[alien]

Anyone made a hard cover for their tonneau??? Obviously Fatzook has his that we've all seen:



I was thinking something simillar to this would be nice:


So, show us what you've done or designed =) I've got no metal fab skills (and really no wood ones either) but i reckon the design above should be pretty simple to make with ply, then use rubber seals around all the joins etc to keep it from leaking.

[Joe]

Have a look in here

[alien]

mmmm thats a fair bit dodgier than i was hoping for =P haha

i want mine to hinge behind the seats, so i can open the lid - or if i undo the bonnet catches i can still just open the rear door.

[jon205]

i made this one a while ago, was pretty simple and cheap

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ic&t=16010

[alien]

Thats exactly what im after... how did you make it go around the seatbelt supports? (the 45'd bars)? Also, how is the back bit attached to the body?

[jon205]

pretty much exactly the same as the diagram at the top of the page. i ran a bit of stainless angle across the front to give it more support and to give it a lip so water wouldnt run into the front.

[jon205]

i drilled through the timber for the seat belt supports and sealed it with black silicon.

[alien]

ah cool - yeah i was going to put some angle on the back also for the same reason.

So the bits that go over the supports are separate pieces to the bit behind the seats, then its joined up? Thats the hardest part for me to get my head around!

[jon205]

no its one piece, i just removed the supports, put the front part of the tonneau on, drilled the holes for the supports then put them through and screw them back on. then put the door on.

[alien]

hahaha lol how did i overlook that?! i was trying to work a way of doing it with the supports in place... your way makes much more sense. =)

[jonno_racing]

nice idea! i am still yet to make mine a easy lift up with gass struts, but you cant rush things like this!!!

i like the way you designed the cut on yours...

the only thing, mine is made so i can strap stuff down to it like this...



something you might want to keep in mind, thats whats stoped me finishing mine so far!! but i have afew ideas in mind.

[alien]

mMMm that is pretty cool... would be a good spot to chuck the recovery gear so its easier to get to!

I suppose my theory of being able to open it to fit things in is null and void if i can just put said things on the top too.

what thickness plate did you use, and are there any reinforcements under it? And one more thing - how'd you attach it to the car? (ie: wondering if theres a way to use a few screws to hold it down so its a 15min job to remove if i ever have to).

Given i have a secret love affair with this stuff: http://www.ayrescom.com/ i could also make it super lightweight and still strong if i went the "one piece" design.

[jonno_racing]

mine bolts down with 2 m10 nutsurts with eye bolts. 5 min to remove. under it is 20x20x2mm rhs one side to the other. its 1.5mm thick tread plate. works a treat! i want it to lift up tho. i am going to work on the lift up feture soon. having issues how it will work with tool box.

[Teracis]

If you do the design at the top of the page, make sure you put something over/under the piano hinge to stop water getting through it. Maybe a strip of rubber over the whole hinge?

[Fatzook]

Teracis wrote:

If you do the design at the top of the page, make sure you put something over/under the piano hinge to stop water getting through it. Maybe a strip of rubber over the whole hinge?

That would not be enough. Water will get into the smallest of gaps. A more positive seal would be required.

[alien]

yeah i'd have thought rubber seals (proper ones) on all joins, and position them in a way to have them compressed when the lid is closed.

I figured a bit more wood under the join then have the rubber seal down on that, but the more and more i think about it the harder its going to be to keep water tight (which is a lot of the point of doing this).

[royce]

Fatzook wrote:

Teracis wrote:

If you do the design at the top of the page, make sure you put something over/under the piano hinge to stop water getting through it. Maybe a strip of rubber over the whole hinge?

That would not be enough. Water will get into the smallest of gaps. A more positive seal would be required.

google around the mobs that sell parts for them little teardrop caravans, thye do a sealed piano hinge for the top of the lift up sections in them

dont use those rubber latch things they are crap, either get some toggle latches or see if you cant graft a sierra bonnet latch in there

[alien]

i thought about sierra bonnet latch (infact i thought about a whole sierra bonnet!) but the fabrication would make it impossible to reverse - that and you wouldnt be able to open the rear door without unlatching and opening the lid.

caravan hinge sounds good though!

[jonno_racing]

any one able to source a sealed hindge?