Headache Racks – Why Is It Called A Headache Rack Anyway
I’m going on the assumption that you know what a headache rack is. But for the reader who may not know yet what a headache rack is, I’ll briefly explain. A headache rack is a steel, or sometimes aluminum rack that mounts on the bed rails just behind the cab of a pickup truck. Some headache racks, however, are made for semi trucks and are used to hang tire chains or other accessories from. Again, the semi truck headache rack is mounted just behind the cab. In the pickup truck application they are also called back racks or cab protectors because that is the intention of their design. Sometimes a rear hoop is added which will help function as a ladder rack. So why in all of God’s green earth do most people call them “headache racks?”
A popular article circulating throughout the internet claims they can be used to keep a surfboard from crashing through the rear of the cab and severely injuring the driver. What? I don’t get it. I’ve driven the Pacific Coast highway several times and have yet to see anybody transporting surfboards in the bed of their truck in such a way that would put them at risk of the surf board crashing through the rear glass. I’ve seen them loaded in the bed of the truck or loaded on top of a ladder rack or custom surfboard rack. So I don’t know why that article gets tossed around as the definitive answer to the question of why headache racks are called “headache rack!”
True, a headache rack prevents cargo from crashing through the back window of a pickup truck. And true, if something does crash through the back cab hitting you in the head, it may give you a nasty “headache.” Some common items that end up making the journey from the bed into the cab through the back window are tools such as hammers, vice grips, and even skill saws. But any semi truck driver or contractor will tell you that the most common source of headaches from these truck mounted racks is due to negligence! That’s right, they get their fitting name from the countless folks who have knocked their head on them while standing up in the bed of the truck or climbing around the back of the cab on a semi truck! I remember seeing my grandpa with a golf ball sized bump on his head after jumping out from the bed of his truck after finding the tool he’d been looking for. That’s when I realized the real reason it’s called a headache rack!
With that being said, many of the new designs will reduce the risk of bumping into the thick steel. So headaches have likely been reduced in recent years. The bottom line is that these custom accessories are as functional as they are cool looking. For example, they provide a great place to mount rear facing cargo lights or even emergency light signals too. If you find yourself in need of one, make sure you don’t skimp on the cost. As with everything else important to your vehicle, you get what you pay for.
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