Alli canopy,kitted

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:45 am

Just out of interest,what and how have you guys outfitted your canopies?
Basically what works and what doesn't.
Thanks

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:13 am

Neil

I subscribe, I am always looking for better ways. My next trip is in September and with 4 people going I don't know if everything will fit. this was only for 2 nights and As you can see there was only space for 1 beer

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 11:37 am

Here is an article on different drawer systems

http://www.wegry.co.za/sites/default/fi ... ystems.pdf

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:07 pm

Hi Wayne,i see a lot of wasted space up top and to the sides of the canopy,I've opted for the five door with three compartments,fitted on the sides.
One door will be used to access the back of the canopy and be able to fill water tank.
Can't post pics yet,but once started,i will do.

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 8:13 pm

So first step,i thought would be best is to fit lights and do all the wiring.
Going to fit LEDs in each compartment and then one on back flap.So when fridge is pulled out,there will be some light.

Now just waiting for canopy to arrive

FJCruiser-ZN · Post by **FJCruiser-ZN** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 8:57 pm

Neil, please keep us posted. I need to start kitting mine for my Botswana Adventure April next year
T

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 1:49 am

Legend35-ZN wrote:Neil, please keep us posted. I need to start kitting mine for my Botswana Adventure April next year
T

Will do

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:16 am

What did you buy Neil?

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:31 am

WayneSchalk wrote:What did you buy Neil?

Gomad4x4

After some negotiation,and his delivery time kicked everybody else's butts by two weeks,it was the only way to go.
He really looks after the hilux guys.

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:47 am

Good choice!!!!

the price is good and the workmanship is excellent, I had one on my KZ that Werner bought off me and on my Vigo I also got one, did you take the full door at the back?

For me the full door is better as you can put your fridge closer to the side, with the tri angles and small door you have to move the fridge more to the center.

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:07 am

Took the full door option,had long discussion with Cassie about it,pros and cons.
The boxes are also removable.
Maybe you should look at fitting some side boxes.

Gerhat · Post by **Gerhat** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:17 am

Hierdie thread gaan ek baie noukeurig volg. Het vir my verlede week ook een by Gomad bestel en het al sedert dit nog net slapelose nagte gehad soos wat ek planne beraam

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:21 am

Thunder02 wrote:Took the full door option,had long discussion with Cassie about it,pros and cons.
The boxes are also removable.
Maybe you should look at fitting some side boxes.

I don't know about the boxes... have u got pics or please explain???

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:55 am

I bought an Alu Cab earlier this year and I am busy kitting it for a trip to Botswana in September. I will post some pics soon. Mine also has a full door because my fridge slide already sits on the left.

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:03 pm

Gerhat wrote:Hierdie thread gaan ek baie noukeurig volg. Het vir my verlede week ook een by Gomad bestel en het al sedert dit nog net slapelose nagte gehad soos wat ek planne beraam

Was up at 1:30 this morning,thinking of all ideas

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:11 pm

WayneSchalk wrote:
Thunder02 wrote:Took the full door option,had long discussion with Cassie about it,pros and cons.
The boxes are also removable.
Maybe you should look at fitting some side boxes.

I don't know about the boxes... have u got pics or please explain???

Can't find pics at the moment

It's basically a compartment fitted to the inside side wall of the canopy.If you open the side door,you have enclosed compartment to pack stuff in.Usually a kitchen unit,recovery gear unit,I've even see a bar unit built in.

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:12 pm

subok wrote:I bought an Alu Cab earlier this year and I am busy kitting it for a trip to Botswana in September. I will post some pics soon. Mine also has a full door because my fridge slide already sits on the left.

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

Pics will be great

FJCruiser-ZN · Post by **FJCruiser-ZN** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:59 pm

A few pictures of my setup

Still need to build the kitchen
T

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:53 pm

Nice

Just a

,why still the roll bar fitted?

Masekind · Post by **Masekind** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 4:03 pm

[quote]Took the full door option,had long discussion with Cassie about it,pros and cons.quote]
Wat maak die vol deur anders ek hou ook baie van die vol deur is dit maar die sterkte van die raam

FJCruiser-ZN · Post by **FJCruiser-ZN** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 6:07 pm

Thunder02 wrote:Nice
Just a ,why still the roll bar fitted?

Space is not too much of a problem, we always camp with our Xcape.

When I remove the canopy, drawer system, I can refit the sail without any fuss.

My dual battery is built onto the side of the drawer system and connects with a Brad Harrison .

