Alu-Cab Canopy Camper Roll Call

[DR.]

I got the camper installed doing by myself wasn't to hard but I do have a lift and my wife helped lowering the lift the last few inches while I lined all up.

Could be an optical illusion, or maybe since mine has the filler plates, but in this pic the camper looks like it's sitting back too far from the cab.

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[cug]

Could be an optical illusion, or maybe since mine has the filler plates, but in this pic the camper looks like it's sitting back too far from the cab.

I'd say it looks about right:

The missing filler plates certainly don't help.

 

[caryt]

Its sitting correctly as the end fill kit determines where the back sets. I have the side equal which took some time.
I also used a double bulb seal instead of a single.
Fill plates are not on yet as I haven't ordered the Hinges, I'm making both sides openable.

 

[cug]

Fill plates are not on yet as I haven't ordered the Hinges, I'm making both sides openable.

Just as an FYI - Alu-Cab claims that the fill panels are structural and should not be removed. I reached out to them last year since I also wanted to use the space. I have my doubts regarding their response, but have refrained from removing them so far because of it. I doubt it would be a real problem though.

 

[fourfa]

I guess I’ll find out ? That would explain the absurd number of bolts holding those filler panels on. I suppose they’re concerned about dynamic loads on the cantilevered nose of the camper

Maybe I’ll add back a triangulated brace to the upper, inside corner

 

[cug]

Maybe I’ll add back a triangulated brace to the upper, inside corner

Yeah, I thought about this as well. Was thinking about @813 Fabrication & Design VersaPlate panels and Rotopax mounts on both sides, but two things so far held me back:

• The whole setup with VersaMount and Rotopax mount is not cheap ($700 for both sides) and I couldn't bring myself to spending this amount for 4 gallons or extra fuel space, so far I decided to mount empty packs on the rear door and fill only when I go on long uncertain stretches. This isn't a complaint about the price, just that so far I have had other priorities on the build-out.
• The claim regarding structural integrity. I don't really believe it's for the bed overhang, since there are other trucks that don't have the fill panels at all (like the Ford Ranger Dual Cab), but pretty much all of them also have more space between roof and overhang.

Here's the quote from an email exchange with Alu-Cab:

Yes those filler panels are important and removing them can hinder integrity of your camper.

This might just be a CYI response, but since I plain don't know, I would probably come up with some kind of a brace or a frame with an opening or door and not completely remove them.

We are planning on traveling long distances with the setup and we are working very hard to make the furniture washboard proof, so this could just be another one of these "just-in-case-there-could-potentially-be-a-problem-if-all-the-stars-aline-against-me"-cases.

If I really want to use the space, I'll find a way that makes me feel okay doing so.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

• The whole setup with VersaMount and Rotopax mount is not cheap ($700 for both sides) and I couldn't bring myself to spending this amount for 4 gallons or extra fuel space, so far I decided to mount empty packs on the rear door and fill only when I go on long uncertain stretches. This isn't a complaint about the price, just that so far I have had other priorities on the build-out.
• The claim regarding structural integrity. I don't really believe it's for the bed overhang, since there are other trucks that don't have the fill panels at all (like the Ford Ranger Dual Cab), but pretty much all of them also have more space between roof and overhang.

I agree myself on the price, it is an investment to install them in that location. Its a great use of space. I am working on a few alternatives for water and possibly fuel. Stay tuned!

 

[caryt]

It the brace isn't enough thats there I don't think the fill panels would help. I'm not concerned at all about it.

 

[fourfa]

I don't have a shower cube, or awning, or roof bars or anything on the roof bars, for whatever that's worth. It does read like CYA to me. Nevertheless, a bit of bracing make sense and isn't hard.

I just have my maxtrax in the empty space. I'll put "just" in quotes, because it was a bit of an ordeal. Only two boards will fit - not four - but I only have 2 anyway. Simple quarter-turn pins to mount, drilled a hole thru the bulkhead, mounted with huge fender washers on both sides. There isn't clearance to maneuver the two boards around the full four-board size pins, and no one sells 2-board pins that I found.

So I cut them down to only fit two. Remove securing screw, go to shorten the SST center pin on lathe, break cutoff tool, switch to bandsaw and grinder, drill for screw on lathe, start tapping and break tap, redrill slightly larger, *tink* break another tap... Stop and think for a while, learn about stainless steel work hardening, study Machinery's Handbook on feed rates, start over on a fresh pin keeping the metal cool, redrill fast and hard on slow lathe with continuous chip and frequent cooling breaks, tap very very slowly with USA-made TiN-coated taper then plug then bottoming tap, flooded with lube. It was a process... but now I have my maxtrax there. Total was still under ~$50 including all the broken taps

also I hang a dry bag there, that's often filled with doggie poo to pack out :/ there is nowhere inside that I can't detect its presence

 

[caryt]

• I agree myself on the price, it is an investment to install them in that location. Its a great use of space. I am working on a few alternatives for water and possibly fuel. Stay tuned!

