Nullifier
Expedition Leader
Well I just wanted to get a few idea and thoughts. As with everyone wieght and fuction is a very delicate balance. I have a fairly strong desire to put some kind of roof over my bed. However I need to be able to carry canoes/kayaks/ and a safari rack. I am thinking about this set up as an option. Mount a piece of L channel down the length of each bed rail using 4 J bolts per side. Then make 4 steel hoops that would come up off the L channel a little taller then the cab. The hoops would be tall enough for a topper to be installed inside them. It's kind of like how they have the hoops mounted to the outside of aluminum toppers, to mount ladders and such onto.( hope you guys follow me.) I was going to basically place 1 hoop by the cab 1 by the bed and then evenly space the 2 in the middle. This would give me a super strong rack that I can load anything onto. Then to prevent snag points weld a piece of tube between each hoop where it bends to go from vertical to horizintal. Hell I can even make the rack out of aluminum to make it lighter if I want.
Now I am thinking about a can-bak to help save wieght on the topper. I am not planning on sleeping in the back so that is not an issue. The new rack will be alot stronger then mounting racks on a topper of any kind, and I will not have to worry about window damage. The can-baks roll up sides also give me easy unrestricted access, and on nice days can be opened up to improve viz out the back. Anyone have anythought on this.
Now I am thinking about a can-bak to help save wieght on the topper. I am not planning on sleeping in the back so that is not an issue. The new rack will be alot stronger then mounting racks on a topper of any kind, and I will not have to worry about window damage. The can-baks roll up sides also give me easy unrestricted access, and on nice days can be opened up to improve viz out the back. Anyone have anythought on this.