Our Joey Bed has an adjustable rubber bumper on each front side. Rubber was starting to disintegrate on both of them so we decided to replace them before they fell apart.
Home Depot had 7/8" rubber screw bumper package (4 for $1.76) and we decided to use new 2" flat head bolts, which had to be 1/4"-20 so they would thread into Joey Bed holes.
The flat head bolt's head countersunk into bumper to maintain the rubber front. We piggybacked two bumpers for increased rubber bounce and put a metal washer behind bumper.
Just in case you havn't done it already, note the largeish hole in the bottom right of the sliding bed in picture #1 and the bolt in the fixed portion in picture #4. As a further clue note the wing nut on the floor under the bolt.
They are used to bolt down the joey bed so even if the catch hangs up and the compartment door doesn't completely latch the joey bed can't fly away.
I thought this was such a good tip when Barry wrote about it years ago that it was my first "modification".
Wow... What a good eye Elliott & Mary. Thank you, Barry
It is part of our checklist and never drive off without the flat washer, lock washer & wing nut to keep our 1,000 lb Joey Bed in place.
Our single spring loaded side latch has been repaired, and has always worked ok, but it just does not seem fair to put all our trust on just one latch if the heavy Joey Bed decides to move during a sudden left turn.
Did not get thru this background piece soon enough. My Joey bed deployed on a left hand turn from 59 South into Camp Foretravel. Hatch open bed out I entered the camp. Embarrassed to the nth degree at first I thought I had not properly latched it. Thankfully it was a single lane turn and no one in an adjoining vehicle was hurt.
Now on the checklist, I know it was fastened and found it unlatched again. Drove to nearest Lowes bought a 12 foot 2 x 4. Had them make two cuts at 69 3/4. They fit perfectly across the opening and leave maybe 1/2 inch between bed and inside lips of bay. Easy to remove and impossible to forget and works for us.