My first truck as a 1982 Toyota SR5 4x4 pickup. Canoe at the time was a Scott Tripper. I did some serious off-roading back then and took the canoe everywhere that water existed and frame twist was an issue where we went. The Scott's at that time had cast aluminum end caps with a 3/4" hole in them. I fashioned an alum tripod that I bolted to the winch kit on the front of the truck with muffler clamps. The top of the tri-pod had 1/2" threaded rod and shock absorber bushings. Spin off the nut, pull off the top bushing. The hole in the end cap fit over the 1/2" rod, slip the bushing back on and crank the nut back on with ratchet. There was sufficient room inside the boat to get the socket/ratchet on the nut. The urethane bushings had enough tension the nut wouldn't back off ever but allowed the boat to rotate. The middle of the boat was supported by a single oak board that I attached to the top of the roll bar with carriage bolts and wing nuts. I had just drilled down through the tube, made stand offs that fit the shape of the bar, put some rubber on it to avoid slippage and the sides had u-bolts where the boat sat, so it never went sideways on me.
Mind you, when not hauling a canoe I did have off road lights on the bar, so I fashioned a light bar with hinges, the hinges were welded to the existing light tabs on the roll bar and carriage bolts and nuts held the bar in place when the lights were needed, when I mounted the bar for the canoe, the lights would fold down out of the way and bolt in place to avoid vibration. That set up worked for the 10 years I had the truck and it travelled as far as North Carolina without any issues. It allowed the frame to twist as much as it needed to without ever putting that torque on the boat itself since it just rotated on the tri-pod front mount.
The truck itself over time got a 3" suspension lift, 2" body lift, 33" BFG Mud Terrains, Warn 6000 lb winch on a Warn combo kit up front, it was factory yellow when I bought it in '83 and over the years it stayed yellow and the last iteration I painted it Toyota MR2 yellow.
I don't have any digitized photo's but might try to scan the odd photograph I still have off that old beast if anyone is interested. In the end the frame broke due to mud inside and it rotted from the inside out.
Now, I have the 2004 Toyota Highlander which is my daily drive and canoe hauler and potentially if I ever get it where I feel I need it to be, I have a 1990 Toyota Hilux pick-up, extended cab, 4x4, V6 with a new frame and no rust. The pick up is paid for, the Highlander will be in December.
I used to be a smart chick, now I'm just crazy.
Karin
Mind you, when not hauling a canoe I did have off road lights on the bar, so I fashioned a light bar with hinges, the hinges were welded to the existing light tabs on the roll bar and carriage bolts and nuts held the bar in place when the lights were needed, when I mounted the bar for the canoe, the lights would fold down out of the way and bolt in place to avoid vibration. That set up worked for the 10 years I had the truck and it travelled as far as North Carolina without any issues. It allowed the frame to twist as much as it needed to without ever putting that torque on the boat itself since it just rotated on the tri-pod front mount.
The truck itself over time got a 3" suspension lift, 2" body lift, 33" BFG Mud Terrains, Warn 6000 lb winch on a Warn combo kit up front, it was factory yellow when I bought it in '83 and over the years it stayed yellow and the last iteration I painted it Toyota MR2 yellow.
I don't have any digitized photo's but might try to scan the odd photograph I still have off that old beast if anyone is interested. In the end the frame broke due to mud inside and it rotted from the inside out.
Now, I have the 2004 Toyota Highlander which is my daily drive and canoe hauler and potentially if I ever get it where I feel I need it to be, I have a 1990 Toyota Hilux pick-up, extended cab, 4x4, V6 with a new frame and no rust. The pick up is paid for, the Highlander will be in December.
I used to be a smart chick, now I'm just crazy.
Karin
