Truck Racks Texas | BACKRACK™ | Pickup Truck Headache Rack
Certain areas of the world – and indeed certain areas of North America – have distinctive qualities and characteristics that set them apart. If you’ve ever been to Texas, a quality that you might notice there is the “bigger” factor. Bigger landscape, bigger cowboy hats and bigger pick-up trucks.
Of course, as far as trucks are concerned, many other North Americans are channeling their inner Texan when they purchase and drive a heavy duty work truck. And if a truck is indeed to be used for work, then it is highly recommended (in some cases even mandated by law), that it be outfitted with a truck rack – or like they say in Texas, a headache rack.
Why Texans use headache racks
Perhaps due to the high popularity in Texas of heavy duty pickup trucks, it is more common to spot these vehicles which have these racks mounted on them. While you may notice several residents using the rack to proudly display a rifle or other symbol of their state heritage, most use these truck racks for very practical reasons as well.
Many industries in the Lone Star State rely on the hauling of tools and other heavy equipment. Among some of the State’s most robust industries include agriculture, aeronautics and energy. Not only is some of the equipment related to these industries quite heavy – but much of it is also very expensive.
The use of truck racks has several benefits for this type of work:
- The safe and orderly transport of equipment: many types of truck racks can be used to stack equipment, hang it upright etc. This is important because when you are dealing with the expensive tools and overhead of your work equipment, the last thing you want is to have it rattling around in the back of a truck where it might get damaged. Plus, having it stored in such an orderly fashion, means that you’ll quickly be able to access it at the job site – and better efficiency means a better bottom line.
- Protection of the truck: A work vehicle such as a truck is a big investment. It only makes sense to protect that investment and keep your vehicle in good shape for as long as possible. Using a truck rack not only protects your vehicle from damage during transport, but it also protects it from inadvertent damage while you or your employees are loading or unloading equipment.
- Protection of the driver and passengers: The most important reason to use a truck rack! A sudden stop can cause items in the back of a pickup truck to come flying forward. If there is no protection or barrier in place, these items can even come through the back window of the cab and seriously injure the people inside. Truck racks have proven so effective in preventing this type of accident, that depending on the jurisdiction you are in, as well as the weight and size of the load you are hauling, the use of a truck rack may even be mandated by law.
But why do they call them headache racks?
You might be wondering, with all of the benefits that truck racks provide, why do the good people Texas refer to them as headache racks – a name which seems to have somewhat negative implications?
There are many theories as to how this valuable piece of equipment received the name, but the most widely accepted reason has to do with its one main drawback.
When using truck racks that have overhead bars on which to stack or hang equipment from, many a hasty worker has stood up too quickly while working in the back of the truck and ended up giving themselves a headache as they banged their head on the bar.
That’s right, this unfortunate nickname was born out of carelessness.
Or perhaps the nickname isn’t so bad. After all, it does serve as a reminder to workers to use care while loading and unloading their vehicles!
So the next time you speak with someone from Texas, and they mention the term “headache rack”, you’ll know that they are referring to a truck rack. Or perhaps, you want to channel your inner Texan and use the term yourself!