Roof rack on leer cap question

[ginger_taco03]

Hi everyone, need some advise here.

I have been looking at used caps local for my tacoma for over a year now and finally found one that had everything i was looking for.

- sliding windows
- roof rack
- colour matched
- bellow 1000$

I wanted windoors too but for the price the guy was asking i just jumped on it and he even threw in a set of rear leafs for 50$ witch was amazing given my rear passenger side leaf broke couple months before. The cap is a leer 100 i think, it has a few scratch and i dont have keys to lock it but for 300$ i think it was a good deal.




So now my plan is to build a sleeping platform with drawers to enjoy our free national parks ( in canada ) this summer, but i would also like to build a tube roof rack that would extend over the cab of the truck, like this


My question is, do you think the cap alone can handle the weight of a roof rack this big with awning, high lift jack, shuvel/axe etc ? Or do i need to modify it, i mean im not sure if the cap came from factory with the current aluminium rails that are just drilled and bolted thrue.

Thanks

Gabriel

 

[rayra]

If the majority of the weight is kept over the cap itself, you'd do better. But I'd go for some pipe stanchions inside the cap to transfer the load to the pickup bed. And for leverage at the tailgate end so you CAN put some weight on the rack portion that's cantilevered over the cab.

 

[ginger_taco03]

Leer's non-reinforced caps (such as the one you have) are rated for 200lbs dynamic weight, which means that's the max total weight the cap can hold while the vehicle is in motion. It'll hold the items you mentioned no problem, but your idea of extending the roof rack to the cab suggests you're planning on carrying large/heavy items, and I'd be careful about that.

I figured it could hold around 100lbs easy... the rack would be made of aluminium so it will be light as a start. I could put the high lift jack on the swing out bumper so basicly it would be the rack .. shuvel/axe, awning and maybe some bags if i run out of space in the cap, maybe a solar panel if i go this way with my power suply but othe than that i dont think ill pass 200lbs

 

[mr_ed]

Another idea, since you're already putting mounting holes through the roof (and you probably want to keep the exterior looking clean and not contractor-ish), is to build a pair of steel or aluminum tube hoops that mount to your bedrails and follow the shape of the shell on the inside. Along the ceiling, you mount rubber (anti-abrasion) between the hoops and the shell, and through-bolt your rack into those hoops. Use some quality marine-grade sealant, like what they use on through-hull fittings, and now any weight you put on the rack is simply transmitted directly through to the metal loadbearing hoops and on down to the pickup bed rails, and all your shell has to do is just be a shell and keep the rain off.

Best example I can think of, of this concept being used with great success, are the old Camel Trophy Land Rover Discoveries. Their racks were through-bolted in similar fashion to their rugged internal roll cages, and therefore were capable of toting far more weight than the more standard gutter-mounted safari racks are able to. You can find youtube videos of those things rolling over and the only thing really damaged were windows and anything strapped to the roof rack haha.

Cheers!

Ed

 

[ginger_taco03]

Another idea, since you're already putting mounting holes through the roof (and you probably want to keep the exterior looking clean and not contractor-ish), is to build a pair of steel or aluminum tube hoops that mount to your bedrails and follow the shape of the shell on the inside. Along the ceiling, you mount rubber (anti-abrasion) between the hoops and the shell, and through-bolt your rack into those hoops. Use some quality marine-grade sealant, like what they use on through-hull fittings, and now any weight you put on the rack is simply transmitted directly through to the metal loadbearing hoops and on down to the pickup bed rails, and all your shell has to do is just be a shell and keep the rain off.

Best example I can think of, of this concept being used with great success, are the old Camel Trophy Land Rover Discoveries. Their racks were through-bolted in similar fashion to their rugged internal roll cages, and therefore were capable of toting far more weight than the more standard gutter-mounted safari racks are able to. You can find youtube videos of those things rolling over and the only thing really damaged were windows and anything strapped to the roof rack haha.

Cheers!

Ed

I could do it if i see its stressing the cap too much ... after i put the sleeping platform in i wont have that much headroom inside already...so i guess i could do it if i have to. Thanks guys for the help... now i have to get to work. I will be posting a thread for my sleeping platform build and my roof rack .

 

[robert]

As noted, I would not cantilever anything off of the fiberglass. I would have no problem instaling Yakima or Thule tracks and a rack to carry what you want. The tracks help distribute the weight and since they have several through bolts they aren't all pulling in one spot either.

However you decide to procede, make sure that you know where you can and can't drill in that shell. I don't know about the Leer's but ARE has a honeycomb section in the middle that strengthens them but you should not drill through it as it will compress if you try to tighten anything.

Another option would be to notch the sides of the shell and use an exoskeleton style (contractor's) rack. If you decide to start carrying more weight you may need to install some bedside braces to help stop the sides from spreading.

 

[ginger_taco03]

There is already a rack on top of the shell... im just gona use the same holes.

 

[ginger_taco03]

3M 5200 Marine Sealant -7 days
3M 5220 Marine sealant / Fast cure - 24 hrs

both come in many colors, i recommend ordering black/.

We are building an internal support/ rack similar to what was mentioned above. Ours will have additional storage/ organization built into/ onto it.


you should be fine. most people put way more on theirs and never have an issue. Us included/

you have a short or long bed? looks like a short bed. Anyways, you can buy the WINDOORS separately for that cap. looks like a 100R - on the driver side in the cap near the back shelf it will have a placard with its serial and model number . your local Leer cap place can order them for you or get them from a junk yard. you unscrew all the bolts on the inside of the shell and the windows with frame pop right out. if doing the install/ uninstall yourself. use Blue tape from top to bottom of shell over the windows to hold it secure while removing while you are inside removing the screws and inner frame. Do the same for the install to hold in place. Cost should be in the ~$300/ range -

Thanks for the info... love your truck, been following it for a while. Hope i can get mine to be as practical

 

[hdhp]

I am doing the same with my 2010 F150 FX4 It has a Jason Cap. I simply made some supports from the same material as the Safari Basket (3/4 X 3/4 X .065) That go from the plate of the roof (from inside the cap) to the bed rail... Its at about a 75-80deg angle and dose not take up much room. I have a Build thread on F150forum.com https://www.f150forum.com/f4/safari-roof-basket-376868/
I still have some work to do and mount the rails and rack. I will get some pics up as soon as I get some time...

Thanks

HDHP