Pop up roof max weight load capacity?

[Ajhazel]

Hello, first time poster and new member, thanks for having me!
I just recently purchased a "1993 Lite-Craft" pop up truck camper. I'm trying to build a budget expedition vehicle out of my 2011 Cummins. My first question is (I'm sure there will be more as I progress, I've never owned a truck camper before) does anyone know what the max allowed weight for the roof would be? Both, with the roof up and down? I have a 4.5' x 6.5' Defender rack currently on my Leer shell that I want to swap over to the camper. I'm guessing the racks weight to be around 80# give or take. I'd also like to mount a bag awning 20-30#, Ax & Shovel 20# and Solar. I'd estimate the weight of those items on the roof (at all times, up & down) to be around 125-150#. I'd also like to carry a Kayak, surf board and other misc light weight items on the roof while en route, that would be removed before the roof is extended. I know it is a sturdy Aluminum construction (the seller showcased this by jumping on the roof like King Kong.) but I have no idea what the pop up hardware is rated for and would hate to cause damage, or drill holes just to find out that it is too heavy to pop up.
I appreciate any feedback! Also, if anyone has any general tips/tricks/advice for truck campers or anything else for a newbie, it'd be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

 

[kerry]

Do you have a crank up mechanism? I frequently carry 3 kayaks at about 65 lbs each or two canoes at 85 and 65 lbs each on my 94 Northstar TS1000. I crank it up and down with those loads. The OE crank handle is too short for those loads so I made a new one using a sailboat winch handle. I talked to the mfg of the crank up mechanism (makes most crank up mechanisms for campers). He said the load was too high for the mechanism and not to crank it up with that load. I ignored the advice since I had been doing it and hadn't noticed any problems. I've probably cranked it up and down with those loads about 100 times. No problems so far. A wet snow load on the camper roof is pretty heavy also.

 

[Ajhazel]

Thank you Kerry, very cool. That's about the load I'm hoping to accommodate. I'm not too familiar with the verbiage, but it is not a crank up mechanism on this camper. It's just basically two cross members that I push outwards and they pop into place after I push the roof up. I did give some thought to the possible snow load being factored in. The fabric on this camper is double layered with a thin layer of foam insulation in between, which lead me to believe that it might be a cold weather model and therefore might handle more of a load? Other pop ups I've seen didn't have such a thick vinyl/foam combo, but I could be wrong on that.

 

[IdaSHO]

Best bet would be to contact the manufacturer if you can, to see if they even recommend any roof loading.

 

[Ajhazel]

Absolutely, I had the same thought. Everything I've found has stated that they went out of business around 1996 and started back up at a later date without any real information on past models. The seller said he wasn't able to get any real info as well when he tried. I appreciate it tho.

 

[Regcabguy]

Do you have a crank up mechanism? I frequently carry 3 kayaks at about 65 lbs each or two canoes at 85 and 65 lbs each on my 94 Northstar TS1000. I crank it up and down with those loads. The OE crank handle is too short for those loads so I made a new one using a sailboat winch handle. I talked to the mfg of the crank up mechanism (makes most crank up mechanisms for campers). He said the load was too high for the mechanism and not to crank it up with that load. I ignored the advice since I had been doing it and hadn't noticed any problems. I've probably cranked it up and down with those loads about 100 times. No problems so far. A wet snow load on the camper roof is pretty heavy also.

If you have a fellow traveler with you,have them push up on the ceiling as you crank. i have read about the gears on the crank stripping.

 

[kerry]

If you have a fellow traveler with you,have them push up on the ceiling as you crank. i have read about the gears on the crank stripping.

I've tried that and detected no noticeable difference. If the gears strip, I'll replace them. It's easier than removing boats every time I want to pop the top.