Fleet and Commercial Body
Headache Rack, Cab Guard and Bulkhead Rack Installation
Typical range
$750 to $3,500
Shop hours
4 to 14
Labor rate
$210/hr
The short answer
Headache rack and cab guard installation protects the cab from shifting loads on flatbeds, stake beds, and pickups, including mounting, reinforcement, and light integration. Work runs $750 to $3,500, or 4 to 14 hours at $210 per hour plus the rack. In shop install only.
01
What this work actually involves
A headache rack earns its name once. A load that shifts forward on a hard stop puts everything on the deck into the back of the cab, and on flatbeds hauling steel and pipe out of the Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga yards that load is measured in thousands of pounds. The rack is only as good as its mounting, and a bolt-on rack fastened through unreinforced deck plate transfers all of that energy into four holes. We mount into structure, with backing, so the rack has somewhere to put the load other than through the deck.
The other half of the job is the shape of the rack against the way the truck actually works. A full mesh screen protects the rear window but blocks the mirror sight line a driver needs to back a trailer in a tight Riverside industrial yard. A punch plate rack sheds less light. A louvered rack keeps visibility but weighs more. Fleets that pick a rack from a catalog without thinking about the route usually end up cutting it down later. We fit to the application, and on stake and flatbed applications we frequently fabricate rather than order, because stake pocket spacing varies by body.
Racks also carry equipment. Work lights, strobes, chain hangers, load binder storage, antenna mounts, and tarp bar brackets all end up on the rack, and each one has to be planned before mounting rather than drilled in later. Wiring for lighting on the rack gets routed and sealed properly at install time. In shop body, paint, structural, and equipment install only. Engine, drivetrain, and DOT inspection work are not performed at this facility.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- Bolt-on and welded headache rack installation on flatbeds, stake beds, and pickups
- Custom rack fabrication where stake pocket spacing or deck layout has no bolt-on fit
- Backing plate and deck reinforcement at every mounting point
- Cab guard and bulkhead rack installation on cargo and stake bodies
- Mesh, punch plate, and louvered screen selection and fitting for driver sight lines
- Work light, strobe, and marker light mounting and wiring on the rack
- Chain hanger, binder storage, and tarp bar bracket fabrication
- Antenna, beacon, and equipment mount fabrication on the rack frame
- Corrosion coating and refinish of the rack and all fabricated structure
- Clearance verification against cab, sleeper, exhaust stack, and mirror sight lines
03
When you need this service
- A flatbed or stake bed running loads with no cab protection at all
- A rear window broken or cracked by a shifted load
- A rack that has loosened, rocked, or torn its mounting holes in the deck
- A rack blocking mirror sight lines a driver needs for backing
- Lights or equipment on the rack that were drilled in and never sealed
- Rust streaking from the mounting points down the deck
- A new stake or flat body with no compatible bolt-on rack available
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Application review
What the truck hauls, how it is loaded, and what the driver needs to see. Cargo type and sight lines drive the screen style more than catalog options do.
- 02
Fit or fabricate decision
Stake pocket spacing, deck width, and cab height measured. Where no bolt-on rack fits the body correctly, we fabricate to the actual dimensions instead of forcing a near match.
- 03
Mounting point reinforcement
Backing plates and deck reinforcement fabricated so a load that shifts forward transfers into body structure rather than tearing four bolt holes straight out of the deck plate.
- 04
Rack fitting and mounting
Rack set square to the cab, clearance checked against the back of the cab, exhaust stack, and any sleeper, then fastened or welded to the mounting structure.
- 05
Equipment and lighting integration
Work lights, strobes, chain hangers, and tarp bar brackets mounted and wired at install time rather than drilled in later, with every penetration sealed and every circuit fused and grounded.
- 06
Coating and finish
Fabricated structure and welds coated against corrosion and finished to fleet color so the rack does not become the first rust source on the body.
- 07
Sight line and function check
Driver sight lines verified from the seat through both mirrors and the rear window, all lighting function tested, and the completed installation photographed for your equipment file.
05
Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $750 to $3,500 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 4 to 14 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Body and paint labor | $210 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Paint supplies | $55 per paint hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Body supplies | $5 per body hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
07
Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Flatbed Trucks
Flatbed trucks carry unprotected loads on an open deck, so the deck, headboard, rub rails, and stake pockets take the damage rathe
Vehicle
Dump Trucks
Dump bodies take abrasive load impact, hoist stress, and tailgate hardware abuse that no other truck body sees. Floor wear-through
Vehicle
Utility Trucks
Utility trucks carry a compartmented service body loaded with tools, parts, and frequently a crane, and the compartments are where
Vehicle
Tow Trucks
Tow trucks take structural load from vehicles they carry and pull, so the deck, subframe, wheel lift mounting, and tie-down points
Vehicle
Semi Trucks
Semi tractors take their damage from what happens around them, not to them. Trailer swing contact with the cab, yard hostler strik
Vehicle
Mobile Workshops
Mobile workshops carry benches, vises, compressors, welders, and dense tool inventory, which makes weight and mounting the definin
08
Questions about headache rack and cab guard installation
Frequently asked questions
What does a headache rack installation cost?
Work runs $750 to $3,500, or 4 to 14 hours at $210 per hour, plus the rack and any fabricated material. A bolt-on rack onto a body with existing mounting points sits at the low end. A fabricated rack with reinforced mounting, integrated work lights, and chain hangers finished to fleet color sits at the high end. Parts carry 100 percent markup under $100 and 35 percent over $100.
How long is the truck down?
A bolt-on rack with reinforcement is usually a one-day job. Add a day if lighting is being integrated and wired. A fabricated rack runs three to five working days because material has to be cut, fitted, welded, coated, and finished before it goes on the truck. Fabricated racks are typically scheduled a week out so material is on hand when the truck arrives.
Will a headache rack block my driver visibility?
It depends entirely on the screen style you choose. Full mesh gives the most protection and the least visibility. Punch plate is a middle ground. Louvered and open-frame designs preserve mirror sight lines that matter for backing into tight yards. We ask what the truck does before recommending a style, because a driver who cannot see will find a way to remove the rack.
Can you build a rack for a body that has no bolt-on option?
Yes, and on stake and flatbed applications that is frequently the correct answer. Stake pocket spacing varies by body manufacturer, so a near-fit rack ends up shimmed and stressed at the mounts. We measure the actual body, fabricate to it, and finish it to your fleet color. You see the design and the price before we cut material.
Do you do anything mechanical while the truck is in?
No. In shop body, paint, structural, and equipment install only. Engine, drivetrain, or DOT inspection work is not performed here. Racks, mounts, fabrication, lighting installation, corrosion coating, and finish work are what we do. All of it happens at our Yorba Linda facility, and we do not run route service or send technicians out to fleet yards for this or anything else.
09
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