Roof top tent on fiberglass cap?

98tcoma3rz

Observer
I have a leer fiberglass cap on my Tacoma. Do you think this will be strong enough to support a roof top tent and go wheeling? I actually got a smittybilt defender roof rack for free. Long story. Has a little dent in it. Could a RTT be mounted on top of that?
 

fjtoyman

New member
I would talk with Leer about your intentions, were it me, I'd be tempted to build an interior structure to support it, some of the fiberglass caps are pretty thin and may last for the short term but will blow apart at the most inconvenient time.
YMMV. Dan

PS, I have a '98 Tacoma 3RZ too, I like that truck, mines a pre-runner though.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 

ramonortiz55

Adventurer
I have a leer fiberglass cap on my Tacoma. Do you think this will be strong enough to support a roof top tent and go wheeling? I actually got a smittybilt defender roof rack for free. Long story. Has a little dent in it. Could a RTT be mounted on top of that?

A lot of RTTs are mounted on tacoma caps. You need to verify with leer that it can be done.
 

scheefdog

Observer
I have a Leer with a roof top tent (Maggionlina) mounted on it and it is solid. I am running a Rhino Rack heavy duty bars that are on a track mount that I installed on the topper. I would just make sure whatever rack system you have or install is up to the task.
 

R Stowe

Observer
I installed tracks from Yakima on my A.R.E. shell, then I mounted up a Prinsu Designs Top Rac to hold my RTT. My CVT Mt. Cayley has done fine up there on long interstate trips, daily driving, gravel and forest roads, and even a few short stretches of rough trail. My shell has the thicker section molded into the top and the tracks are bolted in by 6 bolts each with all but one going through the thicker section. I could be wrong but I think the thicker section has some sort of board inside. So far I haven't found any issues with the system. If you really rock it you can see some flex, but part of that probably comes from the rack. Hope this helps.
 

paranoid56

Adventurer
I have RTT on my top and it started to crack on the front part. So i ended up building a internal cage for it. i got the front one build and working in the rear one shortly.

you can kinda see the crack here. there are on both sides.
GnXYYPjiPMfxOCtYQqfQmYYjZig1B_GxxevLpB1yKx6gzMzlr1wfAGxbUPpj6DEUPm3WoxbDkZH_sy32BeTfFrEUFfieHIO0EFPnKUH7MnYlo7lttOjcs9iI1TnZbiIV6IKreRaD8_NoMrvQXB8I-8KFTt3E9lHOIq2emlUTDb5gD6IM0gYjqx7E2MSoDCa_HAcFlyL0Rl4954CJIf86W3iZ0kLL-qWRM7D_PGKxvOX2MrCrZGaDDvS44-YDLJxVMg03vjHWlT5bU7W_jvBNjR0o6o_ccaFtPyl_a0XbmNgOkB3sTLHFJM1m_WWheKGiZ4r3pOWvsNvDOcAW5PhTDW6ZpEoM1UIc78fGHD0VWy39-jb-veBaQ86EpouiVzL5acd35VKabGKJd7GQnpxQ6TO4Q3e7ZYIr_VBq4ndAxVmNxuV6gsmgkxTk0qDOw_UroidLZpzAp1V1foMsoCqTA_4fkIKNsm-dZ_mieamaQXky2FVx3Jq7TBFPSz-doWtAOAPY8qTFbPb8r1hTl3NLzRsV2JLtJ2jebQfRH5k3vWGhyI9Yo7CWYkxnXqhK88_X=w582-h775-no