A tray system that could hold 2ea 4.5 gal packs would be my vote if its possible.

 

[813 Fabrication & Design]

I don't have a shower cube, or awning, or roof bars or anything on the roof bars, for whatever that's worth. It does read like CYA to me. Nevertheless, a bit of bracing make sense and isn't hard.

I just have my maxtrax in the empty space. I'll put "just" in quotes, because it was a bit of an ordeal. Only two boards will fit - not four - but I only have 2 anyway. Simple quarter-turn pins to mount, drilled a hole thru the bulkhead, mounted with huge fender washers on both sides. There isn't clearance to maneuver the two boards around the full four-board size pins, and no one sells 2-board pins that I found.

So I cut them down to only fit two. Remove securing screw, go to shorten the SST center pin on lathe, break cutoff tool, switch to bandsaw and grinder, drill for screw on lathe, start tapping and break tap, redrill slightly larger, *tink* break another tap... Stop and think for a while, learn about stainless steel work hardening, study Machinery's Handbook on feed rates, start over on a fresh pin keeping the metal cool, redrill fast and hard on slow lathe with continuous chip and frequent cooling breaks, tap very very slowly with USA-made TiN-coated taper then plug then bottoming tap, flooded with lube. It was a process... but now I have my maxtrax there. Total was still under ~$50 including all the broken taps

also I hang a dry bag there, that's often filled with doggie poo to pack out :/ there is nowhere inside that I can't detect its presence

I have made a few different prototypes and all were a headache. Not having a lower track in that area causes a big issue (working on a solution). I made a full slide out system, but once everything was in place, there is no room to put anything on it

 

[cug]

It really comes down to "total investment just to carry 4 gallons of fuel". My wife thought I was crazy when I even suggested this option ... ;-)

Also got some Rhinorack load bars for the rear door now. Got four in 48" length, will cut them down to size and mount three of them across the rear door. Then have some simple brackets fabricated to mount Rotopax and maybe a shovel or a small Pelican case (for "dirty storage").

It the brace isn't enough thats there I don't think the fill panels would help. I'm not concerned at all about it.

Again, I'm just quoting, I have neither personal information or any relevant knowledge in that area. TinyRig also claimed that these were structural and refused to leave them out, when pressed they said they also stabilize the lower filler area that covers the space between truck bed edge and camper.

All this sounds like a lot of CYA talk, but as I don't know better ...

also I hang a dry bag there, that's often filled with doggie poo to pack out :/ there is nowhere inside that I can't detect its presence

LOL, I see your point. For trash, we have a tarpuline trash bag that fits reasonably well on the rear Molle panel, but is fairly deep, so getting stuff out again is suboptimal. It does work though.

It's somewhat visible here:

For travel in (grizzly) bear country we plan on replacing this with a Bear Vault:

https://www.rei.com/product/768902/bearvault-bv500-journey-bear-canister

It's roughly the size of an 11lb propane tank, I'm going to fab a very simple mounting mechanism for the Molle panel (basically just a brace underneath and a strap around the container).

We have Maxtrax mounted on the roofrack for quick and easy access since we use them nearly every day (mostly for leveling). Just ordered a second pair since when we were really stuck once, I had to borrow a set from another vehicle to get out. That was with a different truck and a pretty nasty soft sand, but as we are traveling mostly alone, I thought this was an investment worth making.

The stack will get higher once the additional pair is here, but it's still much lower than the camper.

 

[fourfa]

I also looked at mounting one of these in the space, shouldn't be hard to rig this up. Could even be a permanent mount, extend out fill and drain hoses, then put the fill plates back

I think I've seen someone else did that, either this thread or maybe a Tacoma thread. For me, it's basically same problem as the Alu-Cab water tank though - too high, better for dense water to be low and forward if possible. I'm happy with a pair of 5-gallon MWCs (I already have a bunch of these) on the floor behind the front seats, as low and forward as they can be

 

[DR.]

A tray system that could hold 2ea 4.5 gal packs would be my vote if its possible.

I was thinking a tray with a rollout or even a full box to fill the spacebar not hit the cab with doors on both sides. Either would be awe$ome.

 

[cug]

For me, it's basically same problem as the Alu-Cab water tank though - too high, better for dense water to be low and forward if possible.

Have to agree on this. The water tank is less than optimal in the space in the camper, but the convenience has made us suck it up ... we aren't going on difficult trails, mostly shitty roads, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue with the weight there. We'll see whether we have to rethink this at some point.

Our's really isn't an offroader, it's "an RV for shitty roads just beyond where you normally find Sprinters and Subarus".

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