By Rick Webster

Save-A-Load Cargo Bracing Bar

If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for cool gadgets and goodies that make life easier with your rig. Every once in a while you come across something that’s unlike the rest of the hyped junk, something that actually works. Unlike the air freshener car bombs, the curb feelers and fuzzy dice, the Save-a-load® Cargo Bracing Bar is one of those goodies that make sense and you have to wonder why someone didn’t make a high quality unit like this years ago.

The Save-a-load bar is designed to fit nearly any SUV cargo area or truck bed and has a “One size fits all” design. The bar can be contracted to 47 inches in width and extended to 75 inches overall. The Save-a-load bracing bar is made to hold small, light items and big, heavy items and was originally designed for heavy-duty truck and tractor trailer applications. The Save-a-load bar solves sliding cargo problems with a few clicks and a few pumps of the handle. The bar is made of lightweight and durable materials such as aircraft quality aluminum and has a bending resistance of up to 700 pounds. The extension of the bar is actuated by initial adjustment with a click-to-set telescoping action and final adjustments are done with a pump handle that uses hydraulics to secure the bar in place. The hydraulic actuator is designed to apply enough pressure to secure the bar completely but not allow so much pressure to damage the vehicle. The footpads are made of soft and durable rubber material that grip to nearly any surface including bedliners and feature a hinged footpad, which allows the bar to be secured at angles or on uneven surfaces.

We’ve tested our bar for several months now and used it to hold large tires, heavy boxes and even a transmission. The Save-a-load cargo bracing bar is made of quality materials and has a few added features such as a self-sealing rubber boot to keep contaminants out of the hydraulic pressure-release button. Some optional accessories (installed) include a lock cylinder to keep the bar from being stolen and bicycle traps for holding forks and wheels.