Frame for ute canopy

started building a frame for a canopy for the back of my ute , then i will get the pro's to make the cover . i was going to get them to do the lot but i thought well i have all the gear to do it myself and i can probably save a few bob if i do the frame so that's what i am doing . just using 25 x25 rhs even though the pro's use 35 x 35 don't know why they go that big seem's over kill to me .
got all the bits cut for one end frame just have to roll some 25 x 5 for the corners radius bit then tack it all up and try it on the ute if all is well make 2 more frames to match .

johno

Nice workshop mate have fun with the project

i dont have a bender for bending square tube / rhs though i could make one but i want this built ,not build tools to build things .
but i do have a roller machine that i built last year for rolling flat into hoops or rings so this is how i decided to do the top corners because i dont want them square at the corner ..
johno

that is a good idea mate i would never have thought of doing it that way
something to store in the memory banks for later :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y:

Another great showing of inventiveness. Well done Johno
Mackka

Skill :Y:

Good thinking 99 :Y:

nice work.. I am a canvas guy that makes canopy covers.. you will have to roll a long piece of sheet to fasten to the radiused frames when fitted to the truck.. otherwise the canvas can not be pulled tight between the frames and will hang loose.. I see a lot of frames that guys make that need to be altered to be able to fit nice neat canvas.. minimum pitch in the center of a canopy is about 75mm.. not having run off increases the chance of pooling water.. pooled water lays on the canvas and leaks badly even with the smallest pinholes later on.. canvas is no good for covers these days because the stricknene and arsnic was removed from all canvas in the late 1990,s. it was the preservative that stopped bad mould and mildue.. pvc is a much better choice these days.. can be cleaned, will not shrink, will not get mould and mildue and out lasts canvas by several years.. fit ykk no 10 chunky tooth zippers... they are way,way better than the cheap rubbish PK zippers used by most canvas shops.. to get the best life from zippers they need to be fitted so that the teeth are not visible when closed. (UV stabilised) lubricate the zippers regularly with silicone spray to stop the sliders wearing out... good pvc will be lacquer finished and be uv stabilised.. do not reinforce the pvc in the roof section because the stitch holes will all leak...

i know about the curved tin for the radius corners and also a section will be going along the ridge . i cant agree on the pitch of the roof though , i am keeping mine low for a reason that being less height in the board racks IE shorter legs on them . as for needing 75 mm pitch i dont see how it matters . that is only true when the ute is parked dead level , at all other times which will be most of the time it will probably be on an angle therefore maybe one side having heaps of pitch and the other side none ????.
pretty sure the marine stuff most places use now should be fine . also my ute is parked under cover in the shed 90% of the time . on the zippers a mate had his canopy made in toowoomba and they told him not to spray and lube of any kind on the zipps because it just makes the dust stick to them when traveling dirt roads . ????so looks like opinions vary on that too.

johnno

Silicon spray won't attract the dust mate once it dries which is almost straight away.

thats what i thought too but just saying what old mate was told by the tarp mob in toowoomba seemed strange to me that they would say that because it is a dry type lube .

johno

All good for zips and slides, called Ezey glide, I think by sellies....green can pressure pack....not cheep but good.....

we used to spray that on the small bail accumulator table when baling in less than ideal conditions .

johno