grassroots truck bed caps

I am looking for a camper cover for my truck but am having trouble finding a used one for a short bed Ranger step side (I am too cheap to buy a new one) so I have been thinking about making one. Bend square tubing to make a frame. Then wrap sheet aluminum around and rivet. Any suggestions on windows and a rear door?

Riveted Lexan windows? Good from a security standpoint, bad for ventilation.

I have been planning for ever that if I bought a pickup I would make a hard tonneau cover out of a tubing frame and riveted aluminum skin. I would also put a piano hinge in the centre so it could fold in half if I had something big to carry.

The first thing that popped into my head was to modify an existing shell from a similar truck.

I've seen a homemade rack made out of wood that wasn't too bad. The cooler option is to build the frame and stretch canvas or sunbrella over the shell. I'm pretty sure I've seen that one before but it looked professional.

soak a sheet in fiberglass and drape it on there. shrugs

Craigslist ~will~ result in one eventually. I found one for my small cab-long bed Dakota with a little looking, and no one bought those, at least around here. Funny thing, even though I left it unlocked the crackheads in Camden NJ ripped the thing off the truck and left it between the ghetto-kota and a brand new Lexus SUV. All night, in a windstorm.

My swanky 2001 Tacoma came with a color matched ARE cap with gas struts and a key and a tiny battery powered light.

My 96 f150 xlt has a cab and a 1/2 with a darn 7 foot bed... I could not find one ither. Got 8 footer fiberglass unit and took a skill saw to it. Screwed it back togather with plywood wraped in fiberglass.

It had a plywood window in the back with plexiglass. It's rotted now and needs replacement I'm going to use Mini-tec alum to make a frame to hold plexi. http://www.minitecframing.com/ and an alum piano hindge from Mc Master

Anyone know where to get or who makes the extruded alum that inerlocks to form a hinge? I can't find'em anywhere so likley use a piano hinge but i'd rather not have to worry about the pin getting stiff.

44Dwarf wrote: i'd rather not have to worry about the pin getting stiff.

Think about baseball......

lol, but I think tractor supply carries a steel version of a hinge that interlocks and is detachable for trailer/tractor/barn use... I love TSC...

Howz 'bout dis?:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/pts/1159259292.html

Actually...build a frame from tubing, then...

andrave wrote: soak a sheet in fiberglass and drape it on there. *shrugs*

and then do it 2 more times...dundy

andrave wrote: lol, but I think tractor supply carries a steel version of a hinge that interlocks and is detachable for trailer/tractor/barn use... I love TSC...

Do you know what they call it? I can't find it on there site and nearst one is a 2 hour ride.

44Dwarf wrote: Anyone know where to get or who makes the extruded alum that inerlocks to form a hinge? I can't find'em anywhere so likley use a piano hinge but i'd rather not have to worry about the pin getting stiff.

Mcmaster sells those hinges.

Geared hinge I think it's called.

On or around the same page as the piano hinges.

Expensive.

-James

Yes Geared one are. The one that was on my truck was not a geared type if you lifted the door you can slide it off. Reminds me of fingers clasped or a train coupler.

Thanks JFX. I didnt see that in my searching. Now lets see if he responds to my email.