Ranger with a shed on top

[Plasmajab]

That is a huge cap.. Mine is 254 pounds and its fiberglass.. I'd wager that has to be close if not more.

Does it extend over the sides of the cab much? Do you have a front picture?

[Interstatement]

Originally Posted by Plasmajab

That is a huge cap.. Mine is 254 pounds and its fiberglass.. I'd wager that has to be close if not more.

Does it extend over the sides of the cab much? Do you have a front picture?

I did take a front pic, but can’t open the hosting site to retrieve it at the moment. I’ll add it when I can by editing this post or making a fresh one.

The cap is about 1” narrower than the cab at the leading edge of the bed. From there it tapers at a steeper angle than the cab, so it protrudes a couple of inches from the top of the cab. This cap was originally on a 2004 Tacoma, so some of the fitment anomalies could be due to that, though it didn’t match the Taco cab especially well, either. I suspect A.R.E. makes the roof panel the same size across the DCU line, so the sides get more vertical if a raised roof is spec’d.

My longer-term plans are to narrow and change the roof panel so that the sides lean in and the cap tucks in behind the cab proper. This will be a major de/reconstruction of the cap to optimize its work/play/travel roles. I’m accumulating parts and materials for now in hopes of diving deeper into the project this coming spring. I worked for over a decade making signs and awnings with 1”x1” square aluminum tubing, so I’m very familiar with the material and look forward to tweaking this cap to my liking.

Later in the week, I’ll post some sketches of what I’m thinking about.

[Xist]

Square rear edges appeared on Civics because they aided separation, but rounded front corners will aid attachment.

[botsapper]

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/u...153_190123.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/73/5e...638f2f93a6.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufAyCCGwBaE

https://www.bigredcaravanparts.com.a...47138_zoom.png

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/a...1&d=1340623454

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/97/87...357a9dec4c.jpg

[freebeard]

The first two would be effective if they were boxed in on the sides, but those red arrows that don't respect The Template? Ridiculous.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The first two would be effective if they were boxed in on the sides, but those red arrows that don't respect The Template? Ridiculous.

I built one for AeroStealth's 4RUNNER/APEX rig and it showed zero difference in mpg.It as embedded within the separation bubble preceding the APEX's nose.
Only a gap-filled,bulbous modification would have made a diifference.

[Interstatement]

Here is a front view of the steep angle of the cap. Long term plan is to nip and tuck the angle inward so that it matches that of the truck cab and no longer protrudes thusly.

[Interstatement]

The other goals at the front end are to remove the protruding lip at the bottom, replace the protruding window with a more flush-mounted one from another cap, and angle the front of the cap to better match the cab.

[Interstatement]

Here's a quick doodle of the elaborate ending I'm dreaming up. The sides lean in, the front angles forward, enabling it to slide a couple of inches forward from where it currently sits (note rear overhang), the top gets cut out and braced with a removable crossmember across the rear and a front-hinged fiberglass tonneau (which I already have from a previous Ranger iteration) attaches to the top. I either need to narrow my tonneau or swap it for a narrower one from a step-side Ranger if that width works as-is (obviously much less work. Front-hinged cargo box will mount on roof rack tracks and hinge forward similar to a 1968-1973 Westfalia camper pop top, using the same seal for the edges.

The tonneau would serve two purposes:
1) can be opened or removed to accommodate tall items.
2) A three sided tent (think VW Westfalia pop top) snaps in for an airy camping setup.

[Frank Lee]

Looks like starting from scratch to get what you want would be easier.