I’m looking to travel with my canoe for extended an trip using my chevy silverado crew cab pickup truck. Does anyone have experience with this? I’m guessing one carrier over the cab and one that over the bed?
im new and learning
so…I just figured out I can search the forum database and found quite a bit of info so sorry for the redundancy but if you feel you have any insight I’m all ears.
Thanks
Some use that method
– Last Updated: Aug-30-15 12:55 PM EST –
Just keep in mind that there's a fair bit of flex between the box and the cab. There's a twisting motion, and the box and cab also move closer together and farther apart. This seems to be a lot less pronounced on modern pickups having an ultra-tiny cargo box like what most 4-door trucks have (that's mostly because the front of the box is right on top of the rear suspension instead of being midway along the length of the frame), but it still happens. If you haven't noticed it, have somebody else drive while you look out the back window and compare the position of the front edge of the box with the back edge of the cab, when hitting bumps, and when going diagonally up or down a steep driveway. The motion that you see will be amplified by roughly two times up at roof level (if you had a topper, you could watch the motion at that height). Many people don't want their boat to be strapped across that moving gap, but there are those who don't worry about it. Some trucks are worse for this than others, and of course some boats deserved to be treated well more than others.
Lots of images
On line. I really like the pvc pipe idea and if I had to do it over might go that route. I made mine with uni-strut which is a slotted c channel used in construction trades. Four corner posts and runners extending over the cab with cross members for the canoes to rest on. Bow and stern lines and straps over the canoes and tying to the truck not the rack. Works well with two 17 footers even at interstate speeds. However it is heavy and takes two people to put on truck. I like the pvc frame idea that just slides into the bed.
goalpost
Was thinking about the goalpost from Thule with a carrier on the cab but guideboatguy has a good point. Was trying to be able to continue to use my tonneau cover.
what else is carried ?
why not go out n buy a cap made for rack weight or standing room…standing on the roof is AAA.
https://goo.gl/UBemgC
I’m the aero committee.
If a plywood airfoil of paneling n 3 coats of Rusto add to front beyond the windshield airflow then sides from gunwale to roof…the drive is effortless.
#10 machine screws, aluminum strap or wood.
Use a cardboard template, Walmart box cut open.
Campmor.com has foam canoe blocks. Take a look.
eyebolts.
Goal Post might be good.
The Goal Post method might be pretty good. One thing with any of those hitch-mounted cross bars is that they normally have a bit of looseness in the joints. That’s probably a good thing if the other cross bar is on the cab, so that when the front and rear racks want to move independently along with “their half” of the truck, that little bit of looseness in the rear rack assembly might let all that motion happen without forcing your boat to take on the role of a reinforcing beam.
TracRac
I use a TracRac with a cantilever extension over the cab. It’s a bit pricier than some of the other systems, but it’s also a lot better than anything else I’ve tried. It can be taken off pretty quickly and both uprights can be slid frontward or rearward on the track, which can be convenient. You would not be able to use your current tonneau cover, but I believe they sell one that mounts to the rack.