Canopy Build.... The start of my projects.

[Oupa Stig]

Rob, your canopy is starting to look good!
RE alu sheeting: best prices I found was @ KMG Metals, Germiston, cnr Linton Jones, Brammer, tel 011 871 6900. Beginning 2012 I paid R 450,00 for a 2,42 x 1,22 m sheet hi-brite 1,2mm thick.
Hinges: steel hinges as on house doors are good, but requires a LITTLE bit of maintenance. Instead I got house door hings in alu - available at most decent hardware stores, blends in with rest of cladding, maintenance free. Just dont rivet the damn things in - use self tappers.my rear door came off.... Fortunately while stationary when I opened it,and not on highway... since I used self tappers no scary momens.

[Legendary]

Hi Mickey

Thanks, I am getting very excited about the canopy now as we are almost finished.... The Mozambique trip is almost here and I still have a lot to do. I want to try and have most of everything done.

I will confirm the price on the alu sheets, if I'm not mistaken it was a little more expensive, I used metal hinges, but welded them to the frame, so they shouldnt fall off (thought welding might be better).

The only thing concerning me now is the best way to fasten the canopy to the bin, I already have holes drilled from when the previous owner had a canopy, so I plan to use those, but still keeping my options open.

Any ideas out there? Looking at bolts with spring washers and lock nuts, but need it to be pain free for ease of removing and attaching.

[Oupa Stig]

Rob, my canopy has a datachable roofrack on top (8 bolts).
I undo the bolts, then lift the front end of the roofrack and tie it to 2 ropes hanging from my garage rafters.then I do the same at the back. (my setup is for work,not recreation, so the roofrack is 4,2m x 1,2m, and the canopy framework very strong)
My canopy bolts on with 4 bolts. I had deliberately made it a tad narrower than the full width of the bak, so Ican bolt it vertically onto bak top rim from OUTSIDE of canopy. No hassles to fit spanners etc.
Theoreticaly I can take it off by myself and hang it next to my roofrack, attaching the ropes to the fastening plates on top where the roofrack mounts, but I'm afraid it might collapse my garage roof...
Not really, but it is heavy, also because my bakkie is SC.
My suggestion is that you make it to hang - that way you lift it 20cm and drive out from underneath.
Fastening it to your bakkie depends on your configuration, but to my mind anything you fasten by hand can rattle loose, so use spanner and nuts and bolts. WT4.8 works for my heavy duty setup.

[MOFASA]

The small downward open doors will be on a "chain mechanism to keep it level, however i will be able to remove the chain so that it can go all the way down for access to certain things. (I hope it works)

Be careful with this idea as i have seen damage done to the side of the load bin due to the door being lent against while trying to get something out the canopy....
My 2cw is fit a rubber stop or weather strip on the door where it would come into contact with the load bin and stop the damage before it happens...

Other than that your canopy is coming along alot faster than mine.....
Looks good keep us updated....

[Legendary]

Thanks guys, with regards to the roof rack, I am still trying to decide weather to make it bolt on or fixed. I like fixed as its something I don't have to worry about coming loose.

Johno, I was thinking about the scratching on the bin.... I actually think I might have made my doors a bit big on the downward opening ones, as the reach might be a bit of an issue, but I think I will through in a small buffet so that when the misses needs to get something she can stand on that.

I decided that I want the thing done and dusted so I have been pushing to finish, I've done 2 fishing trips since I started the build and old have loved to try out the canopy, so that is driving me at the moment. :) :)

[CasKru]

If I were you, I would opt for a bolt on version roof rack. You will be amazed (actually disgusted) at the increase in wind resistance and increase in fuel consumption on of those units can bring about.

[Legendary]

Thanks Cassie, I think I might do that, I have a roof rack for my cab, but won't have that on all the time, so the roof rack on the canopy would cause a lot of resistance.

Has just always bothered me, I wouldn't want it to come loose while driving and cause an issue for people behind me.

[CasKru]

Thanks Cassie, I think I might do that, I have a roof rack for my cab, but won't have that on all the time, so the roof rack on the canopy would cause a lot of resistance.

Has just always bothered me, I wouldn't want it to come loose while driving and cause an issue for people behind me.

Just use Nylock Nuts or a locking pin

[MOFASA]

Thanks Cassie, I think I might do that, I have a roof rack for my cab, but won't have that on all the time, so the roof rack on the canopy would cause a lot of resistance.

Has just always bothered me, I wouldn't want it to come loose while driving and cause an issue for people behind me.

Just use Nylock Nuts or a locking pin

Or you can use M10 CASTLE nuts with a split pin....
Same nuts they use on most wheel bearings

[niclemaitre]

I used M10 bolts and cap nuts, that way there are no sharp bolt ends for you to snag your hands on. A couple of spring washers and some Loctite stop it coming undone by accident.

[smokintyres]

I used M10 bolts and cap nuts, that way there are no sharp bolt ends for you to snag your hands on. A couple of spring washers and some Loctite stop it coming undone by accident.

Makes for a tidy and safe installation Inspecting for loose bolts or other possible hazards all around the car should be done regularly in any case, Loctite or not. Making the roof-rack removable is definitely advisable. Perhaps you want to fit a RTT in a year or two; in which case the roofrack would be in the way, but definitely move the tent higher up than necessary. Just m2cw

[Legendary]

Thanks guys, I will look into the M10 bolts that you have suggested.

Can I buy these at Mica and those places:?:

I think I will hold off on the roof rack for now, just get my canopy finished and on the Bakker so that I can test it out....

Need to take it on a fishing trip or two to test it out and see where I need to change / modify it to work well.

Will try and take some more pics in the morning.

[MOFASA]

Pics are always good.....

M10 Castle nuts you can get from any bolt and nut shop.....

[niclemaitre]

Just a thought on fastening the canopy down, why not use those fasteners that Venter use on their trailer lids? MacNaughtans have them: http://mcnaughtans.co.za/catches.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hangover]

Die canopy maak my so opgewonde ek wil sommer aan my eie een begin bou... het nou al genoeg idees en plannetjies gesien om als te weet wat ek wil weet...

[Polarbear2008]

Ek aanvaar dit lyk soos in die foto hieronder:

[Legendary]

Hello there, sorry I haven't posted updates but I am currently in Zambia Kitwe, up at the copper mines, so I haven't had the best commas and time to be honest to post any updates.

Nic, thanks for the site and the latches however I don't really want to drill holes into the bin and those venter trailer latched need to either be pop rivited or bolted on, I already have holes from a normal canopy on the top of the bin, so I will stick to making use of these. However if that doesn't work I will look ino those latches.

Hangover... You need to get busy nothing better than something you want deigned the way you want it, just makes sense.

Thanks PolarBear2008 for the pic of the nuts, I will have a look over the weekend when I return from Zambia, hopefully I will get time as come Monday I am out again to Mozambique.

Will update pictures as soon as I can.

[KALAHARI SEUN]

Ek het met die selfde probleem gesit met my vorige bakkie. En toe het ek die gewone droplocks gebruik( daar is n foto waar die slot in hak). Het net n 10mm boutie met n lock nut gebruik i.p.v die slot, dat hulle nie moet los kom nie.