so i build a internal cage to help support it.
PhlrCXdwrQPdehptCNc1JoXjrsLihrPA3KF12XeEZm3kW0LLLW_JCeOM4BQoVeLWaX33Xr_dTZhvOy1MVdG29QvSLqZefBnKevm7QMH8Yol922dlWN1I6yCTrw8PwmuZfgaBe5bw_KQxKHWK5mmhfCAJx7kKMiJfQ1uqutbUCle2C5aShYX6lHzFTX7kOtgHC_e7iEovLfBLwioMOtpcu58USYl2IrDtEkEnEIWKnBeAHDfZKZ8YRntXVsYz8dOTgKlVJltw4HTJf6D-vK-kJoHryFTj9GBLZfNzAv-UaNhp7pUojZ4yQD6jbn7bOetxxU3gLpzKguF0x-qs2xnQYQqGNCgtZbNcMsTWV4fXyGSDyEhMknlvzklMgSvDvuZJZBA52zLm5DZEBUDWlVq4MszEt03sB_Dho9_7RLGCP0fNUWK_x8f9A3-Zw1MuGRHyb1kJrbw3WbRU9siHi-NZ_tTWfVtTnVND2bxcsHH8jlT4OiJIN_Co9toFVce-lXkrPqtzbpTcjLbD4WrvzG_4M5DX535hS9EPioiXqLPGj2LHGAPEDYaqVxeZXkbmsre2=w1034-h775-no


also added flush mount LEDs on it to help light up the bed.
yDLHjFOPivA8Ptd6ZJ2l2ONlq8IPAwOTNgZbpRnvs-32y-5ICrTP1EGzt11CiOxeRY26lJx4h-NSnsWSDetCKWcsM0EPHe94K0Eg22fmjeQOKYJzQ9gUcfCFUHvu31EsrbhvVEIqEtpXuWFRiUEX2elLruJAf2WwJgXOQM4bctj0Jqak0V5zP2JThyUlYMJrfUXyaQl0YLySkpQ209t_wIUo7reIM3zhfqe_nKkO_uwbOaoK9_jDsyX9DjMs-jgJWvwiiutuu9h4OLySc5HXfiDhoqqS2qQCssVhihgUR9oHFH4HKumWzErrT2sO-zwNpmdGaCu65n5kgxXs-sXSuR4E57A6PpzI_jw475OotWtzESb_4tqM1-BxNKUT7s7yE4987j_NyuT8wqrQFZyT0G9VPy1DXwfIwohGMZJtCgLa57D4CaETlkw6fV7TuBYijlY-8DOpk6RnYPDHLUrlWILqfHMmRRPT1mlrCEllfSHSaXEyf6s9RI-jsLBvdvtLGGTbc1w26cHn7yANs0sE2BwCmCrZVeW8TRV3CY6bUbDz1fBdUBPrQwnBiUB5wlcO=w1034-h775-no
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
Anyone build a glass boat or plane before? I cant see any typical glass topper built with chopper gun glass holding up under the weight of a RTT. Especially on rough roads. I would fully expect to put a frame under it to avoid crushing the topper. I have never seen a glass topper built with laid glass, and vacum bagged with a core for a much stronger lighter structure. All of them have been chopper gun sprayed chopped glass and resin mix into a form. Quick, cheap dirty way to make glass products. Just is what it is.
 

98tcoma3rz

Observer
I'll see if I can find a model# or serial # on the cap. It's an older cap and it weighs a ton. I have a seen a few rigs with a frame on the outside of the cap. Anyone know who makes them or are they custom built? I've seen allpro makes one but not sure if it would work with my cap. .
 

98tcoma3rz

Observer
I would talk with Leer about your intentions, were it me, I'd be tempted to build an interior structure to support it, some of the fiberglass caps are pretty thin and may last for the short term but will blow apart at the most inconvenient time.
YMMV. Dan

PS, I have a '98 Tacoma 3RZ too, I like that truck, mines a pre-runner though.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
3rz ****** lol
 
When I was looking into it, everything I saw just said to make sure your rails are mounted as close to the outer curve of the shell as possible. If you mount then in the middle, there isn't much much support. It probably wouldnt hurt to reinforce it though.
 

r_vdb

Observer
I have a snug top brand cap on the Tacoma, I use Yakima racks on the front runner rails to disperse the weight and it works great.
I use mine more for moving through the desert than rock crawling.
 

MrGrimm

Mall Crawler
ARE has a new topper labeled "HD" and it has a an internal skeleton already fitted to the cap. Has anybody seen or used one of these caps?
 

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