Okay to lift / hang a pickup camper shell (approx 200 lbs) from garage trusses?

[NorCal1P10]

I would like to set up a pulley system in my garage to lift my camper shell from my pickup truck. My shell weighs approx. 200 lbs. Problem is, my home uses trusses instead of conventional framing for the roof. I've heard conflicting answers on whether a truss system would be damaged while supporting a camper shell.

My basic design would be a two seperate 2x10's (spaced several feet apart for the front and rear of the shell) layed perpendicular across several trusses in the attic. Attached to this would be four threaded rods that would go through the sheetrock on the garage ceiling. The threaded stock would again go through a similar 2x10 setup pressed against the sheetrock and held in place with washers and nuts on both ends. So, in essence, the 2x10's would be sandwiching the trusses from above and below to spread the load. I would then attach some sort of pulley system into the 2x10's for a solid anchor point.

Any comments or concerns with hanging a camper shell from a truss roof system? I think it is doable but I definitely do not want to cause any damage to my home. I would like to keep my camper shell stored on the pulley system while I travel with my Northstar truck camper, but if this idea is questionable I would at least like to use the truss system to lift the shell off before lowering it down onto a cart for storage elsewhere.

Thanks for your answers,

1P10

 

[java]

Id bet your probably fine. Ive walked on many trusses putting them up, and im 200+. Standing only on one, and on the bottom cord.

using the 2x10 to spread the load will help too.

Whats the bottom cord of your truss 2x4 or 2x6? span?

 

[Overland Hadley]

What is the span of the trusses? How far from a load bearing wall?

Most likely should be fine, as it sounds like you are spreading the load. And in reality 200 pounds is not that much, I have several bookshelves that are heavier than that.

 

[WOODY2]

PM me the span, pitch, roof load comp or tile and approx location on span of the trusses and I will run some engineering calc's for you with a computer print out Just happen to be in the truss business for the last 35 yrs :wings:

 

[Overland Hadley]

PM me the span, pitch, roof load comp or tile and approx location on span of the trusses and I will run some engineering calc's for you with a computer print out Just happen to be in the truss business for the last 35 yrs :wings:

Well, there you go! Another expo member to the rescue, this is a great place.

 

[Mountainhound]

Lets get real it's 200# if it can't handle that then there are some serious problems.

PM me the span, pitch, roof load comp or tile and approx location on span of the trusses and I will run some engineering calc's for you with a computer print out Just happen to be in the truss business for the last 35 yrs :wings:

 

[Prybry]

hanging a pickup shell won't be a problem...

If you think about the fact that you are spreading the 200lbs over 4 points equally... 50lbs per point... that's nothing to a typical truss system.

I've done this very thing in 3 different garages, so I've been there done that...:ylsmoke:

One item I will pass along is the idea I came up with of using the winch on the front of my rig to lift the shell off... I rigged a rope system to pull equally at all four lift points and hooked into my winch.
I lift the shell up and then use secondary safety chains to hold it up there. That way the rope system doesn't need to hold the weight long term.

Prybry

 

[1stDeuce]

Brybry, be mindful that when you're winching like that, the hangers are seeing a combination of the forces from the weight of the topper, plus the winching force... Probably still not a big deal, as toppers aren't that heavy, but something to always think about. Perhaps a better explanation is that if you put an eye in the roof, and try to lift 50lbs by running a rope through a pulley and back down, when you pull down on the rope at 50lbs, the weight lifts, but the eye actually sees the 50lbs you pull down, plus the 50lbs that the weight weighs, so 100 lbs. Just good info for others trying to design a system too.

I'm hanging mine with four cinch straps. Pretty easy to manage one corner at a time, and I can pull it up higher if I want. I used ratchet straps the first time, but it was more tedious to lower it back onto the truck. Eye hooks are just screwed into the bottom of the roof trusses, which in this house are 24" on center. (No snow load worries, I guess....)





I also put a white tape mark on the floor to show me where to position the truck to be directly under it. Helps quite a bit with taking it off too.

 

[southpier]

use a "strongback" running perpendicular to the bottom chord of the truss at the width you need for your intended load. 2, 2"x 6" hem-fir framing members nailed every 12" or so, into a 90 degree member, with the bottom (flat part of the L) nailed into the truss should help distribute the weight. go beyond 1 truss in length each way.

 

[Prybry]

Great point on the loading...

1stDeuce, Great point on the loading effect when pulling the topper up... I had not taken that into account myself..
I will tell you the winch idea is too slick not to mention... makes taking the top off a lot less work.
The tricky part is rigging the ropes to all lift together when drawn to one lift line..

Prybry

 

[WOODY2]

If you think about the fact that you are spreading the 200lbs over 4 points equally... 50lbs per point... that's nothing to a typical truss system.

I've done this very thing in 3 different garages, so I've been there done that...:ylsmoke:

One item I will pass along is the idea I came up with of using the winch on the front of my rig to lift the shell off... I rigged a rope system to pull equally at all four lift points and hooked into my winch.
I lift the shell up and then use secondary safety chains to hold it up there. That way the rope system doesn't need to hold the weight long term.

Prybry

I'm sitting here envisioning one of those insurance commercials we all see on TV where it goes wrong and the roof gets pulled down vs of the top going up, like the van driving into garage w bike on top) Just Say'n?