different. Inspiration for this project came from [http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f23/diy-writeup-utilitrack-unistrut-34948/ Tyson Cook's DIY Writeup - Utilitrack with Unistrut] over at the [http://www.clubfrontier.org/ Club Frontier Forums]. I chose to install this Strut Channel because it gives a good base (that does not permanently modify the vehicle) to mount a Ham Radio Antenna (which I'll add to the bottom of this article as soon as it is done). After a parts order from [http://www.mcmaster.com/ McMaster-Carr] (who doesn't show shipping costs up front, but has really good shipping rates... my order was $6 shipping) and 5 trips to various Home Depots & Lowe's I finally had what I needed. I'll try to streamline the process for anyone wanting to follow my example.
==Assumptions==
==Grocery List==
*1 section of [http://www.mcmaster.com/#strut-channel-systems/ 1 (one) section of Strut Channel]*8'*1 5/8" depth (& width)
**5' length (fits perfectly)
**Solid (slotted will cause the section to be off-center but requires no drilling)
*5 M8 split washers (lock washers)
*10 M8 flat washers
*Glue (I used [http://www.gorillatough.com/index.php?page=anti-clog Gorilla Glue ] because that is what I had lying around but other adhesives like Super Glue should work just fine)
*7/8" Spade Bit
*23/64" Drill Bit
*Small Drill Bit (smallest you've got: for pilot holes)
*Metric Ruler with at least 30mm (preferably 60mm) of marked length
*13mm Socket + Ratchet with Extension
*Utility Knife
*[http://www.homedepot.com/buy/brasscraft-deburring-tool-t090.html#.UJZttcVuSQE Deburring Tool]
*(optional) [http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-Plumbing-Tools-Brushes/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbqnb/R-100342840/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UJZunsVuSQE Fitting Brush]
*(optional) Drill Press
==Basic Information==
*The wall of the bed of your Frontier should have 5 evenly spaced bolts in it, a few inches from the top lip.
*These holes are spaced 30cm apart from each other and are centered in the bed (left to right)
*These holes are size M8x1.25 (a metric bolt meaning an 8mm diameter with 1.25mm thread spacing. Don't get M8x1.0 bolts by mistake)
==Directions==
===Prepping The Truck===
#Pull up the front lip of the bed liner. I simply had to pull up & out on the middle of the top lip to get it to come free. I probably pulled it off and put it back on 20 times during the install to check fit.
#<span style="color:#55E439">'''This is probably the trickest part of the whole install'''</span>: You need to drill pilot holes in your bed-liner that line up with the factory bolts on the Frontier. I basically had to eyeball my first hole. From there I measured as best I could (although this was made difficult but the uneven surface of the bed-liner) I haven't come up with a better solution but this worked for me.
##With the bed-liner pulled off (and the factory bolts in place) I eyeballed the first hole and used the smallest drill bit I had to drill a hole through the bed-liner.
##I then reinstalled the bed-liner, stuck my drill bit back in the hole, and ran it against the factory bolt for a second to, intentionally, leave a scratch mark.
