Vents in canopy to pressurise

[Duges]

There's a mention on bluey's ute world of placing a vent on the canopy roof to pressurise and keep out dust. I'm curious how they keep the rain out and what they look like. Any thoughts or perhaps pics out there?

[Mick.H.]

I've seen them on Flexiglass canopies but not on carryboy/alpha style canopies. Apparently they do a great job of keeping the dust out and you just have to stop and close the vent if it starts to rain.
This is a link to the air vent on the flexiglass website.

Mick

[olcoolone]

We have a Carryboy canopy and we leave the sliding window between the cab and canopy open all the time, no water gets in even when washing and it works a treat in pressurising the back.

regards Richard

[broke]

G'day Olcoolone, I'm currently looking at putting a canopy on a D/c 06 SR5. How have you found the Carryboy canopy to be? Hard decision between the Alpha, ARB and these ones.

Cheers....Daniel

[chaser]

i will post a photo
it really keeps the dust at bay and if it rains stop and close it (when the dirt is wet it not dust no more hehe)
mine is a cheaper boat type and i fitted it myself
got to say when you line up the jigsaw to cut you think is this right??????????

[Rich]

The problem with the Alpha canopy is that the window closest to the cabin rear glass is a drop down Window, and not a sliding window like the Carry Boy, this means you can't leave it open (cause it will bounce up and down and break) to positively pressurise the canopy to prevent dust. At first I thought this window was a good feature to make it easy to clean the rear glass on the Hilux cabin, but seems that cleaning is not required much and a sliding one like the carry boy would have been better for keeping dust out.
Anyone got a good way of keeping dust out of the Alpha Canopy, without drilling holes???

Rich.

[abulukas]

ahh, how does leaving an opening in the canopy prevent dust? I've never heard of this. Do you keep it open all the time or when your out in the desert? Seeing as how I live in a desert this would be some great insight...

[chaser]

the air rushing in pressurises the inside and also i went to clark rubber and got some car rubbers to put on the tail gate as you can see a 6mm gap between the tail gate and body have a look in the photo and you will see what i have done cost 10 bucks and works a treat. around town i dont have the vent open only when on dusty roads

[Rich]

Abulukus, The dust is kicked up from the wheels and enters the canopy from the rear (tailgate).
If you can force clean / non dusty air into the canopy from up high or the front, it stops air entering from the rear (and thus stops the dust that would enter with it).
Try it mate.

Richard.

[olcoolone]

Hello Broke.

We have Carryboys on 2 vehicles at the moment, we first brought a Carryboy because there was not much else around 4 years ago when we got the XR6 ute, we got the Hilux extracab 18 months ago and ordered a Carryboy due the our previous experiance and looks plus we got the carryboy at a good price.

The only problem with the older Carryboy is the lock on the back hatch is a bit loose.

Would not touch the ARB one, it's in a differant class to Carryboy and Alpha, the ARB is steel frame and smooth skin whereby the other two are formed out of some sort of resin.

The inside trim quality of the newer Carryboy is not as good as the older one.

The only thing that put me off the Alpha was the 3 inch strip at the bottom of the back hatch, but I think the Alpha quality is a little better.

Reagrds Richard

[hiluxdan]

Just got a job on a property in western qld and will be doing about 80% dirt travel. It will become my wife's daily so off with the tray and on with a tub and canopy, the big reason is to keep dust out of the pram and groceries n stuff.
So I need some answers from those who have got a canopy and done outback touring. I've read the treads on canopies but i need no dust, what works and what doesn't.
Thanks
Dan

[VMN]

Hard to give a definitive answer without knowing a bit more. What sort of canopy? Your profile shows a trayback.

Check out my buildup to se what I did to seal the SR tailgate as much as you can, but nowhere near dustproof.

Good on you for going to the bush mate. It'll be a lot of fun but unfortunately, you are going to have to live with some dust.

If it is a canvas canopy, just roll up the sides and leave the back flap down. You only ned to close it up when you go to town as no one will pinch your stuff out of a ute out there.

If you have a tub canopy with sliding windows, leave one window open, fit a pressure vent to the roof, fit a dust deflector, add a 12 volt computer an to pump air inside to pressurise the canopy. Fan is overkill I reckon and will be hard to keep going reliably.

[earlydays]

I do a fair bit of dirt road travel and it's impossible to keep heavy dust out. Try keeping your stuff in big plastic boxes or garbage bags.

[Shaker]

Foam rubber adhesive tape to seal up the tailgate, prep the surface with acetone or a wax removal product first. I've seen Rodw's tailgate and there is probably not much more your can do than that except use a better sealant product. If you have sliding side windows, there would be products on the market to seal up the glass overlap. Aside from this, it's impossible to know without some photos or something to go by I agree with the above post.

I'll need to do the same to mine when I drop it on.

Shaker.

[hiluxdan]

Replacing the tray with a styleside and sort of looking at the razorback/caddy type canopy, really want lift up windows. While i know dust gets right through a vehicle out there, (last time i was only there for 4 months and it still has dust in it from 18 months ago) wondering how good a seal you can get on a canopy,as good as a wagon?
Thanks
Dan

[VMN]

wondering how good a seal you can get on a canopy,as good as a wagon?
Thanks
Dan

Not a chance in hell!

I suggest you go and look at the tailgate in a car yard and look at the gaps. You can't seal it.

You'd be far better off hanging on to the tray and get a tonneau made for it. Then just leave the tonneau off until you get the bitumen. All you need to stop dust coming in under a tonneau is to unhook the corner 1 or 2 clips but it will suck in like no tomorrow if you forget to do this on the way home from town. If you do get a canopy, get the Caddy Workmate or something with no vinyl lining (which the Razorback has) so you can hose it out from time to time. You can PM me for pricing on the Caddy lineup.

Just my thoughts after growing up out where you are headed to

[daveo]

what about keeping the tray and getting an alloy tradesman style canopy made up. check out alby's build for ideas. Probably easier to get a good seal, lift up doors for easy access.

[Shaker]

I'm going to make it my personal goal to seal up this tailgate if it kills me. There are plenty of soft rubber moldings on the market. It does not have to be a foam rubber strip, even a rubber flap incorporated into the mold to allow for the gap, there's gotta be something nifty to do with it... I'll work something out eventually (in time).

[bardenboy]

I have a ARB Canopy om my Lux, I fitted some rubber on the side of the tail gate and that seals it petty good, yes there are still small gaps where the tail gate closes near the canopy but its petty good

I did a 2 week trip on dirt roads with all of the camping gear, sleeping bags ect in the back and there was very little dust inside the tub.

Dennis

[asmo]

If ya get a canopy get a pressure vent installed in the roof.
The plastic flip up lid like a bonnet scoop ..Flexiglass sells them .
That pressurizes the rear and greatly reduces dust getting in

No good if raining. and also no good if you folowing another car making dust.
Also only works over 30-40 kph as it needs the ram air to work
asmo