Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

... mount them ? The permanent universal truck cap/camper shell side mount, which will then use the basic/old school raingutter "towers".



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The question is, do I just wait till the very end of the build and drill straight through the side or top and use some large fastners ? ( wich will them look ugly, AND conduct heat / cold / mousture/ condesation. )

... or is there a sneak-ier methond.

I plan on transporting a couple of mt. bikes and/or a couple of small white water boats ( kayaks ) ... maybe a ski/snowboard box. Not all at the same time.


Sorry, if thiis has already been discussed and is the dreaded "repost".

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I'd wait until everything was done, then pre-drill the screw holes, put a dab of sealer (even caulk will work) in the hole, then screw it on.

There's not really much of an art to it, you just have to be careful not to ruin your finish.

synaps3 wrote:I'd wait until everything was done, then pre-drill the screw holes, put a dab of sealer (even caulk will work) in the hole, then screw it on.

There's not really much of an art to it, you just have to be careful not to ruin your finish.

What he said... I think most like the rack mounted on the side and just make sure you have good backing where they mount. I used a thin piece of closed cell foam betweeen the plate and the tear to act as a gasket.

What do you want to carry on the rack?

If you want to put a kayak or canoe on it, you might want to think twice... Do you really want to break camp every time you have to take it to the water?

I let the TV take the boats and the TD take the bikes.

Not sure if you have already purchased the rack, but here is another alternative product. I haven't compared prices with Yakima, or Thule, but the brackets curve out a bit more than some of the off the shelf brands. These are from Lil Bear Teardrops. The rack and brackets can be purchased separately.



http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts5.html#RoofRack

3M- VHB tape.. the stuff is incredible..we welded a 24 inch piece of aluminum pipe to a 4" square flange and attached the unit to the hull of an aluminum boat.. neither the strongest or the heaviest guy in the shop could break the bond. surely enough there to hold a bike rack to your trailer. just make sure you got everything lined up because it's a bitch to get it off if you make a mistake.


http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebse ... 6E666666--

This one is made by PRORAC and sold by Little Guy for their teardrops. 300 pound capacity and cost about 300 bucks. There's your bike and your kayak.



Scott G.

slowcowboy wrote:I wouldn't have to break camp on my set up folks. I would just slide the jon boat off the teardrops roof rack. And then on to my ford explores roof rack. Unhitch the tear and head to the lake. Or if I am smart? I will be parked close enough to the lake to just slide the jon, off the teardrops roof rack, set it on its wheels. And pull it over to the water. Then flip it over. Mount the outboad motor. And away we go. Simple. My roof rack is simaler to the woody form alaska but mine is mounted to the roof on alunume strips. Slowcowboy. http://tnttt.com/album_ ... c_id=61168

I guess you are luckier at getting the good camp spots than I am. Also, I didn't acount for a rack on the TV.

Oasis Maker wrote:This one is made by PRORAC and sold by Little Guy for their teardrops. 300 pound capacity and cost about 300 bucks. There's your bike and your kayak.



Scott G.

Just remember, the rating on the roof of your teardrop is just as important as the rating on the rack. If you want to put one of these on your teardrop, you should mach certain the rack mounitng hardware has a solid purchase. You don't want to trust your bikes or canoe to sandwich board.

The fastners on the sides ... should they go into the roof spars ? ... or through bolt them, to the walls ? ( the lil' bear ones look like they are bellow the roof ... )
I doubt the *short* fastners ( in my pics ) just going into the side will be enough.

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cuyeda wrote:Not sure if you have already purchased the rack, but here is another alternative product. I haven't compared prices with Yakima, or Thule, but the brackets curve out a bit more than some of the off the shelf brands. These are from Lil Bear Teardrops. The rack and brackets can be purchased separately.



http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts5.html#RoofRack

Sorry to thread-jack but does anyone know if the price on the lilbear site includes all 4 mount towers and 2 connecting rods/tubes? I can't quite tell...

DasBaldGuy wrote:

cuyeda wrote:Not sure if you have already purchased the rack, but here is another alternative product. I haven't compared prices with Yakima, or Thule, but the brackets curve out a bit more than some of the off the shelf brands. These are from Lil Bear Teardrops. The rack and brackets can be purchased separately.

http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts5.html#RoofRack

Sorry to thread-jack but does anyone know if the price on the lilbear site includes all 4 mount towers and 2 connecting rods/tubes? I can't quite tell...

It did when I got mine.

Noob wrote:The fastners on the sides ... should they go into the roof spars ? ... or through bolt them, to the walls ? ( the lil' bear ones look like they are bellow the roof ... )
I doubt the *short* fastners ( in my pics ) just going into the side will be enough ...

Through-bolting 'em is better, Noob, with a sizable washer on the inside (equal to or slightly larger than that of the rail section you are mounting to the outside wall). I typically use a 1-1/2" SS fender washer (SS bolts & nuts, too).

DasBaldGuy ... the 4 towers, both cross-bars, and the 4 SS "Quick-Rails" are included in the set ... all you need to supply are the mounting bolts (I recommend SS bolts appropriate to your wall thickness, SS nuts & washers).

CHEERS!

Grant

grant whipp wrote:DasBaldGuy ... the 4 towers, both cross-bars, and the 4 SS "Quick-Rails" are included in the set ... all you need to supply are the mounting bolts (I recommend SS bolts appropriate to your wall thickness, SS nuts & washers).

CHEERS!

Grant

Thanks Grant! I was more interested in it for my TV....a late 80's VW with the old-school rain gutters. It is getting hard to find roof racks using that mount system these days.

DasBaldGuy wrote:....a late 80's VW with the old-school rain gutters. It is getting hard to find roof racks using that mount system these days.

The firts place I tried... had them .



http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c241/KielMo/DSCN9862.jpg?t=1237825393
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