How to Install E-Track in 3 Easy Steps
Gather Hardware & Tools
E-track of the appropriate length & weight capacity Backing plates (Recommended for additional support, especially if no studs/crossmembers are available) Wood screws (for wood surfaces) or metal screws (for metal surfaces)
Drill, driver, & bits Pencil or pen Stud finder Level Saw (if cutting e-track to fit) Measuring tape
Ratchets/sockets/wrenches for nuts and bolts Safety glasses Gloves A helper
Make sure to choose e-track of the appropriate length and weight capacity for what you need. Each e-track rail will have a working load limit (WLL) listed. This is the cargo capacity the track can safely handle. However, this weight capacity is per track, so if you mount additional tracks and use them together to secure a piece of cargo, you'll have a greater weight limit. For instance, if you use two tracks, each with a WLL of 2,000 lbs, your combined WLL will be 4,000 lbs. If you're attaching two dissimilar metals (like stainless steel and aluminum), you'll want to have some kind of isolator between them to help prevent what's called "galvanic corrosion." Rubber and plywood are two of the materials I've seen used as a barrier. Plywood has the added benefit of providing a place to use wood screws for additional strength. You can choose horizontal e-track rails, vertical e-track rails, or even hybrid "X Rails" depending on what you want to attach and the direction you want to attach it. Use a metal saw to cut track to the proper length if needed.
Locate Studs or Crossmembers
Avoid drilling into sensitive items like wiring, fuel tanks, etc. Using a stud finder or trailer blueprint/build sheet can make it easier to locate the right parts to drill into and the areas to avoid. If you reach out to your trailer manufacturer and ask for one of these sheets, they are usually happy to provide them. Don't forget about proper weight distribution. Normal trailer rules still apply. Always install your e-track to optimize tongue weight when loaded. (If you're not sure how to distribute your load properly, check out this article for tips.) 
Plan for easy access. For instance, if you're organizing supplies in a trailer, you probably want the items you use most often to be near the door. 
Stay out of your own way. Make sure your e-track doesn't interfere with opening/close doors, gates, etc. 
If you’re trailering vehicles, install your e-track parallel to the tires so you can easily strap them down. This allows you to use chocks and straps specifically designed to secure vehicles while allowing their suspension to continue to function as intended. This is safer than strapping to the vehicle's frame, because the suspension allows the frame to move, even when strapped down tightly, and that movement can create slack in straps and allow hooks to come loose from the frame. Strap down the tires instead. 
Most flatbed trailers have plank flooring, so you can locate the crossmembers you'll attach your e-track to by simply looking at where the planks are bolted down. 
If the planks on your trailer run the same direction as your e-track, install the e-track so it is attached to more than one plank, straddling the gap between planks. This effectively doubles the number of attachments and is a good safeguard should one plank fail. 
Finding crossmembers and studs can be tricky, as enclosed trailers often have lining/waterproofing materials inside, but a stud finder will usually work. If you don't have a stud finder, but have a rare-earth magnet and a plastic bag, drop the magnet into the bag and slide it along the wall or floor and it will (sometimes) stick where metal structural members are. 
If your enclosed trailer doesn’t have interior walls, or if the interior walls are thin (less than ½”), you will probably want to install plywood reinforcements to mount your e-track. There may be raised decorative panels covering interior wall joints. If so, you may need to remove parts of the panels or add spacers to allow your e-track to mount flat against the walls. 
Toy hauler garage floors are usually 1-inch plywood, so it may be difficult to locate crossmembers, even with a good stud finder. If you have trouble, your best bet may be contacting the manufacturer about a framing plan/build sheet for your trailer. (They can typically email them, so you should have one pretty quickly without delaying your project too long.) 
Be careful not to drill into anything that may be stored beneath your floor, including wiring, plumbing, or fuel tanks. 
Screw E-Track Into Place
Attaching E-Track to Floors
Attaching E-Track to Walls:
Cam M.
12/14/2024
I have purchased an enclosed cargo trailer. Wall studs are 24inches oc My problem being that the etrack may be 8 feet long. The holes are drilled short Should i cut the track and join half way between the studs or overlap the tracks near the stud and put wood screws on the track that comes up short? Same thing for the 2 that are in the middle?
Michael E.
3/11/2023
I purchased some e-track the other day and I would like to know if it comes with mounting hardware. Thanks MIKE
Mike L.
3/17/2023
It does not, because the specific hardware needed will depend on what you're attaching the e-track to. I'll link you to a very helpful article that explains all you'll need to know for a successful installation.
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