I’m putting a cap/topper on my F-150. I’ll need to have a rack/bars installed to haul a canoe. In the past, I’ve like the round bars. I want some opinions though. Bed is 5.5’. I’m not putting anything on the cab.

Thoughts???

What size cab do you have? I have a super crew w/5.5 bed. I don't have a topper, I went with a hard tri-fold tonneau. I scavenged the Thule square bars off my old Suburban and got new "feet" and mounted them on my cab. I would say go with the brand you get the best deal on. One thing to consider, my buddy put his racks on his topper and regrets it now because he has to carry a step ladder with him to tie down the boats whereas I can step up from my running boards to my door sill and tie down. If I'm traveling longer distances with longer boats, I also have a goalpost for the receiver to use in conjunction with the bars on my cab. I would watch craigslist and grab the best deal....whichever brand/style pops up.

Mike

I have a SuperCrew. I must have a cap since my family car-camps a lot with young children and the 5.5’ bed isn’t long enough for gear. I won’t put any bars on the cab as it is independent to the bed, the cab twists and turns differently than the bed. This, in turn, twists and turns the boats on bumpy roads and two tracks. IMO, it’s a bad idea; it’s one or the other.

The step ladder doesn’t scare me a bit and I could possibly use my running boards and tailgate to stand on.

I used 3 bars, 2 on the cap 1 on the cab for 18 years, and that Ranger rode rather stiff.
Never found cap to cab twist a problem.

butthead

I've used Yakima for well over thirty years and have never been disappointed.

I mount everything to my shell, I have a 6' bed, and tie off appropriately.

I have had Yakima for years. Fake Raingutters on the shell. There is a bit of overhang in the back so check that you will not run afoul of local laws.

Twisting can be a problem. It was for me as I live on a system of dirt roads that are occasionally used for logging and develop deep ruts and potholes in mud season. More over we have to travel locally over a hundred miles on such roads to get to the North Maine Woods which has lots of canoeing.

If you do not have such roads or have a Royalex boat twisting should not matter as your boat should be snug but not overtightened.

We have a Ridgeline now and run with three bars sometimes..one on the cap. Moves the boat forward.. We can do this as the RIdgeline is not built as a truck.

I still don't believe that twist is a problem, even 2 up on the trails around Sawbill and rougher, . How are you securing the canoe so that its locked tight to the bars and twist will harm the canoe?
That Ranger has a 3 inch lift with 2 shocks per wheel. I built it to run on forest service roads and trails, and it hauled canoes very often over the 18 years I owned it. All the canoes hauled on the Red Truck are still paddling fine showing no damage after all these years.

butthead

That is fine for you but alas not all of us with trucks have modified them.
My canoe that is subject to twist is a lightweight wood and canvas canoe that comes in at about 35 lbs.

When I had the Tundra I could watch the back twist independently of the cab on our local roads. And back overhang was not an issue.

The modifications do nothing to prevent twist between the cap and the cab. The springs are soft and the shocks hard on rebound, it is setup for more travel and flex. It twists more than stock and is meant to ride with terrain keeping tires in contact more. Canoes flex and twist with wind loading, even with a common roof or rack supporting.
Canoes do flex even while being paddled.

butthead

moosedoggie: "I've used Yakima for well over thirty years and have never been disappointed.


I mount everything to my shell, I have a 6' bed, and tie off appropriately.



"

DIY install on the Yakima bars?

I use Yakima, and I have both systems shown. I have a 6' bed on my Tacoma, but with a 4" riser on the topper which reduces distance between the gutter mounts. I've driven cross country (6000 miles RT) with a 16' boat with no problems. However, when I use longer boats (18'6" tandem, 17'6" solo) I use one of the topper bars, and use a cab bar (same bar but different mount). This results in a much longer distance between bars and hence more stability. Regarding flex, I drove 2300 miles with the extended setup with a 35# Kevlar canoe with no problems, and 1000 miles with two boats (tandem and solo). They were highway miles, though.

mjmkjun: "

moosedoggie: "I've used Yakima for well over thirty years and have never been disappointed.



I mount everything to my shell, I have a 6' bed, and tie off appropriately.



"

DIY install on the Yakima bars? "

You can get the mounting gutter at Yakima,

After that, the hardest part is taking a drill to your brand new camper shell. Then you can attach the towers just like we used to when vehicles had rain gutters.

Mounting Bracket