Camper Roof Rack

I saw a thread a while ago where a guy was contemplating reinforcing the camper top with an "internal" rack support. Not sure where that went, but basically cut holes in the corners to allow rack supports thru the shell, then you aren't relying on the structure of the fiberglass shell, and can really load that sucker down.

 

I'm contemplating building what amounts to a bed rack when the shell is off that doubles as added support for the roof rack with the shell on, kind of kill two birds with one stone. Problem is, I'd take up a ton of room inside the shell... so I have to work out the pros and cons and see if that's something worth pursuing in the future. I figure I'll see how much stuff I actually put on the rack before I go adding supports. I still think it'd be cool to have a shell with a stupid strong rack and when I want to take the shell off, boom, a bed rack.

 

I suppose you could do it so you basically have a rack on the inside that perfectly supports the shell at the roof, but you'd definitely want to make sure the rack isn't a tad too tall preventing the bed/shell gasket from properly sealing. Then the roofrack bolts to the inside rack, with the fiberglass shell sandwiched in between.

I would be concerned about the fiberglass fatiguing and cracking at the mounting spots. Might consider isolating the rack from the shell, but then you'd have to cut larger holes in the corners of the shell for the rack supports to protrude, making sealing those holes weather tight would be the next issue...

 

If I did a bed rack on the inside, I would just put the entire weight of the roof rack onto it and just cut large holes in the shell for it and seal those with rubber O-rings and silicon. If I did have a bed rack, it wouldn't really be to reinforce the shell, I would just design it to where it would take the whole weight of the rack and the shell has no physical interaction with the bed rack/roof rack system, besides silicon and rubber gaskets. That way I wouldn't be designing it to where the vibrations carried through the bed rack would all be carried into the shell. If I did that, yes technically I could put more on the rack and the shell could take the weight, but with the vibrations, I could hit a pothole just right and the energy transferred from the rack to the shell hit the right harmonic, it would just shatter the shell. That would be extreme and I would probably have the same chances of wining the lottery, but I'd just avoid that possibility, entirely. Granted, I will have some of those vibrations going on now, with the fiberglass shell sandwiched between the bed and the steel rack, but it shouldn't hit a harmonic that will break it.

Since fiberglass is a brittle composite and its yield strength and critical load are the same, I won't have any warning that its about to break, no cracks, no visible sign, nothing, which sucks, but I've somewhat conservatively estimated the max designed loading of the shell to be 200 lbs, so as long as I don't put more than 100 lbs up there, I should be golden. The only thing that I can really think of putting up there, in the future, that would exceed 100 lbs, would be a RTT, in which case I would just build a bed rack and cover all my bases, but that'd be a ways off from now.

 

I was debating on an external frame around the shell that could support heavier loads and provide mounting points. Where the shell would be able to slide out of the back or something. Instead I found a sweet deal on a shell with roof bars already installed so I’ll just roll with that for now.

But dang, yours is looking good! Nice work

 

Lmao

Speaking of shells, I've purchased a hard shell RTT. I'll be mounting this on my ARE shell. I'm going to be using the Thule artificial gutters that bolt onto the shell. You drill and bolt them in. 2 on each side of the shell and then use the thule 300 gutter rack and bars.
Well see how well the shell holds up to the tent and me in it.

 

Well... finally got it mounted up today. Looks sick in person. There are a few minor things that I want to change, mostly just come up with a better fastener system on the inside of the roof. I have plates and rubber before the washer and locknut which I believe is perfectly fine, I still want to find a better system, that doesn’t bug the engineer in me. One thing I didn’t anticipate-it actually rides better. I didn’t think it would add that much weight, but it’s just enough to improve the ride and cornering. I’m pulling the trigger on an OME setup in the coming months, the front is getting done in 2ish weeks and the back probably 2 after that. I’m hoping it improves the ride even more. I also definetly need to lift it an inch or two, I'm going with 883s in anticipation of a bumper, so that should solve that problem. I can’t speak to the lights yet, I’ll wire those up after schools out but I’m sure they’re gonna be bright as all get out.

Overall, it was a sweet build. Definetly some things I’d do different if I did it again, but nothing that makes it a terrible job or anything that I have to change now. Supper happy that I have exactly what I want out of it!

 

sick build!

 

Sweet truck! Damn that cover fits like a condom! Nice job with the rack

 

Thank you, thank you! Halfway through wiring it up, but I’m balls deep in putting a new front end on it this weekend. I can’t really say its professional quality, but it’s badass and I’ve found it to be super useful moving outta my dorm room.

 

Thought I should finally update this thread... my lights have been wired for a while, just never got around to taking pictures, but this morning was an early workday and so here they are!