Roof Deck Idea

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lhoffm4

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So I watched a YouTube vid (I know I prolly should not have) where a fellow built a full deck over his van, where he could set up removable guard rails, have a table and pedestal chairs like a bass boat would have, etc. It got me thinking (I know I prolly shouldn’t have)

so out to the side yard to play with the idea... my rtt is set up to open towards the rear of the trailer. There is a door/screen that opens to the front as well. My contractor rack extends about 8 feet beyond the rtt, so LOTS of storage...and decking. So I says to myself, “Self, why not add some removeable guard rails, throw down some boat seat mounts (similar to my bass boat) and use my pedestals and seats and a small table on the deck? Heck, I even have a beach umbrella or could fan up an awning/tarp for shade up there...
gaining serious recreational real estate in the process.

As long as it all packs down for transport, I’m thinking “why not?” Would be kind of cool to sit at a table outside the tent at night under the stars...on the roof of my rig!

So what do you guys think of the concept? My guard rail idea makes the wife more comfortable with me climbing around up top. It won’t impair the storage or transport of the trailer AND there’s a relative uniqueness/cool factor.

Oh, when completed, the rails will wrap around the whole front part of the rack, be removeable in three sections and store either on the deck of the roof rack or just below it, but on the trailer.
 
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MMc

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I have a 2500 long bed with a 14' rack on top. On the rack there is a old Confer small truck rack mounted to transport fuels, about 30" X 48". I haul up a beach chair to watch the surf all the time. I have considered decking that side of my rack more than once. I haven't because most of my travel is solo so there isn't much need.
I think the railing would take up a bit of space, hell try it!
 

lhoffm4

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Coming together nicely. Just test-fitting now, working out the idea for couplers so the rail can break down into the three pieces for storage when traveling. Welded all the receiver tubes and it seems fairly stout. Should perform admirably. Not sure yet what I will use to span the gaps between the legs. Maybe some mil-spec strap-netting?

need to finish this so I can get the awning and shower skinned. Too many damned ideas, not enough time and money...mostly money. lol
 

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lhoffm4

Rank III

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778
Boise, Idaho
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Lee
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Hoffman
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US Navy
Coming together nicely. Just test-fitting now, working out the idea for couplers so the rail can break down into the three pieces for storage when traveling. Welded all the receiver tubes and it seems fairly stout. Should perform admirably. Not sure yet what I will use to span the gaps between the legs. Maybe some mil-spec strap-netting?

need to finish this so I can get the awning and shower skinned. Too many damned ideas, not enough time and money...mostly money. lol
inside the railing is 27 square feet of usable deck/storage space. 51”x78”
 
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lhoffm4

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Got the railing painted and the diy shower box installed, next stop take it to get the 180 awning and shower stall skinned with some rip stop canvas...
 

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lhoffm4

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So digging around in my shed, I found an old puppy enclosure that folds down accordion style that happens to near perfectly fit along the inside perimeter of my roof deck railing. It connects by using some Harbor Freight hitch pins with spring closures. Like it was planned or something... Freaky!

I have not picked them up yet, but I also plan to pick up some tent pole connector joints and weld up some receivers to allow a wall-tent/car port style roof awning for shade over the roof deck.

I’m gaining serious real-estate on this build. Gonna have to give it a name... Maybe something like “The Weasley Mobile” or “The Jed Glamp-it”. Ha!

Im guesstimating nearly 400 sq ft of covered, usable, livable space that fits within the rolling chassis foot of print a truck bed trailer with an 8 ft bed.

I will have to do some measurements once it is completed to be certain but

SQUARE FEET OF SPACE
truck bed trailer is 5x8=40
ARB 2500 awning/tent is 8x8=64
Overlander XL Tent is 64
RTT Annex tent is 8x8=64
180 degree batwing awning is 128
Roof Deck beyond the rtt is 5x8=40

like I said...subject to verification
 

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MMc

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I love it!!! I would pass on the any more than the rail. To much stuff to manage. Maybe call it the dog runner the nickel seats.
 
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lhoffm4

Rank III

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778
Boise, Idaho
First Name
Lee
Last Name
Hoffman
Service Branch
US Navy
Coming together nicely. Just test-fitting now, working out the idea for couplers so the rail can break down into the three pieces for storage when traveling. Welded all the receiver tubes and it seems fairly stout. Should perform admirably. Not sure yet what I will use to span the gaps between the legs. Maybe some mil-spec strap-netting?

need to finish this so I can get the awning and shower skinned. Too many damned ideas, not enough time and money...mostly money. lol
I took the rig today to a couple shops to get quotes for awning material. First a boat cover shop. They quoted $1500 for the awning cover and $400 for a flipping shower curtain! Next was a tent maker and custom awning shop. They couldn’t give me a quote but said they would email it to me next week. That lady was a B-acon l-ettuce, T-omato, CH-eese sammich. I don’t think they wanted my business.

I’m kind of bummed, I figured and was prepared to pay $300-$500 for the awning and shower curtain for my rig, but at the quoted prices I got, I could just buy commercial products! Guess I will have to buy an industrial sewing machine and the material and make my own. Oh and the awning material was quoted at $450 but the labor was $1050. The shower material was $50 and the labor for it was $400!

No wonder people DIY stuff! Just saying...

I tried contacting a few overlanding awning and shower manufacturers to see if they would sell just the awnings or curtains already sewn up? Nope, gotta buy their whole kit n kaboodle... Most of them “just order the stuff from China”. That is part of the reason I wanted to make my own... keep it local... Keep it American made... how disheartening! I will keep working on it tho.
 

Billiebob

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I took the rig today to a couple shops to get quotes for awning material. First a boat cover shop. They quoted $1500 for the awning cover and $400 for a flipping shower curtain! Next was a tent maker and custom awning shop. They couldn’t give me a quote but said they would email it to me next week. That lady was a B-acon l-ettuce, T-omato, CH-eese sammich. I don’t think they wanted my business.

I’m kind of bummed, I figured and was prepared to pay $300-$500 for the awning and shower curtain for my rig, but at the quoted prices I got, I could just buy commercial products! Guess I will have to buy an industrial sewing machine and the material and make my own. Oh and the awning material was quoted at $450 but the labor was $1050. The shower material was $50 and the labor for it was $400!

No wonder people DIY stuff! Just saying...

I tried contacting a few overlanding awning and shower manufacturers to see if they would sell just the awnings or curtains already sewn up? Nope, gotta buy their whole kit n kaboodle... Most of them “just order the stuff from China”. That is part of the reason I wanted to make my own... keep it local... Keep it American made... how disheartening! I will keep working on it tho.
you are comparing $25 a day to $25 an hour. sweat shop vs a regulated environment. of course China is cheaper. so rather than support a local fabricator you are going to spend $2K on tools and material and pay yourself how much. I agree $1900 sounds expensive but will you save money doing it yourself. Don't be too critical of a business trying to make money.
 

lhoffm4

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Boise, Idaho
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Lee
Last Name
Hoffman
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US Navy
you are comparing $25 a day to $25 an hour. sweat shop vs a regulated environment. of course China is cheaper. so rather than support a local fabricator you are going to spend $2K on tools and material and pay yourself how much. I agree $1900 sounds expensive but will you save money doing it yourself. Don't be too critical of a business trying to make money.
Not at all, and I meant no disrespect to local businesses. Part of my reasoning for doing things myself and trying to shop locally is to avoid giving my hard earned coin to support foreign companies.

It’s still a hard pill to swallow when you have a sense of the intrinsic value of something and you get gut-checked when you learn things are not what you think they should be. Rant over...