Does anyone ever have to remove and replace a fiberglass camper shell alone? If so how do you do it to avoid a busted shell or ruined back?

I would like to be able to remove and replace the topper at will but so far I haven't found a way to do it alone.

Thanks

 

Pulley system.

You can either attach a couple eyebolts and use them,
or if you have opening windows on both sides, you can snake a rope through there.

Guy next door removes his often, and has a pulley in his garage and 2 eyebolts on the roof.

Just pulls it to the roof of the garage and leaves it there till he wants to put it back on.

Of course, none of this will work if you don't have a garage, or the truck doesn't fit in the garage.



phox

 

I've done it with 4 bottle jacks, 4 short lolly columns, and a cross plank at the front and rear of the cap. Jack it up an inch, and drive out from under it. The problem is that it's very dangerous to leave it on the columns. We immediately lowered the cap to the ground after the truck was out from under it. It was a two-man job, but we didn't break our backs.

 

I built a frame for just this purpose. 1" square tubing. 7' x 7' base Vertical posts on corners. Two pieces of 1" tubing with some 1.5 welded on the ends to slide up and down the verticals, parallel to the side of the truck. . 4 holes bored in each vertical about 1' apart with those spring lock pins (like for securing the hitch coupler lever) for raising and lowering.

Back the truck into the frame. Unclamp the cap, then lift it and slide a 2x4 across the truck box between the box rail and the lip on the shell. I just stand up and let my shoulders lift the shell. this leaves both hands free to work the lumber. Do the back first, because it is most likely to slide off and gouge your paint. now do the same at the front. Then climb out and lift the sliding parts up to the first hole above the box rail and insert the pins.. If you have bored them right, the cap will now be suspended about 6" above the box. Drive the truck out. Then lower the cap to a more stable height by going down one hole at a time. This way, you have control of the cap at all times. Mine is about 1' off the ground when lowered. To reinstall, simply reverse the process. Takes me about 20 minutes working alone from start to finish. Next to no strain. the 2x4s I use are stud length with a short block of wood at the ends to keep it from sliding off of the square tubing.

I have been using this setup for about 8 years now. I may even get brave and try to post pictures. Ask away if this is interesting to you, and you need better descriptions.

 

First thing get rid of it and get a Fold-A-Cover. It can be removed by one person and only takes about 5 minutes to remove and install after initial installation. Also you can still leave on when pulling a 5vr or Goose neck trailer

Now as far as your problem you can set yourself up some poles 6-8 and install rollers on the cross members. place these cross members plus the rolllers(boat type) up at the same height as the bed of the truck or just slightly lower than that. Get your self a couple of tie down straps and hook them to the inside of the shell near the rear and adjust them so as to hold the rear at the same width as when installed on the truck. Now back your truck up to this platform lossen up all of the hold down srews and gently push the cap onto this roller setup. Once it's on the rollers you are all set and can move the truck out of the way and then tie down cap and lock it in place so no one else will come and pick it up for you.

It's a simple setup that works great, depending on how elaborate you decide to get it shouldn't cost too much. Personally get rid of the cap and get the Fold-A-Cover http://www.fold-a-cover.com/

 

I use a similar rigging set up to greatwhite. Four vertical 4x4 posts bolted to a 1/2 sheet of plywood on either side for stability (steel base is from a fence post - home depot). Some cross braces are used with joist 2x4 hangers, then some pully's, eye bolts and rope in a 'block and tackle' fashion. Wife pulls up one side and I pull up the other - drive the truck away and lower the shell to the ground. Cost about a 'hundred bucks all in. The alternative was to bolt the rigging to the ceiling joists in the garage, but I didn't fancy the idea of a 200 lb camper shell hanging from the ceiling. Only thing to remember is to measure the front of the cap - it's wider than the rear.

 

Thanks for the input.

There may be a fold-a-cover in my future but not right now. In the mean time I am going to try to put together a system like greatwhite or Steve034x4 describe. Can you two get some pictures taken? I have the general idea but no sense reinventing it since yours works.

On a related note, will my fuel milage improve without the shell? I currently get 16 - 17 mpg hand calculated.

 

TD, you might see some improvement if you removed your tailgate as well. I'll see what I can do about posting a photo.

 

Believe it or not but removing the tailgate will actually create more drag than leaving it. What happens is if the tailgate is off the air has to fight a boundary layer all the way across the bottom fo the bed where as if it is up the air just moves around in itself with different high and low pressure points. Some arguments have been for and others against tonneau covers for mileage, only one I seen was a clay model of a new Silverado long bed in a wind tunnel. The tonneau cover reduced the drag significantly. I don't know if there woudl be an improvement over a tailgate by having the camper off.

 

I bought a $150, 2ton, engine puller, put a slight extension on it with a hook. I have to turn the cap sideways on the bed; since, if I leave the cap on straight, the lift hook will not reach the center of the cap. By using my back against the inside top, I just slowly pick it up and spin it sideways (my wife guides it some). I use a 4 foot bar (with a large u-bolt in the middle) laid on a blanket on the top of the cap, then using 2" wide ratchet straps that I wrap around the cap in two places about 4 feet apart (over the bar), I just roll the jack under the back of the truck with lift are extension over the cap, attach the extension (with a hook on it) to the bar's u-bolt, jack it up, pull the truck out from under it, lower it to about a foot off the ground, then roll it into the garage until ready to put it back on.

I put this rig together since my sons starting moving out and it lost my free labor.

 

Phox, we in Alabama sometimes have a cure even if it brings jokes. We have "shade trees" That is how my pickup bed came off Any shade tree mechanic knows this stuff. Here garages are made to convert to another bedroom

 

http://www.softopper.com
I put a Softopper on my diesel truck instead of the fiberglass top like I have on my gas truck.

If you have a garage, many people make a lift system from the ceiling with a chainfall.

 

I use the high cap so -soft top or foldable are not options & truck is too tall with cap to get into the garage.

 

Hey nailzsn,

Can you get a picture or two for me? Sounds like your idea would fit my needs well as I have been wanting a engine pulley anyway.

Once I get some concrete in my barn I intend to bring my "first love" back to life. 72 Plymouth Satelite that I swapped a 440 into when I was in high school. It's been sitting in storage for close to 10 years. Hence the need for an engine puller.

 

TN,

I am traveling at the moment but may be able to get some pics this weekend.