Ladder rack with Camper shell

5885 Views 26 Replies 14 Participants Last post by knotley, Apr 15, 2007

knotley

Discussion Starter · Mar 16, 2007

Hi;

First time post. I have been to the local Truck/RV shop and the Local Canadian Tire Keystone supplier and no luck with this:

I need a ladder rack that is outside the bed to be able to put a camper shell underneath. The two retail outlets above were no help with finding such a rack.

I have looked thru the search function and can't find anyone here who has such a combination.

Basically I would like something like this: chucks taco

But on a new style Tacoma access cab. And it would be very nice if there were quick removal pins at the base of the rack that allow the rack to be removed without removing the cap. I would like to take off the rack when I don't need it and store in the backyard.

Anyone done this or have any info?

Thanks

Knotley

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

Pirox

· #2 · Mar 16, 2007

I've got one I would sell you. New in box never installed. It is designed so the brackets go under the camper shell and the rack can be removed from the brackets without removing the shell. The pics you refered to look like a cargo or safarri rack. The one I have is more like a true ladder rack. Send me a pm if you're interested and I can take pics of it for you. I have no pics of it mounted to my truck but I can show you were to get pics of it installed, and I take pics of the one I have.

Kent

DakotaTacoma

· #3 · Mar 16, 2007

From what I have learned, it is not a good idea to put a ladder rack on the composite bed without modifications, like somehow attaching the rack to the frame. It might crack the bed if not properly modified.

knotley

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 18, 2007

Pirox said:
I've got one I would sell you. The pics you refered to look like a cargo or safarri rack. The one I have is more like a true ladder rack. Send me a pm if you're interested and I can take pics of it for you. I have no pics of it mounted to my truck but I can show you were to get pics of it installed, and I take pics of the one I have.

Kent

Hi:

I am in Canada, probably too costly to ship!. I guess what I should have called it was a cargo or safarri rack - that is what I want, not a ladder rack. Pretty much like Tacodoc's but just a bit wider at the base so the camper shell would fit it.

Thanks for your response

Pirox

· #5 · Mar 19, 2007

No problem,

Good luck in your search.

mojavegold

· #6 · Mar 19, 2007

Time to go custom fab. Any good fab shop can make you one of these to your specs. Then you get what you pay for and you're happy with the results. See if they can tie it into the bed tracks for strength.

tele'n

· #7 · Mar 20, 2007

check this link out...
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1483

towards the end of the thread you'll see a couple of pics like this one attached.

i'm in BC so i've found a guy who will order one in for me from Alberta. don't know if i can be removed though once the canopy is installed. i've got my camper ontop of my canopy but mounted with gutter attachments.... and i don't think it's strong enough.

adios

knotley said:
Hi;

First time post. I have been to the local Truck/RV shop and the Local Canadian Tire Keystone supplier and no luck with this:

I need a ladder rack that is outside the bed to be able to put a camper shell underneath. The two retail outlets above were no help with finding such a rack.

I have looked thru the search function and can't find anyone here who has such a combination.

Basically I would like something like this: chucks taco

But on a new style Tacoma access cab. And it would be very nice if there were quick removal pins at the base of the rack that allow the rack to be removed without removing the cap. I would like to take off the rack when I don't need it and store in the backyard.

Anyone done this or have any info?

Thanks

Knotley

See less See more

knotley

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 20, 2007

tele'n said:
check this link out...
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1483

towards the end of the thread you'll see a couple of pics like this one attached.

i'm in BC so i've found a guy who will order one in for me from Alberta. don't know if i can be removed though once the canopy is installed. i've got my camper ontop of my canopy but mounted with gutter attachments.... and i don't think it's strong enough.

adios

Thanks, that is an excellent series of posts. That is pretty much what I want.

Knotley

tele'n

· #9 · Mar 21, 2007

where are you in Canuckistan? are you planning a roof top tent, bikes, work crap?

mountainpete

· #10 · Mar 21, 2007

tele'n - I sent you an e-mail

knotley

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 23, 2007 (Edited)

tele'n said:
where are you in Canuckistan? are you planning a roof top tent, bikes, work crap?

I am close to "La Belle Province".

We Canucks are in the hottest/dangerous area of Afghanistan.

I need to carry a boat a few times during our two weeks of summer

and otherwise mostly work stuff!! I will tow my pu camper, but on occasion I would sleep in the camper shell, under my boat, when it is not worth the time to tow the pu camper. The boat weighs about 135 pounds and the beach dolly for it weighs about 35 pounds - so beyond the capacity of just the camper shell

I thought this sort of rack would already have been built by some company to serve the needs of a contractor, but I guess not.

I can see a need for this by more than a few taco owners.

