Rooftop Tent Rack

[flyingwil]

I am going to mount my Eezi-Awn on my '01 DC Taco and am in the works of designing a new bed-rack. I am planing on doing a similar set up to this rack by Brittan. (http://homepage.mac.com/brittansmith/PhotoAlbum17.html) The rack will probably be designed to hold the rooftop tent flush with the cab's roof line when closed, and the new idea I am toying with is adding a section over the cab similar to this for a folding light bar:
http://i13.tinypic.com/4csxlyh.jpg


I am toying with the idea of adding a light bar section to it similar to the one above, but have to ask if you think it would cause damage to the cab when flexing since the cab and bed are independent? How much of a gap do I need to leave? In the end it will get a custom cover to mimic the Can-Backs. What do you think? What are your thoughts?

[TACODOC]

Great thread Wil, seems to be a roof top tent rack fabrication bug going around this fall...
Thats a really good idea pictured there, and I like Brittans setup too.

As for clearance, why dont you take your truck out and "twist" the frame and then take bed/cab measurements when fully twisted?

[Willman]

Nice tread Wil!!!

I to want to also fab up a roof rack for a tent/lights/bike etc.......Got me thinking again on this one......:ylsmoke:

:D

[flyingwil]

Great thread Wil, seems to be a roof top tent rack fabrication bug going around this fall...
Thats a really good idea pictured there, and I like Brittans setup too.

Yeah that is what I am thinking... A combo of the two, Mr. Bling's above and Brittan's set up


As for clearance, why dont you take your truck out and "twist" the frame and then take bed/cab measurements when fully twisted?

some one has to know!

[TACODOC]

Wil, you gonna roll some dubs on your truck like Mr. Bling?

Quick! Somebody Photoshop those bling wheels onto Wil or Scotts truck!!! :hehe:

[flyingwil]

Wil, you gonna roll some dubs on your truck like Mr. Bling?

NO!


Quick! Somebody Photoshop those bling wheels onto Wil or Scotts truck!!! :hehe:

Attached for your veiwing pleasure... sorry I only have paint at work!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/images/albums/userpics/10008/ScottyBling.JPG

[flyingwil]

Attached for your veiwing pleasure... sorry I only have paint at work!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/images/albums/userpics/10008/ScottyBling.JPG


:smilies27 It was WAY funnier in my head!:smilies27

[TACODOC]

Oh, I think its very funny! :hehe:

I wonder how Scott will like his new whip? :shakin:

[bootzilla]

Heh heh - I need to read posts a little more thoroughly - Wil, I totally thought that was your truck with new wheels, and because of that I was totally refraining from saying the first thought that came to mind when I saw the pic of that Taco - "Holy Snoop-Dog?!?! Who wants to go off-roading??"

I need to break out the P-shop and put some neon lights on Scott's truck to go with the new rims! Edit - Here we go I gave you the rims, some glow and hopped up the front tint a little bit:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeqin3t/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/scott-with-bling.jpg

I dig the rack though - would you do the spare tire the same way? I'm not sure that both the tire and the tent would fit.

[Willman]

I could only imagine what Scott is doing with P-shop right now on Wil's truck!!!!

:xxrotflma

:elkgrin:

[TACODOC]

I could only imagine what Scott is doing with P-shop right now on Wil's truck!!!!

:lurk:

[flyingwil]

I could only imagine what Scott is doing with P-shop right now on Wil's truck!!!!

:xxrotflma

:elkgrin:


We'll just have to wait... he does have a MAC now so it will blow all others out of the water!

[Willman]

We'll just have to wait... he does have a MAC now so it will blow all others out of the water!

:lurk:

:xxrotflma

[Willman]

I could only imagine what Scott is doing with P-shop right now on Wil's truck!!!!

:xxrotflma

:elkgrin:

Bump for Scotts funny picture of Wil's truck!!!!

:xxrotflma

[devinsixtyseven]

so...with a cabover rack like that, how you gonna seal the bed with a canback-style cover?

i do like the rack on the blinged out taco. the wheels would look better if they were wearing 39s on an unlifted truck.

that rack could be set through the cab, and attached to the frame at the B and C pillars. i considered for a long time, still considering, adding a halo of some sort over the cab, tied to the cage through the roof...something to hold lights and aerials. i like the way that rack is set back on the cab. without the gear rack section, it would be very low profile, lights only, and if bridged to the frame through the cab it would provide rigidity to the truck. i guess it would be part exocage at that point, and if you're already putting that much metal up high as on that rack, it wouldnt take much to put a couple supports to the frame. downside is doing it properly through the cab would take longer.

-sean

[flyingwil]

so...with a cabover rack like that, how you gonna seal the bed with a canback-style cover?

i do like the rack on the blinged out taco. the wheels would look better if they were wearing 39s on an unlifted truck.

that rack could be set through the cab, and attached to the frame at the B and C pillars. i considered for a long time, still considering, adding a halo of some sort over the cab, tied to the cage through the roof...something to hold lights and aerials. i like the way that rack is set back on the cab. without the gear rack section, it would be very low profile, lights only, and if bridged to the frame through the cab it would provide rigidity to the truck. i guess it would be part exocage at that point, and if you're already putting that much metal up high as on that rack, it wouldnt take much to put a couple supports to the frame. downside is doing it properly through the cab would take longer.

-sean

Sean-

There is no way I am going to cut through my cab to put in a rack. What you said makes sense.

For the seal, I have not yet figured that out. I was thinking along the lines of a rubber seal connected via Velcro.