Backwoods Rambler
Explorer
Root Moose said:I think you will still be stuck with a "live around" vehicle .....a trailer would be a better setup.....
I agree
madizell said:Even assuming you don't remove the entire roof, but only cut out a hatch leaving a perimeter of original metal, what is left won't resist twisting. You need diagonal counter-strength that the roof panel provides. Naturally, with a pop-up roof, you can't criss-cross the area with tubes, so all of the resistance to twisting is going to have to be in the perimeter to which the pop-up is mounted.
Well said, and I agree. But, what about a small interior cage (perhaps even tied to stiffened fram rails)? I would think that even just a 1" -to- 1.25" dia. tube cage surrounding the cargo area along with reinforcing the roof (as I linked to in the first response) would suffice in the "Hatch" cutout scenario.
Like you said, it's a lot of engineering, but if it's what you've got to work with, sometimes you should just make it work. That's where some of the most unique rigs come from. However, it can also be where some of the worst rigs come from; just depends on the fabricator.....