RSI SmartCap vs Leer vs ARE for build out?
- Thread starter Mdsertell
- Start date
rellekmando
Member
Here my ARE DCU model in the raised height version on F250. They don’t look as sleek as the fiberglass but in my opinion out perform the fiberglass.
Easier to mount things, can have full side doors, can have rear doors, roof rack options that are stronger, I can fit full size bikes without taking wheels off. I believe they weigh less as well.
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One very important consideration is... what truck is this mounted to?
Anything with a C-channel frame will flex a lot. Among 1/2 tons, the Tundras and Tacomas are probably the flexiest... unless you are looking at older trucks which I don't know about. Newer 3/4 and 1 ton pickups are stiff boxed frames, but older ones were mostly flexy.
If it's C-channel you want a topper that can flex. Details of the design will matter, but fiberglass inherently has a higher strength to stiffness ratio, meaning that it can better survive a flexy truck and still be plenty strong for mounting stuff and holding weight. Aluminum is not so great in this respect, plus it does not have a fatigue limit (like steel does) and if it's stressed significantly it will fail eventually. For instance, even if you are well below the yield point for stress, if it sees that stress over and over again it will eventually fail... probably around the time the warranty runs out.
Bottom line is... I'd put my money an fiberglass if you have a flexy truck.
But really, if you are going to do an interior build out yourself, why not the shell too? You could make a very aero shell using the stitch and glue technique (upside down boat) with thin ply and cover it with a layer of hand-laid fiberglass. Or if you prefer flat surfaces and you have a stiff truck frame, you can build foam core thin ply panels with a exterior fiberglass coat.
That's interesting. I've seen fiberglass caps filled with little cracks that I assumed were from flexing. But maybe it was only within the "outside edge" of the paint and structurally they were fine, I honestly don't know. You make an interesting point that fiberglass is at times preferable to aluminum, I've always seen aluminum last longer but maybe thats on stiffer framed vehicles (3/4 ton, 1 ton etc) with contractors and the like. Not being argumentative at all, you've given me some food for thought. Thanks!
jadmt
ignore button user
apparently july it will be up and running is what one of my local RSI dealers told me. He said it will up the capacity by like 3X or something like that vs what they are producing in South Africa.
rruff
Explorer
Fiberglass is all over the map. The good stuff that has a high glass content and is made using vacuum infusion and epoxy resin, will be as strong as mid-strength aluminum alloys and will be half the weight... and also 3.5x more flexible. The cheap stuff (maybe most or all of what is commercially available?) will have a thick gelcoat (tinted polyester resin) external coating with a weak (low glass content, glass + polyester resin) structural layer, may be >2x the thickness of aluminum in order to match the strength, which will then make it less flexible than aluminum (before failure) and also heavier.
So what I really meant was that you *could* make a fiberglass shell that is better able to take flex... but I don't know what is really being made.
Explorerinil
Observer
Your right, good fiberglass is very strong, I’ve beat my Boston whaler and been in very ruff water in Lake Michigan, no cracks, flaws or problems.
My previous topper was a Leer…it had quite a bit of flex to it. I did have the “Leer Locker” mounted inside to the roof. It was very convenient for storing cased shotguns during waterfowl season and other outdoor related gear. But it really flexed the roof… even loaded with half the supposed max weight capacity.
I also had load bars on the roof…unfortunately the track system was very poorly installed (factory installed). As evident by the load bar (complete with my strapped down, light-weight marsh boat) ripping completely out of the track while driving to Kansas on a hunting trip
Needless to say I’m really not fond of Leer fiberglass!!
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Hopefully I won’t have to weight that long…we ideally would take a few l semi-local trips with the RSI cap and RRT/annex setup prior to our big family trip to Rocky Mt. Nat Park in August
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jadmt
ignore button user
there are some due in April that might not be spoken for but a person would want to have his name on one as they get snatched up fast. the end of February there were 52 in coming and 24 were spoken for. If all goes well I should have one Wednesday but I have read reports of some arriving damaged and of course no parts state side so more waiting..
That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. Always more to learn! Appreciate it!
ukrboy
Observer
Thank you [mention]dpsmedic [/mention]. Messaged RSI and have new seals and lock covers coming. Free of charge.
I gotta say. RSI’s service is top notch!
Todd780
OverCamper
Explorerinil
Observer
Yes, best, safest boat ever made. I take my 17 foot Montauk in some nasty stuff and never worry.
I have an RSI that came with my used Tacoma. I love it so far. It is super solid, and the side windows are nice. Latches do ice up in the snow, so I need covers. I expect that it will hold up forever. The fact this it is steel is also nice because you can attach anything magnetic (lights, speakers, etc) anywhere on it.
The static roof load is 700#, I believe, and there are lots of roof rack / RTT options. I has built in tracks for anything you can mount with T Nuts. I just got some Frontrunner crossbars that I have not installed yet.