I have this crazy idea ....

[d0va]

THanks to you guys here at expeditionportal.com that do some cool mods to you all trucks and I got this idea that i want to add a cargo basket on top of the hard bed cover, to add more room for cargo (Ice chest, maybe some bikes, etc )when I go camping or even grocery shopping if I have stuff on the bed already or passengers with me.
I though I had seen someone with a frontier do something similar but I havent been able to find that same truck again.

Here some factors I know, if I remember right the bedcover can withstand up to 300 lb. The rack Im looking to buy can hold up too 200 lb and only weights 18lb, here are the measurements 42" long x 39" wide x 4.5" tall if is too small I can purchase and extension of 20" of length for a total of 62" long. so I should be ok with this rack...
rack link http://www.discountramps.com/roof-rack-basket.htm

I dont know what to used for mounting the rack to the bed cover, I would like for the rack to be like 1-2 inch off the bed only(low profile)... and keep the cover waterproof...

so if anyone has any idea of what to used for this set up or if they seen something similar please pitch in, let me know if is a good idea and if is doable ...

Thanks

 

[KG6BWS]

i dont know about the thread youre talkin about, but you might have better luck looking/posting in the "general vehicle mods" folder.

have you looked at the yakima system?? i know they have a rail type system that would work fine for what you want to do.

 

[d0va]

yes I check their site and this what I found so far

I was planning on mounting rails across, and have the mounting brackets towards the edge of the bed cover.... I check Yakima website they have some nice stuff to put the rack on top of a camper which my bed cover would be a similar install but all their parts are real expensive.. I found this ones for $159 something like this would work but I would have to customized it and for $159 is out

han this is the second option $40 each but Im not able to mount them on the side cause the bed of the truck interferes ...

Im thinking something like this but low profile custom made and try to bolt it to the outside of the bed....

but would like to know what parts to used .... something I can make myself ...

 

[NikonRon]

Thule

Thule makes everything you need to do that project. They make bolt on rails so that you can adjust the feet to any position along the top of your shell. You can find most all the parts cheap on Ebay if you watch. Ron

 

[Mike S]

You can use two pairs of Yakima 'Top Loaders' bolted to the top of the bed cover, and standard gutter mount style rack systems will work - Yakima, Thule, Quick 'n Easy, etc.

I used these to mount RTTs on the lid of my trailer - worked very well...

 

[HanzoSteel]

You can buy a use ladder rack and cut off the front and make up a basket on top.

 

[KG6BWS]

You can buy a use ladder rack and cut off the front and make up a basket on top.

kinda simliar to sarsquid's rack.

i used the toploaders from yakima on my camper shell. i dont think, though, that they would work on a tonneau cover. isnt that what he wants to do???

 

[Mike S]

I thought that he has a solid tonneau - the lift up type. If that is the case, the Top Loaders will wor with standard gutter mount rack feet.

I used this on the trailer for years. It was a solid set up.

M

 

[d0va]

Yeah it a AVS cover able to withstand up to 300lb according to the instructions, do you guys have anypict of the set ups you'll had