Custom swingup bed rack build

Starting this thread for myself so I can dump links and my sketches to the parts I'll use to build it. Let me know if I'm in the wrong subforum.

Plan is to have three bars across, just about cab level so my rtt sits level with the top of my roof rack. Left (maybe right?) side of all bars will be mounted to an angle plate using a bushing or uniball type rod end, the opposite side secured to the bed cap angle by a slam latch like swingout bumpers have. Somehow, I'm gonna mount a couple of gas lifting struts from the hinge side up to the cross bar so that I can unlatch it and swing it up and outta the way so I can load the bed. Plan is to limit strap it somehow to a 45 degree angle, or whatever angle the center of gravity is with the rtt in the air.


Mine currently sits on the bed side bars on a half assed unistrut bed bar.




Pic stolen from Google. It'll sit about that high.

Let's hope I don't lose motivation and make this happen. Will update as I please.

Also, any fabricators in SoCal want a cool project to take on?

 

Seems like a neat idea.

Aren't rtt's pretty heavy? What are you plannning on loading that you can't load just by dropping the tailgate?

 

They're about 200 lbs plus the rack and whatever else I mount on it. It'll be heavy for sure.
And I dunno I just think it would be cool to load stuff in the side instead of crawling under. My spare is in the bed so sometimes I put the cooler between it and the cab & to save all of 5 minutes unloading everything I'll just swing the rack up and outta the way.

Also it would kinda just be the coolest thing ever.

 

http://www.kbvoodoo.com/shop/powder-coated-side-rail-cap-system-short-bed-fits-years-2005-2015

 

https://www.ballisticfabrication.com/mobile/125-Square-Tube-Adapter_p_1557.html

 

subbed. curious to figure out how you go about doing this.

 

https://www.ballisticfabrication.com/mobile/home.asp#page-97

 

It'll probably take me forever and a day to get it done but I think I'll actually do this one. Either way I'll have a design and parts list for anyone who wants to do it! My only hangup is not knowing how to weld as good as I'd like

 

Didnt you come up with that permanent air compressor idea? Link me to that, im curious about tackling that.

 

The belt driven air compressor? I put all the parts together in a thread but decided just to install a 12v viair with my air tank. Too much work didn't follow through on it. The last big project I did was putting in a water pump and heat exchanger into the engine for on board shower. That one was a pain but it turned out great

 

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/125TS-SQ.html

 

Damn, still got the parts?

 

http://www.realworktrucks.com/servi...am-bolt-zinc-plated-45-degree-f90-3-zn-f.html

 

doodles dreaming about the mechanics. I figure it'll only swing up 45 degrees. Putting three gas struts under the hinge side doesn't seem all that crazy now that I look at the geometry. Any ideas how to angle them? They're gonna be pushing at a massive loss in leverage in order to be mounted out of the way , close to the cross bars themselves.

 

Can anyone guess who needs to go back to school and get his engineering degree?

Dimensions of rack. This will make the roof top tent Top sit level with the top of my roof rack. Estimated weights as accurately as possible. My rotopax is 7 gallons gas and 2.5 water, guessed my hi lift and shovel at 15 and the tepui rtt is 180.



Simplified the mechanics to calculate. Unless I'm crazy, the basic physics follow a simple 3rd class lever, where the lifting strut will be doing the lifting effort between the majority of the load and the fulcrum. Puts it at a MASSIVE mechanical leverage disadvantage, but because it only needs to lift 45 degrees, it'll be very compact up against each cross rail and leave me with the most bed space possible.



Simple rectangle shape for the top, leaving me with a grand total of 31.25 feet. @ about 4.3 lb per foot, the whole naked rack will weigh 131.25

Now the part I'm not sure about-
I simplified the whole thing down to one bar to do the leverage calculation. The main weight is gonna be the rotopax on one side, rtt on top, and hi lift on the other.

So I centered the weights on the center of each section, divided the total naked rack weight by 3 and added that to each of the 3 center points.
Anyone see an issue there??

After dividing it out, I divided the force required (Fe) by 3 for the three pivot points, then by the strut distances 2, 4, and 6" from the fulcrum.

2" in would still be like 12" long, but each would need to push 1750 lbs. That's fucking dangerous and sounds expensive if not impossible.
4" would be close to 16" long but need to push 877 lbs each. Better, but sounds hard to find or fund
6" needs to push 585. This is the best I can do without making some weird bracket or put the strut mount way inboard to make it like 24" long.

Will buy beer for anyone who can find mistakes in my work. Now to find a set of 600 lb struts....

 

http://www.filthymotorsports.com/King_Air_Shocks_p/king-airshock.htm

King air shocks will do it fairly cheap but these will be stored compressed for most of their working life. Hmmm

 

http://m.go2marine.com/controller?f...serSearch1=91627F/c_Hatch+Lifts+/+Gas+Springs

 

Pen and paper doesn't capture what I see in my head. Thank god I still had my old erector set around.

https://youtu.be/UTSpFLvUkmA

 

Quick and dirty check of the concept- lifting straight up from the center after tying weight on the cross bar comes in over 5 lbs
Pulling from the cantilever is under 4.
This might actually work...