Another shell thread: What to buy that can carry some weight?

My 2017 Pro is on order and I will be putting a shell on it asap. I also got in on the front runner group buy and bought both a cab rack and a shell rack. What I am trying to figure out is what is my best option for carrying weight up top. I wont have heavy things up there that often but I want the option. Including being able to stand on top. The options are pretty limited it seems like so I am wondering what people think.

ARE makes the HD series which seems like the obvious choice. But I'm under the impression that the front runner rack attachment system wont work on this shell because it is meant to have a 4 point through shell attachment directly to the internal bracing. The other thing I am not feeling about the HD if I could make the front runner work is that it appears the HD bracing takes up alot of space inside the shell, which in a short bed is already limited.

ARE also has the OTE option which appears to be some sort of light weight spray on bed liner like material. It vaguely states on their site that it increases the strength of the shell but it is quite unclear how it does this. I actually really like the look of the flat black coating but it is a $500 option so I wont be dong this unless there is some way that it actually does increase the strength of the shell.

Leer has the CC contractor series which supposedly will carry 400 pounds but it does not include windows and the local dealer said that the windows would have to be installed by them and that it would be "very expensive". The standard Leer 100R says it will carry 200 pounds which I assume is similar to the standard ARE shell. I realize that is a conservative estimate but it basically means with the rack up top If I climb onto it I am already over limit and I really don't want to stress a $2k fiberglass shell....

I'm not sure about snugtop options because they seem to have no east coast dealers.

I have considered the option of adding internal reinforcement myself but it would really complicate removing the shell from time to time which I plan on doing.

Any thoughts on this are appreciated.
Thanks

 

are those weight limits just for when your actually driving your vehicle?

 

Im not sure I understand the question. Those are weight capacities for the shell. I don't think it matters whether a static or moving load. Im sure you could actually get away with more, but how much more before you are really stressing the shell which is fiberglass and will develop cracks over time.

 

No opinions on the OTR option?

 

This is a common question on here. They'll hold up just fine. The bedliner spray is not going to add any strength and will likely look bad after a few years of fading.

ARE z-series

 

Get the Leer 100RCC, swap in windoors from just about any other Leer cap in your local junkyard. Dealer is bullshitting you with the "very expensive" line. Well, it'll be very expensive if you let them do it for you. I'm almost certain there's nothing to it as far as the job goes. Bolt off existing contractor windoors, bolt on windoors with glass, add some sealant kind of job.

// edit - the Leer 100RCC has options for windows and windoors: http://www.leer.com/100RCC . Your dealer, like all of them, is staffed by idiots.

 

Found this example, but I guess it doesn't look too cool. One thing I guess there would never be any weight on the shell