I'm building a pass-through camper and deciding on whether to join the cab and box rigidly, or let them flex like the stock cab & bed. Having read about frame splitting on overloaded campers, I was all set to make them one, and came up with what's below, then it occurred to me that the windshield frame would be the next weakest link. I'd rather avoid cracking windshields all the time, but it seems that it would help overall structural integrity a lot, if I could pull it off. Should I build it like a cab reinforcement as shown; or rigid only down the back and leave a gap between the cab roof and the "attic"; or install some rubber gaskets and let the cab and camper swing free of each other? How about frame reinforcements?



(Cab and frame aren't correct to shape, but are to dimensions, more or less)

 

I'd leave cab and bed to flex independently.

:wabbit2:

 

Go with the rubber boot idea.

you are quite correct make it all solid and you will be a expert at installing windshields.

 

Not neccesarily... the Toyota frame as is doesnt flex much to begin with. If you're that worried about it reinforcing the frame isnt a bad idea.

Even with that said I'd leave the two separate. Seems silly to connect them when you honestly dont need to. All I see is more work.

 

Nice job with Sketchup, did you model the cab as well?

 

Oh, the frame flexes; I can see the cab flexing relative to the bed just driving down a bumpy road. But my biggest concern isn't twisting, it's beam loading. This apparently happened to a 4x4 Chinook (also an '81 longbed) while off-roading, and it's the way Top Gear's truck broke (though it still ran and drove) when it came down the apartment block.

I'm convinced that attaching to the windshield frame is a bad idea, but what about letting the top of the cab flex, while attaching the bottom (no higher than the rear window) to the frame? My thinking in attaching them is that they'll be stronger together, and help support the frame length-wise. I'm lengthening the wheelbase about 11", too.

I downloaded models for the cab and frame, but everything else I did myself.