Raise, increase height of truck topper/cap/canopy - anybody tried?

[buba1]

I have a truck topper over the bed, looking to increase the height of it with 2 by 10 lumber installed on edge. Was this done or tried by somebody?
DO NOT ANSWER UNLESS YOU HAVE DONE THIS OR TRIED TO.
2 challenges I see,
-how to attach lumber to bed rails and to topper.
-what to use to cover tailgate hole

 

[jlcanterbury]

How high are you trying to raise the topper?

For instance, with your original idea, is the lumber laying flat at 2" raise (1.5 nominal), or at up on it's side 6" raise (5.5").

I don't think lumber would be a good idea in either of these circumstances, but certainly not up on it's side - it would warp from the weight, and could likely snap from the shear force that the topper would put when going around a curve, hitting a bump, etc.
Using lumber laid flat for a 1.5" lift (using it as a spacer) wouldn't pose as much of a risk.
Either could possibly be built and would hold up for a bit, but I have seen campers come off on the freeway and it's dangerous for everyone on the road.

You could use aluminum bar, sold online and not too expensive. But it would still look like crap, and you'd still have to extend the rear shell window to close that gap. Too much work for a poor result.

Sell that camper and get a taller one.

 

[buba1]

Who said camper? you did not bother to read my post, it clearly says 2 by 10.
the lumber sits on the side.
you have seen campers fly on the highway? how many?
Sell the topper and buy a taller one is a waste of time advice that you can keep for yourself

 

[billiebob]

Not sure 2x10 is the best choice. Dimensional lumber tends to twist when exposed. I'd rather build/frame a lightweight 9.25" tall wall to match the 2x10 dimension. Plus a plywood? sheathing. Could likely use 1x2 for the frame. Sheath both sides.

Topper to the wall, thru bolts??? Wall to the box, the same clamps used before the lift.

Tailgate.... I'd copy the original topper liftgate and frame a new one, use the original glass maybe plus plywood to fill in the gap. You likely will need new, stronger struts from..... maybe a YJ/TJ/JK or .... ??? Maybe use 1x8 #2 Pine for the 2 side frames so you can scribe and cut the dogleg between the original liftgate and the 9.25" vertical filler.

Pick a quality, lightweight plywood, maybe marine grade but the big thing is to fully encapsulate it with fiberglass or even just paint..... and to store it inside a garage. !/4" plywood might be plenty strong if you glue and screw the assembly and paint it all.

Think in terms of using minimal materials. But build a composite structure for strength. Light weight is better than heavy duty.

 

[jlcanterbury]

Topper/camper are used interchangeably in my lingo.

You're right, I also accidentally listed dimensions for 2x6 not 2x10 (it's an even worse idea with 2x10 - the longer the flat on dimensional lumber, the less compressive stability it will have)

You asked for advice, I'm sorry that you didn't like what I had to say. You can physically raise your topper with dimensional lumber, but it's not a good idea.

If this is intended to be any sort of permanent solution to a higher topper, the best thing to do (opinion) would be to sell the topper you have and pick up a suitable one on the used market. You'd probably break even and save the time/money/hassle of engineering a lifted base for the one you have. And if this topper has a front window you will loose that as well when raising 10". I'm all for the self build when it makes sense but in my opinion it does not in this case.

I lived in southern california for 20 years and you'd be amazed at what you see on the freeways on a daily basis. And yes I advocate using safe solutions for mounting a 200lb fiberglass or aluminum windsail to your truck.

 

[Ducstrom]

I'd build a riser out of 2x4 like a 10" tall wall. Bolt or clamp the bottom to the truck rail and bolt or clamp the top to the topper. I'd opt for bolting through. Skin the exterior with plywood. Remove the rear window and replace with a piece of plywood cut to the dimension you need to close the gap.
It'll work, but you won't win any awards for looks.
Like jlcanterbury stated I wouldn't use 2x10 on edge for that job.

Good luck

 

[buba1]

Ducstrom,
Thank you for your answers, don't get why use several 2x4 when I can use one 2x10 or 2x6 on each side

 

[eugene]

2 by lumber is overkill and really heavy. Lay a 1x4 on top of the bed rail and clamp it to the bed rail with the clamps that came with the cap. get some more clamps and clamp a second 1x4 to the bottom of the cap/topper. Then decide the height you want, say for example 10" so subtract 1.5" (3/4 for the top 1x4 and 3/4 for the bottom 1x4) so 8.5" for this example. Cut more 1x4s to 8.5" for uprights, think like the studs in a house. Skin the outside with 1/4" plywood and then paint/fiberglass/whatever to waterproof it.

 

[broncobowsher]

I laugh at this, because it is nothing new.
40+ years ago my great grandmother passed away. I never knew here. But I remember making a road trip for 1000+ miles with the family and divied up the estate. My parents had a '73 for truck with a roof height shell on it. A trip to the local lumbar yard and 4 boards later it was a high top shell. All kinds of stuff was loaded into that truck and it was driven home. The boards came out and are still good to this day. One has spent it's life as a motorcycle ramp.

As a short term solution, it worked great. As a long term solution, don't bother, get the correct shell. He eventually sold that shell, got another, and eventually a slide in camper.