Mounting Cargo basket directly to camper shell/topper?

[Driver79]

I’m looking at mounting a cargo basket to the roof of my truck topper, just wondering if anyone on here has done this without using a roof rack in between the topper and the basket. Just thinking less height and lower drag would be better... I do see a benefit I’d the rails dispersing the weight load but that’s about it.

 

[KD32]

Yes, I did it with a Yakima basket and an A.R.E. topper that had t-rails already installed, for the exact reason you mention. There are brackets that would usually connect the basket to the crossbars on a rack. Use just the top half of the brackets, connect them to the basket, slide t-bolts or correct size carriage bolts in the rails, run the bolts up through the holes in the brackets, and tighten down with the supplied knobs.

 

[Driver79]

Yes, I did it with a Yakima basket and an A.R.E. topper that had t-rails already installed, for the exact reason you mention. There are brackets that would usually connect the basket to the crossbars on a rack. Use just the top half of the brackets, connect them to the basket, slide t-bolts or correct size carriage bolts in the rails, run the bolts up through the holes in the brackets, and tighten down with the supplied knobs.

Thank you, I need to add rails. Any chance you have pictures of you set up?

 

[mcr-85]

I have a cheap harbor freight rack mounted to my little trapping/hunting truck's topper.i built the rails with uni-strut from home depot. It works as intended.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[KD32]

I don’t have that truck any more. Will look back through old pictures & try to find some. You might want to check with the topper manufacturer & see what their recommendation is for adding rails. From what i remeber from the research I did for that project, if the topper wasn’t designed, reinforced for carrying extra weight on top when it was built, adding rails, basket, cargo could void the warranty, or cause damage, failure. If yours was built for the additional load, then you would be good to go.

 

[cnelk]

I just added 3 hooks to each side the side of my topper. That way I can lash a canoe, ladder or elk rack to the top.

 

[Driver79]

I don’t have that truck any more. Will look back through old pictures & try to find some. You might want to check with the topper manufacturer & see what their recommendation is for adding rails. From what i remeber from the research I did for that project, if the topper wasn’t designed, reinforced for carrying extra weight on top when it was built, adding rails, basket, cargo could void the warranty, or cause damage, failure. If yours was built for the additional load, then you would be good to go.

It’s a Leer but they only warranty it for a year I believe anyhow. Structurally they are the same whether or not you order it with a rack factory installed. Not sure about the other topper manufacturers.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I have a cheap harbor freight rack mounted to my little trapping/hunting truck's topper.i built the rails with uni-strut from home depot. It works as intended.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

Hang stands

 

[ChrisAU]

I take it you are asking about attaching the bracket directly to the shell? I would want the wait distribution of rails, and you are also asking for water leakage problems no matter what you do.

In 2019 I decided to put a rack on my camper, cheap Amazon knock off mounted to the Yakima rails that came on my camper shell. Sure glad I did. My plan if I were to harvest my first Elk was to put meat in coolers in the bed of the truck, then the rack on top of the coolers. Problem was, the rack wouldn’t fit! It was a lot of fun riding 1650 miles back home like this!

 

[Driver79]

I take it you are asking about attaching the bracket directly to the shell? I would want the wait distribution of rails, and you are also asking for water leakage problems no matter what you do.

In 2019 I decided to put a rack on my camper, cheap Amazon knock off mounted to the Yakima rails that came on my camper shell. Sure glad I did. My plan if I were to harvest my first Elk was to put meat in coolers in the bed of the truck, then the rack on top of the coolers. Problem was, the rack wouldn’t fit! It was a lot of fun riding 1650 miles back home like this!

View attachment 316000

My thought is to install the slide rails for weight distribution but to skip the towers and crossbars this keeping the rack low profile.

 

[hechterooskie]

My thought is to install the slide rails for weight distribution but to skip the towers and crossbars this keeping the rack low profile.

Did you end up finishing this project?