Quick and easy...

T

Aquanaut · Post by **Aquanaut** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:17 pm

Hi, as you know, just been to Botswana. My friend drove a land cruser fitted with a draw system, I did not. As much as what I like the look of the draw system, I find it wastes a lot of space and unless you can access the draws from any angle, my friend also landed up searching for things as much as I did.
I looked at the option but after purchasing a couple of plastic containers with self locking lids, it worked as good as a draw system because they come fitted on rollers.
Each container was marked with the contents on the lid and each container was a different colour, so very easy to find what you wanted. With everything inside a sealed container, nothing was exposed to the dust. I mean plenty of dust. ONE BIG TIP to make your wife / partner happy, take a couple of packets of Baby Wipes with. She will thank you later, I promise.
Another tip, They are very strict on taking in meat, fruit and veg into Botswana. They searched us at the border post, and there were quite a few vet stops along the way, the minor ones in the bush did not bother us too much, but the ones on the hunters road down from Kasane were very strict and took away even the food we had bought in Kasane.
So be aware of that and don't try and buy all the food for the whole trip, you may be lucky or you could land up destroying all that you have carried with you.
One thing they were relaxed on was smoked vacume packed meat like smoked viennas, smokey bacon sausage, or any sausage that has been prosessed but vacume packed. Veg and fruit we lost except for a couple of apples that were at my wife's feet.

Coming back to the luggage problem, It was just my wife and I in the double cab, so I removed the back seats and built a wooden platform to extent the floor all the way to the back of our seats, amazing how much extra space we had to play with. We had our fridge in the middle with our clothes containers on either side and plenty of 2l drinking water bottles stored behind the containers.
The bin contained the freezer, 2 x 25 l water containers, 2 x 25 l diesel containers, duel battery, charcoal, braai grid, cans of cooldrink, cooler box, lockable container with the biscuits, chips, sweets canned food, coffe etc. This container was great in keeping out the monkeys and dust.
Lights in the canopy was a blessing, it is dark out there, even had a lead coming from my dual battery to a 12 led light source in my tent. Best idea ever.
If there is anything else you need to bounce off me, please let me know.
Basil

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:46 pm

Legend, did you build the system yourself?

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:07 pm

First was a vent installed on the left canopy door. Still to be tested, but the theory is sound wrt keeping the dust out!

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

Post by **Haboob** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:27 pm

Fit shelves into which you can slide plastic boxes. If they fit nicely you don't even need lids. Best utilization of space and the lightest option. The shelves must not be too deep, otherwise the boxes are too deep & you experience problems finding what you want. If you have to pack things on top of each other then you have to unpack some things to get to others. Biggest shelves at the bottom & they get smaller & narrower the higher up you go. You must get three shelves from the top of the load bin to the top of the canopy for the side doors. I only have shelves for my clothing on the drivers side of the canopy, as well as a compartment behind the drivers side for pots, stove, toasters & tripods.

FJCruiser-ZN · Post by **FJCruiser-ZN** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:29 pm

subok wrote:Legend, did you build the system yourself?

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

With the help of a friend of mine who owns a micro engineering works, we built the canopy and drawer system.

Cost on the canopy, under 5k, the drawer system under 2k, excluding the 100l built in water tank.

We used 3CR12 for the canopy frame with the aluminum cladding and mild steel square tubing for the drawer system frame. I drilled the tubing full of holes with a 22mm hole saw to reduce weight. Electro-galvanized the tubing and powder coated.16mm marine ply top with marine carpet.

My friend is a sheet metal worker and he fabricated the drawers out of 0.8mm galvanized sheeting with only two spot welds to lock the joints.

I've got four plastic (front runner) ammo boxes which fit into the drawers.

We usually load the freezer into the Xcape and the fridge on the slide. 130w solar panel on the roof of my canopy into the dual battery system with a Dc/Dc charger through to the Xcape. 2x 105 amp deep cycle batteries in the Xcape and I x 105amp Deltec Freedom Battery in the canopy.

The longest we've camped without electricity is 5 days, no problem with flat battery's.

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:42 pm

Then I fitted lights at each door. They have a set of yellow and white led's which can be switched. The one at the rear door supplies light into the fridge when opened. They are all connected to the dual battery outlet installed in the left rear of the loadbin. I also installed a work light on a 1m cable and the foot was modified to slide into a rail on the rear edge of the canopy when required.