Knotley

knotley

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 26, 2007

Looks like this will do the job

http://www.kargomaster.com/item.asp?id=54

Scootn2nature

· #13 · Mar 26, 2007

I have one of those Kargo Master's for sale right now...Im a contractor..........basically got it for my canoe..............too many downfalls with it............was gonna pay AJ to modify it so it would conform more to slope of the shell and still maintain 49-50" width for a full sheet of ply or rock....but too much time and work...............plus they weigh a ton..........I would get a safari type rack basket thing.....that's what Im looken to do
ASAP.....they look better, weigh less , and only add a little height to the dimensions of your rig............the KM I have FS breaks apart for one man install/remove.but it's a PIA esp.after a little rust grabs it..........and If your offroad that rack is like trying to drag a treble hook across carpet once you're going through trees and bushes..........BUT IF YOU DECIDE THAT ROUTE I have one for sale, less than half price..........even have the shell already modified to fit rack.............cheap!!!!!

knotley

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 26, 2007

Scootn2nature said:
I have one of those Kargo Master's for sale right now...Im a contractor..........basically got it for my canoe..............too many downfalls with it............was gonna pay AJ to modify it so it would conform more to slope of the shell and still maintain 49-50" width for a full sheet of ply or rock....but too much time and work...............plus they weigh a ton..........I would get a safari type rack basket thing.....that's what Im looken to do
ASAP.....they look better, weigh less , and only add a little height to the dimensions of your rig............the KM I have FS breaks apart for one man install/remove.but it's a PIA esp.after a little rust grabs it..........and If your offroad that rack is like trying to drag a treble hook across carpet once you're going through trees and bushes..........BUT IF YOU DECIDE THAT ROUTE I have one for sale, less than half price..........even have the shell already modified to fit rack.............cheap!!!!!

Thanks for the info! We have lots of rust here in Canada - lots of salt on the roads during the winter. I don't think I would hit any overhead brush where I plan to go - but who knows in the future?

Sometimes will carry two canoes, sometimes carry 4 x 8 plywood.

I just ran across this: http://www.gorhino.com/default.cfm?fuseaction=home.xtremeracks

Looks like you can take off the part that goes above the cab. That would be very useful for me. And it looks fairly lightweight.

lotust

· #15 · Mar 26, 2007

knotley said:
Thanks for the info! We have lots of rust here in Canada - lots of salt on the roads during the winter. I don't think I would hit any overhead brush where I plan to go - but who knows in the future?

Sometimes will carry two canoes, sometimes carry 4 x 8 plywood.

I just ran across this: http://www.gorhino.com/default.cfm?fuseaction=home.xtremeracks

Looks like you can take off the part that goes above the cab. That would be very useful for me. And it looks fairly lightweight.

Did you happen to get a price of this rack?

tele'n

· #16 · Mar 26, 2007

knotley said:
Thanks for the info! We have lots of rust here in Canada - lots of salt on the roads during the winter. I don't think I would hit any overhead brush where I plan to go - but who knows in the future?

Sometimes will carry two canoes, sometimes carry 4 x 8 plywood.

I just ran across this: http://www.gorhino.com/default.cfm?fuseaction=home.xtremeracks

Looks like you can take off the part that goes above the cab. That would be very useful for me. And it looks fairly lightweight.

that looks quite good. can't fit a canopy underneath from what i can see though.
after doing some reading on the other site...getting something that integrates in the rails is key. not sure whether my find will work or not??? still need to find out some more info on it.
please keep us posted on any more finds you come across!

knotley

Discussion Starter · #17 · Mar 27, 2007

It seems this is a popular thing to do right now:

More surfing and I see this:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t185220.html

tele'n

· #18 · Mar 27, 2007

they have some cargo rack on this site as well as boat loaders. a few videos too.
not sure whether they will work on the tacoma or not, i've emailed to ask and will post up when i hear.

http://www.loadmyboat.com they are in BC Canada.

knotley

Discussion Starter · #19 · Mar 28, 2007

tele'n said:
they have some cargo rack on this site as well as boat loaders. a few videos too.
not sure whether they will work on the tacoma or not, i've emailed to ask and will post up when i hear.

http://www.loadmyboat.com they are in BC Canada.

Thanks for that link!

I have also come across this stuff: http://www.8020.net/

There are hundreds of items and parts. You could make anything.

Ursidae69

· #20 · Mar 29, 2007 (Edited)

knotley said:
Hi;

First time post. I have been to the local Truck/RV shop and the Local Canadian Tire Keystone supplier and no luck with this:

I need a ladder rack that is outside the bed to be able to put a camper shell underneath. The two retail outlets above were no help with finding such a rack.

I have looked thru the search function and can't find anyone here who has such a combination.

Basically I would like something like this: chucks taco

But on a new style Tacoma access cab. And it would be very nice if there were quick removal pins at the base of the rack that allow the rack to be removed without removing the cap. I would like to take off the rack when I don't need it and store in the backyard.

Anyone done this or have any info?

Thanks

Knotley

Looks like you found my Taco.

Here is some more info on the rack on my site as well as my other mods. PM me if you have any questions. Chuck...

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

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