custom bed rack/ soft topper?

02rangeredge

Adventurer
It seems like almost everyone with a soft topper trades it in to build a custom bed rack to mount an RTT, but if you're willing to own the soft topper long enough to design the rack you have to find a few upsides to the soft topper right? so why not design a custom canvas cover for your custom rack and have the best of both worlds? I think it could be a really awesome idea as far as functionality and uniqueness, so has anyone built one?
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
I'm working on it... Have the topper frame, aka rack done... Just haven't sewn the cover together yet...
Hmm, I see I haven't updated the Comanche thread in a while... I'll try to toss up some pics later.

This is one of my favorite home built soft topper threads, showing the work of BrianTN. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/138471-Show-me-your-Internal-Canopy-Frame

This is what I used to base my frame off, and probably the canvas too when I get around to it...
 

02rangeredge

Adventurer
I'm working on it... Have the topper frame, aka rack done... Just haven't sewn the cover together yet...
Hmm, I see I haven't updated the Comanche thread in a while... I'll try to toss up some pics later.

This is one of my favorite home built soft topper threads, showing the work of BrianTN. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/138471-Show-me-your-Internal-Canopy-Frame

This is what I used to base my frame off, and probably the canvas too when I get around to it...

that is pretty awesome, you making the canvas top a single piece or modular (removable sides/ roll up sides)?
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
I'll making mine as a top and three or four removable panels. The top will always be on, and the sides and rear will probably come and go, and have provisions to roll up. Not sure if I'll make a front panel... I made the frame pretty tight to the cab, so I may just add some foam tape and call it good. The Comanche is unibody so the cab and box don't really move around like a normal truck...
 

BrianTN

Adventurer
I really like my top. Glad you guys liked it too. Looking back, I am happy with almost all of it. I did resew the lower seam to make it a little tighter. Right now with it being winter it's a little snug to snap closed but that's good. I may try to tighten it lengthwise, but that entails removing the zipper which is sewed in 3x. I should of applied some traction on the canvas when sewing in the zipper to make sure it was taught. Instead I may cut out a lot of the center material and sew in a zipper with a removable window, screen, and canvas sections for options. It rarely leaks, and when it does I add some 303 waterproofer as recommended by Sunbrella. It helps a lot. When the waterproofer starts to weather, it leaks at a few of the seams on top. The mounts for the roof rack don't seem to leak with the rubber grommets, which kind of surprised me. As far as the frame, I wouldn't bolt through the bottom section if I did it over again, but instead would add a flat piece that extends into the bed so I could clamp it to the bedsides. I'm sure some water does get into the rectangular tubing, leading to rust. Also I don't think I would of added 2 braces front to back, just one, to help with weight.
 

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