truck rack for two canoes

Advice
#1

I need a rack to carry two royalex canoes (about 80 lbs each) on my 2010 Chevrolet silverado 1500, crew cab. The truck has a hard fiberglass lid over the bed. So I am thinking I need a rear rack to extend from receiver hitch with a minimum 66" bar and a front rack that mounts on the cab with a 66" bar. I am having difficulty finding a rack to carry the combined weight of both canoes. Thanks in advance for your recommendations. -phil

#2

It seems to me…
that you only need to support 80 lbs on the front rack, and 80 on the rear. Shouldn’t be hard to do.

Is it?

T

#3

Truck rack for two canoes
The trouble I’m having is finding a back rack that fits my receiver hitch, supports the weight and is 66" in length.

#4

Find a welder

– Last Updated: Apr-19-16 11:58 PM EST –

I bet you could make something for that pretty cheap and easy. I made a set of truck racks last year for around $80, wide enough for two canoes, and probably overkill on strength. You would need a lot less steel for just the rear receiver. That included rustoleum primer and primer.

#5

Twist on canoes?
If you’re planning on a hitch receiver and a cross Bar on the cab, there’s another post a little ways down talking about carrying a canoe on a truck. There it’s mentioned that the cab moving while the rear support doesn’t could introduce a twisting force on the canoes. Not sure how much that would happen with the set-up you’re thinking about, but food for thought

#6

truck racks
I did this for years with a receiver hitch mounted T bar (made it myself) and a roof mounted cross bar on the cab. It works fine, the movement between the bed and the cab is real but the bed is separate from the frame and the receiver is mounted to the frame.



You do need to stabilize the T bar unless your mount clamps the receiver securely, since the receiver usually allows considerable play which will allow the T bar to rock side to side. I just strapped it in use to the bumper to minimize this play, works great and did for years and thousands of miles.



Bill H.

#7

Why the hitch mount?
I carry boats on the racks of my truck cap all the time. They are Thule and were an option when I ordered the cap. I have carried multiple canoes on the racks and they have no problem handling the weight. Perhaps you can go back to wherever your cap came from and have racks added.



It seems a hitch rack would interfere with your ability to open the tailgate or liftgate, which seems inconvenient. Why are you attracted to the hitch rack? What advantage does the hitch rack give you over two bars mounted on the cap? Or on the crew cab?



I guess a lot depends on the shape of your cap and the shape of the boats. My cap is higher than my cab, so it is not hard to accommodate the higher stems of the canoe. I guess if your cap and cab are the same height and your rig is longer than your canoe, the stems would be sitting on the roof. Regardless, I think I’d make the hitch rack an option of last resort.



~~Chip

#8

agree completely
Why not mount it to the cab, cab and cap, or bed?

#9

Truck rack for two canoes
Over the bed I have a hard fiberglass bed cover not a camper shell. I have heard it called a toneau cover. The bed cover lid made by century hinges at the cab and opens up at the rear end of the bed.I thought using a cross bar supported by my receiver hitch would still allow access to the bed with canoes loaded. I greatly appreciate receiving suggestions!

#10

Truck rack for two canoes
Over the bed I have a hard fiberglass bed cover not a camper shell. I have heard it called a toneau cover. The bed cover lid made by century hinges at the cab and opens up at the rear end of the bed.I thought using a cross bar supported by my receiver hitch would still allow access to the bed with canoes loaded. I greatly appreciate receiving suggestions!