RTT on old Shell

I am really interested in putting an RTT on my shell. I am thinking the wedge style, hopefully a light one ~75-100 lbs.
The shell I have is a cheap one I found used a couple years ago. No make or model that I can find on it.. It does have a strengthened roof section, where the fiberglass is double think across the roof.



I am worried about the strength of the shell with the RTT, and up to two (smaller) people in it.
Would be under 300 lbs between both of us, plus 100 for the tent so under 400lbs total. My fear would be the shell sides bowing out and cracking.

It would be ~100 lbs dynamic load, depending on the mounting solution I come up with, and 400lb static.

Seems like most reasonable advice is to get an aluminum shell, or a new shell with an internal support cage, both are valid and the "right" way to do it. However, I bought this shell for $200. I won't pay thousands of dollars for this, its just not going to happen.

So I am looking for thoughts on cheap support solutions. I am willing to accept pretty big drawbacks of the solution, including limiting internal bed space.

My first idea, and just hear me out on this one, is a support rod in the middle of the bed. Think a shower curtain rod, that would transfer the load from the shell to the bed.

"Best" solution seems to be an internal or even external cage that would wrap around or inside the shell and directly bear the load of the rtt. I don't have the tools to fabricate this though, and the raw materials alone would quickly be in the hundreds (and hundreds if not 1000+ more in the tools needed to build it)

I did find one off the shelf solution;
https://www.milford.one/LoadMax-universal-roof-rack-support-system-505500
But $500? For 4 metal rods? Not happening.

So how stupid is getting a couple rods like these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/TASK-2-...ZVxTqajo0IBAVppAwkBoC_oEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

To at least take a bit of the weight off the shell?
Or what other 'redneck' solutions come to mind?

 

For what it’s worth, I have a 180lb tent and a 50lb awning on my regular/non-reinforced Leer. I only have about 1000 miles and 2 nights in it so far, but it seems perfectly fine and doesn’t make any crazy noises when I’m up there lol.

 

…yet

 

Any updates, good or bad, on either of these?

 

I haven't done anything yet.
A few things are still holding me back; money, concerns about the shell carrying the weight, concerns about 1st gen bedsides holding the weight (even with bed stiffeners), and raising the overall height and center of gravity.
I've thought a lot about building an external support cage, but then were still adding weight to the bedsides and it'll raise the overall height even more. Internal support would be more difficult to build, but would likely keep the height a little lower. I've gotten a welder and basic fab tools for other projects since this post, so the tool investment isn't really a problem anymore.

Still think my shower curtain rod idea would work, even if its really janky. My only concern there would be concentrating the force on too small an area on of the bed, picture a hard bump sending the rod through the bed floor.. A big foot for the rod would probably solve that.

If an incredible deal shows up in front of me on a rtt I'll probably get it and figure this all out, but until then its been on the backburner.
Can sleep fine in the bed as it is, while keeping the center of gravity low and fitting in the garage.

 

Thanks. This is where I am. Hammocks and tents are working fine. Thanks for taking the time to post an update!

 

I only had it on the fiberglass shell for around 2500 miles but it was fine. I see quite a few trucks around me with tents on fiberglass toppers though. I ended up ditching the RTT for no more than I used it and got a Gazelle tent.

 

Gazelle is also on my list and definitely a bit more versatile. One of the other adult leaders in our BSA Troop just got one and had it with him this weekend and it was amazing.