I have an '86 F150 with a Leer camper shell on the bed. I want to put roof racks on the camper. I have done some research and like the Yakima and Thule brand racks. The newer Leer campers have the option of the Browning edition with the Yakima racks on it. Can anyone advise me on roof racks for my camper (looks, functionality, price etc...)

Thanks

 

I have the Yakima racks on my Leer canopy. I think they ran $200 or so (I added the 4" risers so the bow of my boat wouldn't hit the canopy or truck cab). I have had no problem with them. When they were installed I had the rear rack tilted slightly to the rear so I could lean the boat (or other gear) against the rear rack without hitting the canopy. They are easy to put on and take off and are sturdier than the Ranger racks I had on my previous vehicle. You might want to make sure that your canopy has some roof reinforcement built in (some Leers do and some don't depending on the model)so you don't have a problem with cracking.

 

Thanks, My shell does not have any specail support system inside. How much weight do you think it can support? I pull my boat on a trailer, the racks would be for camping gear, luggage etc.. I do not expect to put more than 150lbs max. Did you purchase the tracks that allow you to adjust the crossbars front to back, or did you get the "gutterless" stationary mounts? How high were the crossbars from the top of the camper before you added the lift in the front?

 

I'd check a dealer to see how much weight you can carry up there. I have the solid mounts and I knew that my boat's bow curves down enough that I'd need to raise the rails so I didn't take any measurments. The space between the canopy and the rail depends on the shape of the canopy (they vary by model) and how high you can mount the clips. It sounds like you are talking about one of the enclosed carriers that are on the market rather than boat racks so we might be talking apples and oranges here.