What rack for a camper shell?

[Mike W.]

I just got a truck with a camper shell. I'm not sure what I want to do about the rear rack. I can get new clips & put my Yakima on the cab, so that's taken care of. I have been given a set that mounts to a plate, which bolts to the top of the bed-rail (under the shell). I'm not sure if I like this or not. What do y'all recommend? It's a 2005 GMC if that matters.

Thanks in advance.

[cheajack]

Mike, if you put one set on the cab and another set on the shell you may have a spread that would prevent you stacking boats on their sides. I would hunt around for a pair of mounts for the shell and probably put them not much more that 36" apart. Rack systems on our vehicles are set at 33" which is the span needed for our rocket box and they do fine stacking any boats any way.

[sbroam]

If I ever start from scratch again with a shell, I'm going with tracks so the bar spread is adjustable. Yakima has track + feet to go with it.

[Mike W.]

My immediate concern is loading my 16' Scout (goose season opens in 40 days). With my old truck, a bar on the roof and one at the back of the bed was good for everything from my Viper c-1 to my marathon boat. Short boats went in the bed.

I'm wondering about this plate that fits between the bed and shell. Sbroam, I hadn't thought about that track set up. I need to see how close I can get the rear bar to the back of the shell so I can put one end of the canoe on the bar and rest the other end on the ground for draining.

[ohioboater]

No personal experience with the mounts that go between cap and bed rail, but I do have direct experience with tracks and artificial raingutters on glass caps.

I had artificial raingutters with old school Thule towers on an ARE mid rise cap with aluminum rails on top of a Frontier, and Yakima tracks with Thule quick-release towers (don't remember the number) on a Leer with glass rails on top of an F 150. Both worked fine and caused no damage or leaking to the cap.

The tracks were better, because I could adjust the bar spread, though the artificial gutter plates probably were stronger.

I did a lot of Internet research back then, and I ran across lots of people who claimed that their caps cracked within weeks of putting rack bars on them and that the only way to go was a $1500 custom steel over-rack that mounted between the cap and the bed rails. I guess cracking is a risk, but I was not kind to either of my setups - often carried 6 boats up there on bumpy shuttle roads. So perhaps I was lucky, or perhaps the folks who had damage issues were the same ones who complain when reviewing a sleeping bag that the factory stuff sack is too small (IE user error).

For the F-150 I bought a pair of standard non-gutter Thule towers and a third load bar that I would mount on the cab. That allowed me to carry long boats and highly rockered mid-length boats without scraping the paint on the cab roof. For example, the bow of an Outrage or Dimension mounted just on the two topper racks would scrape/bump the cab roof. Long boats also would stick way out beyond the back of the truck. The third load bar fixed both of those issues.

[truckeeboater]

I'll +1 on the Yakima tracks. I've had a set on a Leer glass shell for about 5 years now and never had any issues. Some folks have said that the mounting hardware leaks and causes your shell to rot from inside out, but I haven't had any leakage. I DID however have them installed by a professional so that the work was covered. Having the spread be adjustable is great. Make sure you double check the weight rating for both the rack system and the shell itself, usually the rack is rated better than the shell. Mine was 300# for the rack and 150# for the shell. I've never had more than an Option and a full cargo box on there and it works out great. Best of luck!

[Einar]

I have no problems with canopy side mounted gutters, although I made sure they were located over a side wall pillar to transfer the load directly to the truck bed. The rail to rail spread is a little wide for the newer short canoes and play kayaks, at the moment they go in the back. I'm thinking of adding a third rail between to secure the short hulls, maybe with a vertical fold up "wing" for side stacking.

I scavenged a pair of tall towers for the front and also added 2x2's on top of the front rail so the Captions and the Occoees don't rub on the cab roof, as Ohio has commented.

I had a machine shop make up at set of Extenders that slide into the ends of all four rails that gives me an additional width per rail of 16" total, just legal. There is also a tie loop on the end of each extender, handy for monster loads on shuttles; wrap the bundle.

Since the load on the Extenders is fore and aft I secure them in with rope tied to the towers.
The extenders are slim enough to store under the back seat in a bag.
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DSCN0082.jpg (53.94 KiB) Viewed 12119 times

Truck is a GMC 1500 Sierra with a 6'6" bed.

[Mike W.]

Thanks for all of the info! I played w/ the rack I have that mounts between the bed & shell. I'll have to do enough modification to it to make it fit this truck & have the cross-bar low enough for me to reach, that I don't want it.

I found the Quick-N-Easy brackets that I had on my '73 F100. I think I'll get a set of Yakima Side Loaders (rain gutters) & a 2x4 for the back of the shell. I'll get new Q Clips for my cab-mounted bar & be set for long boats.

I think I should be able to cut some length off the rain gutter & make it fit between the side glass & the back of the shell. This will allow me to get the 2x4 closer to the roof, where I can reach it.

Before my next trip with short boats & camping gear, I'll get another set of towers & Q Clips to have 2 bars on the cab. I already have (2) 78" bars & a pair of stackers.

I really appreciate all of y'all's help on this.

[KNeal]

Mike, I sent ya a text message about a Yakima "Y" rack I have if you want it. It mounts/dismounts easily to the 2-inch hitch and adds more length to load longer boats. I've used it for the Dagger Legend and your WWOC1 boat. Price is workable so let me know if you are interested and I can send you pics via text.

[Mike W.]

I've never drilled through gel coat before. I'm guessing put masking tape on it and drill slowly? Start with a small bit and work up?

Kneal, thank you, but I'm passing on your rack. This truck is a bit taller than my old one and I'll need to drop the tailgate to get to my stuff in the bed.

[mcgliam]

I've got a leer camper with 6' Thule runners on top.

I roll with a camp on rain gutter style on the cab (Toyota tundra) that is 8.5', then another 8.5' on the back. Then on my runner I have a 6.5' one that works well for my playboats. This way I can put my tandems and playboats on just fine without changing my setup.

[ohioboater]

I've never drilled through gel coat before. I'm guessing put masking tape on it and drill slowly? Start with a small bit and work up?

It's been a really long time, but from what I remember, the mounting holes for the track screws weren't particularly big. I used a center punch to keep the bit from wandering but otherwise drilled in one shot rather than piloting and then stepping up. I used a brad point bit, which tends to cut a cleaner hole in the first place.

[Mike W.]

Thank you! I'll go to the hardware store & get a brad point bit. That looks like it should do a fine job.