Introducing the “NEW” Alu-Cab Canopy Camper

[Sleeping Bear]

This video is from Germany and I believe that might be a Ford Ranger. I'm not sure how much it differs from a Tacoma short bed but I have a Colorado short bed and this gives a good idea of the general size. Here is a still photo I found.

 

[Clinton Morse]

You're right, it is a ranger. My mistake. But it is the short bed version of the camper, so other than the rear panel I think it should be mostly the same?

 

[Runt]

I'm concerned about the clearance between the roof and the overhang of the camper. Then there is the sharkfin antenna on the gen3 Tacoma. I wonder how that works with the table stored under the overhang.

 

[dman93]

My notes from looking at the demo model at OK4WD in November say 36" wide and 40.5" high on the rear door of the canopy camper. Since I have a long bed, I'm planning on putting the bikes (2) in the camper when not actually camping since most gear will be readily accessible via the side doors. I decided our hitchmount bike rack wasn't going to play nice with the door, plus using our rack entails me removing top tube packs from the bike which is a pain in itself.

Thanks, that may work. We have a tray rack and with it tilted down with two bikes, and pedals indexed properly, there’s a few inches clearance beyond the rear of the open tailgate, so maybe 20”. That means the door could probably open about 40° with a 20” opening to squeeze in and out. Short bed woes ...

 

[Sleeping Bear]

I'm concerned about the clearance between the roof and the overhang of the camper. Then there is the sharkfin antenna on the gen3 Tacoma. I wonder how that works with the table stored under the overhang.

You know I am glad you brought this up. My colorado has the little antenna right off the back of the cab and I am wondering what to do. I went to a car audio place and they just seemed to have no sensible solution.

I thought it would be as easy as having them run a new antenna cable and just mounting on the bumper, etc., but he made it sound like he wouldn't have proper grounding, or enough flat space on the truck body, and before you knew it he is talking about a body shop cutting holes in the truck to create a spot for a flat surface and I'm like ****** is it really that hard just to mount an antenna on the side of the camper or the bumper?

Then they told me something I did not know; apparently an FM antenna must have an exact length of wire to properly function, add a cable or an inch or two of antenna and it won't work, etc. It sounds like shorter antenna have cable wound up inside to always equate to 31 inches one way or another.

So, I would appreciate any feedback from anyone with some simple suggestions to relocate a Colorado antenna so that a cab like this could be put on.

Thanks!

 

[Runt]

The easiest solution for clrearence on a Satalite Radio shark fin type antenna is to cut 2 inches or so of the antenna housing fin part. Fill the hole with epoxy, such as devcon or JB Weld, sand it smooth, mask it and paint it and your done. Another option if you are a toyota 3rd gen owner is replace the antenna with the flat 2015 model off the Tacoma.

 

[Sleeping Bear]

My antenna is not a fin though. I attached a photo of the truck here. The Colorado antenna is a stubby style. PS this isn't mine, but it is what I am building towards. This is a photo from ARB.

 

[4xdog]

I can't imagine XM radio reception would be any good with a back-of-the-rooftop antenna shielded by aluminum plate, even if clearance were managed. Does the shark fin contain the GPS antenna too? (My 2015 Tacoma doesn't have a nav system -- yet -- but I didn't think the GPS was in the fin.)

That said, the Alu-Cab canopy camper looks like a terrific product. The South Africans are right up there with the Australians in building durable, real-world, offroad camping gear. The build in rear door is a good upgrade over the factory tailgate, and the trim panels do a nice job of integrating the camper into the truck.

 

[4xdog]

Boy, I'd expect that camper to have interference with the roof and roof rails in no time on any sort of rough road. That clearance looks completely inadequate on the world-market Ranger.

View attachment 493384

 

[Runt]

Boy, I'd expect that camper to have interference with the roof and roof rails in no time on any sort of rough road. That clearance looks completely inadequate on the world-market Ranger.

I know from my previous Gen 2 Tacoma and my Phoenix Pop up camper I needed about 3" of clearance on overhang to roof when flexing the crap out of the truck. My Tundra has slightly less flex with a way heavier Phoenix camper.

