Mounting stuff on top of the camper

[craig333]

I'd like to get rid of my inflatable kayak and get a rigid one to put on top of the camper. How do most of you mount stuff to the roof? Brackets? Straps? Or?

 

[marty]

racks

fwc offers a roof rack system that is very light but it may not be that great for your application. Yakima system is a great choice and is very friendly with your camper also Thule has a system almost exactly like the Yakima. So you have lots of choices their.

Marty

 

[craig333]

This is one time the internet has let me down. Some really bad websites selling racks. But, theres a lot more options out there than I expected. Time to take a trip down to the stores. I need to actually see, and take some measurements on these racks.

 

[benburnett]

racks

If you have an REI store in your area they should carry the Yakima and Tule systems. Over the years those two systems seem to work the best on the campers and also have the flexibility to carry just about anything you want.

 

[jimjxsn]

Yakima Track

Ben,
When you guys install the tracks, how do you attach them?

Do you use the nut inserts through the top sheet or attach them to one of the frame cross members?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[benburnett]

rack installation

Jim,

We actually install the tracks directly to one of the roof members. It depends on the length of the bars as to how far we space them apart.

We actually take out the screws along the roof member where the track will go. We then seal the holes with silicone and put the track over them. Then simply screw the track down through the holes in it, putting a dab of silicone over each hole before you put the screw in to help seal it.

If you need more information on how to install the tracks, feel free to give us a call anytime. 800-446-1003

 

[craig333]

It looks like on the interior, you must glue a strip of wood to the aluminum frame? Thats what the strips that are stapled up to hold the liner go into?

 

[benburnett]

interior strips

The interior strips of wood are called batton strips and they are stapled to each beam of the roof. They are not glued though. They are there for looks and to hold the headliner in place correctly.

 

[craig333]

Yes, but those strips are stapled into what? Can't be stapled directly into the aluminum frame.

 

[OutbacKamper]

" Mounting stuff on top of the camper " ???

My advise is : DON'T

My only experience is with a Hawk with the extended bed, maybe other models are different. I could lift and lower the roof with a solar panel and an empty roof rack, but that's it. If you load anything on the roof rack, you will probably have to unload it every time you want to raise or lower the roof. At the very least try before you buy. These racks are expensive, don't invest in one only to find it does not work for your needs. I built a seperate roof rack to carry heavy gear and only left one Yakima bar on the camper roof to act as a brush guard for the fragile plastic vent and solar panel.

Cheers
Mark

 

[benburnett]

batton strips

Yes they are stapled directly into the roof frame. Why would you think that they could not be?

 

[benburnett]

mounting stuff on roof

It all depends on how much you are trying to put up there. I have lifted the roof up with a 10' sea kayak on top before. It was not easy but I could lift the roof because the weight was distributed over the length of the roof.

If you put something more condensed on the roof such as a pod and load it up, chances are you are going to have to unload the pod before you lift the roof. I had a lot of customers over time that did put the pods on the roof and the feedback from those were all about the same. They could lift the roof with the pod empty but usually had to unload it if they stored anything in them.

 

[craig333]

I must be missing something here. You have the top (roof) that lays on the aluminum frame. Underneath the frame you have the headliner. The headliner has the batton strips holding it up. There has to be something else the strips staple into. You can't staple into aluminum, I know, I've tried. I'm almost ready to cut a hole and look

 

[benburnett]

batton strips

The batton strips are stapled directly into the alluminum frame. The skin on the camper is also stapled directly into the frame. The sides of the roof under the trim are also stapled directly to the frame. We have staple guns and staples that will do that. I have no idea what you have tried to do it with before but it is possible with the right tools.

Let me know when you cut a hole in your roof or headliner though to take a look. We can fix that for you.

 

[homemade]

Probably for most of us it is difficult to conceptualize the thinness of the aluminum used in FWC, warpath eng. has a post with his estimate. Bottom line is that it works and campers hold up well for decades from what I hear.
When I built my roof I used 1/8" alum stock but my lift design is different, any attempt at stapling mine would have resulted in a ruined stapler and likely an ER visit no matter what equipment one would have.

 

[craig333]

Okay, I know my staple gun won't do it

 

[homemade]

Are you useing a narrow crown pneumatic stapler - they are pretty powerful. I don't have a FWC and never looked at the wood strips holding up the liner but when I saw one at a sportsman's show it looked like usual narrow crown 18ga. staples used on the wooden tub (that's what I used along with polyurethane glue and the "floor pack" I built is rock solid) and I think warpatheng indicated the siding is held on by usual looking narrow crown staples. I would think they would tend to work out with time but staples have a glue coating that melts some when the staples are shot then hardens and maybe that helps hold them in (like coated sinker nails). Of course I'm not sure but if it gets restapled it would seem like you would have to shoot the staples in a new spot instead of the area where the aluminum tube has holes. I'm sure Ben or Marty can set you on the right path instead of guessing.

 

[benburnett]

Staples

I just looked up the staples that we use and it doesn't tell the guage on my purchase sheet. I do know that we use a narrow 2" crown staple on the floor pack that is glued as you state. We use a galvanized staple for the skin of the camper.

We do use pneumatic staple guns for all the staples. Different size guns depending on what is being stapled.