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:53 pm

There was a nice space inside the existing fridge slide frame and i built a table to fit in there.

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

subok · Post by **subok** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:17 pm

Legend35-ZN wrote:
subok wrote:Legend, did you build the system yourself?

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130
With the help of a friend of mine who owns a micro engineering works, we built the canopy and drawer system.

Cost on the canopy, under 5k, the drawer system under 2k, excluding the 100l built in water tank.

We used 3CR12 for the canopy frame with the aluminum cladding and mild steel square tubing for the drawer system frame. I drilled the tubing full of holes with a 22mm hole saw to reduce weight. Electro-galvanized the tubing and powder coated.16mm marine ply top with marine carpet.

My friend is a sheet metal worker and he fabricated the drawers out of 0.8mm galvanized sheeting with only two spot welds to lock the joints.

I've got four plastic (front runner) ammo boxes which fit into the drawers.

We usually load the freezer into the Xcape and the fridge on the slide. 130w solar panel on the roof of my canopy into the dual battery system with a Dc/Dc charger through to the Xcape. 2x 105 amp deep cycle batteries in the Xcape and I x 105amp Deltec Freedom Battery in the canopy.

The longest we've camped without electricity is 5 days, no problem with flat battery's.

Well its the neatest 'home built' slide i've seen!

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:49 am

Now that table built into the fridge slide,that's what ideas I'm looking for.
Great solution too always a problem

FJCruiser-ZN · Post by **FJCruiser-ZN** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:56 am

Thunder02 wrote:Now that table built into the fridge slide,that's what ideas I'm looking for.
Great solution too always a problem

Agree

T

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:19 pm

Should be two more sleeps now and then she should be here.
Then the work starts

Post by **CasKru** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:24 pm

Thunder02 wrote:Should be two more sleeps now and then she should be here.
Then the work starts

Looking forward to those progress pics

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:25 pm

CasKru wrote:
Thunder02 wrote:Should be two more sleeps now and then she should be here.
Then the work starts
Looking forward to those progress pics

Danman · Post by **Danman** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:30 pm

CasKru wrote:
Thunder02 wrote:Should be two more sleeps now and then she should be here.
Then the work starts
Looking forward to those progress pics

x2

subok · Post by **subok** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 3:12 pm

x3

Hilux D4D
ORRA X130

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 6:50 pm

What happened to the old Ridge pole tent besides being packed away damp.??

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:03 pm

I it is pitty he is not busy with the old steed in in his pic.

Donkey · Post by **Donkey** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:38 am

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 6:51 am

Donkey wrote:

X1

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:00 am

Got a sneack preview from Gomad,at this stage the roof rack was not fitted.

Canopy.jpg: (297.65 KiB) Downloaded 152 times

WayneSchalk · Post by **WayneSchalk** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:03 am

Leker

Danman · Post by **Danman** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:24 am

Looking good,
I'm still amazed everytime I have to load something at the ease of access of these canopies.
NEVER going back to fibreglass canopies!!
Money well spent.
Enjoy

I didn't buy mine with the roofrack....and now I'm regretting it...

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 6:57 am

Danman wrote:Looking good,
I'm still amazed everytime I have to load something at the ease of access of these canopies.
NEVER going back to fibreglass canopies!!
Money well spent.
Enjoy

I didn't buy mine with the roofrack....and now I'm regretting it...

I think going to be kicking myself about the fitted table option.

Danman · Post by **Danman** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 7:09 am

Thunder02 wrote:
Danman wrote:Looking good,
I'm still amazed everytime I have to load something at the ease of access of these canopies.
NEVER going back to fibreglass canopies!!
Money well spent.
Enjoy

I didn't buy mine with the roofrack....and now I'm regretting it...
I think going to be kicking myself about the fitted table option.

Leave that to Chane, after she

you, you'll have to build one......only then you call me

I've got some nice cold beer and steak to put on that eye of yours

Thunder02 · Post by **Thunder02** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 10:02 am

Danman wrote:
Thunder02 wrote:
Danman wrote:Looking good,
I'm still amazed everytime I have to load something at the ease of access of these canopies.
NEVER going back to fibreglass canopies!!
Money well spent.
Enjoy

I didn't buy mine with the roofrack....and now I'm regretting it...
I think going to be kicking myself about the fitted table option.
Leave that to Chane, after she you, you'll have to build one......only then you call me
I've got some nice cold beer and steak to put on that eye of yours

Already in the plans,only problem,is that canopy will only be here on Friday