Looks to be about the same in those pix. Likely just need to remove the load bars. Maybe the Ranger has next to zero frame flex? I'm sure Alu-cab got it right......

 

[4xdog]

... I'm sure Alu-cab got it right......

Indeed, I'd agree. And with the global Ranger a "local" truck in South Africa, they've fershure had many, many chances to test the fit in that application.

Perhaps it's the Ranger load bars in that German image -- I've not seen those in South Africa, although they're likely available.

 

[rino]

Is there pictures available of the Canopy Camper on a SWB Toyota Tacoma?

Sorry for the delay guys! So here are some shots of a 5' 3rd Gen we fitted at the shop. We need to get some better ones on this next round of campers coming this month I apologize!

This video is from Germany and I believe that might be a Ford Ranger. I'm not sure how much it differs from a Tacoma short bed but I have a Colorado short bed and this gives a good idea of the general size. Here is a still photo I found. View attachment 493364

Yes that is the current world Ranger, very similar to the Colorado and Tacoma besides the bed being about 5" shorter than the two. The Tacoma and Colorado have a spacer as seen below which will double as a water tank mount for a new Rotomolded custom tank in the works.

I'm concerned about the clearance between the roof and the overhang of the camper. Then there is the sharkfin antenna on the gen3 Tacoma. I wonder how that works with the table stored under the overhang.

So the table is actually flipped versus our Khaya camper to achieve this low fit on the Tacoma. The shower is now beaneath the table to clear on the 6' beds and their is an intenial opening between the table and camper that clears the shark fin on 5' bed models.

Boy, I'd expect that camper to have interference with the roof and roof rails in no time on any sort of rough road. That clearance looks completely inadequate on the world-market Ranger.

Like all Alu-Cab products, these campers have been in testing with not only Alu-Cab fleet rigs but also in the Safari Rental market far before being publicly launched. Don't sweat!

 

[rino]

My antenna is not a fin though. I attached a photo of the truck here. The Colorado antenna is a stubby style. PS this isn't mine, but it is what I am building towards. This is a photo from ARB.View attachment 493507

Sorry missed this, the antenna piece that sticks up un-screws form the base from what I understand. For re installing it, we have been looking into options for our future ZR-2 Bison receiving a camper. The idea at hand looks like a new OE antenna mounted to a ditch light mount on the RHS.

I can't imagine XM radio reception would be any good with a back-of-the-rooftop antenna shielded by aluminum plate, even if clearance were managed. Does the shark fin contain the GPS antenna too? (My 2015 Tacoma doesn't have a nav system -- yet -- but I didn't think the GPS was in the fin.)

That said, the Alu-Cab canopy camper looks like a terrific product. The South Africans are right up there with the Australians in building durable, real-world, offroad camping gear. The build in rear door is a good upgrade over the factory tailgate, and the trim panels do a nice job of integrating the camper into the truck.

Appreciate the kind words and appreciation for what we put into the camper man! The rear door was a big must for us to really offer an "RV" style camper meant keeping dust and water out more than possible with a normal canopy.

 

[Runt]

The Tacoma and Colorado have a spacer as seen below which will double as a water tank mount for a new Rotomolded custom tank in the works.

Hi Rin
Can you please provide any more details abut the "Rotomolded Custom Tank in the works"? Is this an Alu-Cab accessory or a OK4WD accessory? How does this mount, what kind of volume etc.

 

[rino]

Hi Rin
Can you please provide any more details abut the "Rotomolded Custom Tank in the works"? Is this an Alu-Cab accessory or a OK4WD accessory? How does this mount, what kind of volume etc.

Hey man!

This is from the guys at Alu-Cab, The plan is to fill the gap from the bed spacer with a "70 ish" liter water tank that can be filled easily from the outside of the truck and feature a gravity drain for pumps inside the camper and a quick little outside side outlet from gravity like our Khaya. Price point is shooting to be less than $500 and it will be 100% bolt on to the extrusion frame so new and past owners can upgrade to it.