Enthusiast III
Truck topper question
- Thread starter WanderingWinters
- Start date
Not sure I would want the weight of 2 people, any gear, and the tent up on the top of a Leer topper all night. I have a Thule TracRac style on top of mine that is supposedly good to hold 500 pounds. Then again, that rack system is meant to be gutter mounted to a metal roof of a full size van.
Not sure I'd feel good with more than 300 pounds up the there. It's just fiberglass shell. No real frame inside. Maybe someone with more professional knowledge will chime in
Not sure I'd feel good with more than 300 pounds up the there. It's just fiberglass shell. No real frame inside. Maybe someone with more professional knowledge will chime in
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Yeah I'd only put a RTT on a topper if the topper was reinforced from the inside out, which I've seen.
Upon more consideration even 300 pounds seems like a lot. Id probably feel OK with 200 pounds. Mainly I'm putting up 2 kayaks. Or maybe a spare wheel - usually not at the same time. I know the rack system can take more than that, but there just isnt anything substantial supporting the wide flat expanse of roof of these Leer tops.
For me, the whole reason I got the topper was to sleep inside the bed of the truck with some sort of solid cover.
Enthusiast III
I've seen a few rigs set up with the truck toppers and a RTT, but are they really supposed to hold and carry that kind of weight? I kinda think i'd like to have one for my Titan but I worry about the structural integrity with it being loaded on top. If it was just myself all the time that would be one thing but not the case.
Member II
I can't tell what model that is, but I looked into weight limits on Leer caps a while back since I have one myself. Wasn't looking to add a RTT, just wanted to know how much I could carry up there (center of gravity concerns aside). Unreinforced fiberglass Leer caps have a limit of 120 lbs (sheer load limit). The reinforced ones have up around 300, from what I recall. Can you load more than that as a static load? Probably. Would I want to risk it? Nope.
If that one is reinforced, and you and the ole lady aren't of the hefty sortm you'd probably be alright with a RTT. If not reinforced, I couldn't recommend it.
If that one is reinforced, and you and the ole lady aren't of the hefty sortm you'd probably be alright with a RTT. If not reinforced, I couldn't recommend it.
Influencer II
I had a fiberglass Gull Wing Leer on my F150. Mine is not be rated for the weight of two adults.
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I have a 130 lbs roofnest on my cap. It's an ARE Z with cross bars. No issues whatsoever.
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I've owned two fiberglass toppers. Neither of them could carry a load like that. They're just not designed for all of that weight from above...not even close.
At a 300 pound load limit, a 200 pound man and a 100 pound woman arrive at the threshold. Now add a 100 + pound RTT and whatever you have up there for gear, and you are likely to find yourself waking up in the bed of the truck some morning, or at least weakening the top and reducing its longevity.
I've seen tubular racks with flat mounts that will mount at the stake holes. Put that on, and they are wide enough to fit the cap in between them and rest on the bed rails, so you have some sort of exoskeleton that mounts under the cap, but comes out from under and wraps closely to the shape of the cap and crates a strong roof rack system around and above the cap. Putting an RTT on one of those seems more sensible and robust
Member II
The statistics I looked at were shear load limits (I misspelled above). That is the capacity which includes potential horizontal stresses (like you would encounter turning a vehicle at normal driving speeds). Meaning, a reinforced shell with 300 pound capacity could safely support that load not only under stationary conditions, but also with the added g-forces encountered in normal driving conditions. This would logically mean that it would safely hold some higher weight in a static condition, although that is not the basis of their rating.
I agree with your conclusion - I would not want to put an RTT on a camper shell. I was just pointing out that, if it was OP's intention to figure out if it was feasible, it might be if he and his wife are of slighter build. And, assuming neither of them were planning to ride in the RTT while the other is driving the vehicle.
Contributor III
There is big difference between static load limit and dynamic load limit. Check which your load limit of 300# is referring too. Dynamic is the load limit while your driving, maneuvering, etc.
Enthusiast III
Enthusiast III
It is a reinforced contractor cap. I looked into this model and the dynamic load is 400lbs. I know that with us and a bit of gear In it were getting close with a 130lb tent....
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