Canopy for Rodeo

smocky... if your not too worried about things being totally 'locked up'... a mate of mine has a canvas canopy only (can get good digi pics if you want.. couple of pics on my Rig page of his rodeo 99')... custom made with however many windows/flyscreen etc he wanted.. and he has put a false floor/drawers/in back to lock things up.... works a treat... and is extremely cheaper than the above mentioned prices.
maybe if you even just went canvas with a couple of heavy duty lockable tool boxes? just some ideas?>!

Smocky,

I was very impressed with the backup service of Flexiglass. Mates Rodeo has a canopy on it and it leaked. This was after they reinstalled it on his new vehicle! He took it back and they tried to reseal it and still had probs. Ended up having an obscure leak through a trim at the front and just decided to replace the canopy as it shouldn't of leaked there in the first place. The old one was over 18mths old I might also add. He even had the owner of flexiglass crawling around in the tub having a look for the leak!

Leroy

Hi Smocky
Another Rodeo drover...
Whatever canopy you get..DON'T get a TJM. The tailgate door keeps coming loose, it leaks dust thru the windows and it rattles,.
I put a post here a while back- and there were quite a few members NOT happy with the TJM model.
Good luck
Signman

mate go the high top version, carryboy look nice, but the ones i have fitted didnt look any better built than the challenge flexiglass versions. Cant vouch for the arb product. Since you wont be sleeping in it , it doesent matter if 'glass or plastic build, and sliding windows with mesh behind are great for sleeping , but the lift up side windows are great for getting stuff in and out easily, saves crawling in a lot.
AND - get twin pressurisation vents fitted on the top leading edge, keeps dust out a hell of a lot, challenge have them as a standard add on.

Get the canopy windows tinted the same as the car - looks great.

hey,

I'm leroy's mate.
Having a slack day and thought i'd spend some time on the web.
Noticed his post.
Am I happy with Challenge. Yeah.
The service was great, really can't fault them there.
They had the car quite a few times trying to fix it, and yeah, out of warranty replaced the canopy with a brand new one and a customer service exercise.
When I asked if the new canopy could be carpeted inside they even did that for free ( I was happy to pay for it ).

I think I now know the reason mine leaked, and to be honest it wasn't there product that caused it.
I have a tub liner fitted to my ute, and it is not a challenge one.
It's a MAXX brand one from Towbar City and has a rounded inside edge on the surface that the canopy bolts down on.
This surface is uneven, and the canopy clamps pulling the canopy down onto an uneven surface look to have opened up the front corner join on the canopy.

So yeah, not there problem, but they saw it through to resolution, end result , a happy customer.

Hi Smocky.

I was at the 4wd show last October in Melb and the TJM stand had a brand new range of canopies on it, inc a demo one that did the LOPE expedition with a second spare tyre on the roof bars as a test to see how the reinforced roof bars would go.

It looks a lot like a carry boy but is about 65% of the price once colour coded for a Navara. A mate of mine is ordering one soon. Dunno if they do the rodeo but worth looking into.

I have a TJM standard canopy on my Courier and reckon it's great. The fold down window to clean between the rear windscreen and the window on the canopy is fantastic.

They also do the Mazda genuine parts canopy too.

Can't speak of the problems the others mentioned. Mine is no problem.

I fitted a Hella high mount stop/tail light (LED) above the window rather than have the optional one on the hinged tail gate, and have a pop up roof vent to pressurise the cargo area to prevent dust ingress around the tail gate. The fact that the tailgates don't seal dust out on any ute can't be blamed on the brand of canopy. They don't seal water out either :o) then again neither did the doors into the cabin :o(

I'd buy another TJM, no problem.

Dave

I have the ARB high top on the Dual Cab Hilux. The extra height makes a world of difference when trying to manouvre camping gear in and out. While I dont stack it that high, packing those camping chairs can be a pain sometimes so the extra interios height helps.

The only drawback is you need taller roof racks if you want to get the rack on the canopy to carry lenghts of pipe / timber etc.

I have a tradesmans window on the left, and a sliding window on the right. The fridge is mounted on the right, so i can leave the sliding window open a notch and allow the canopy to ventelate so it doesnt get too hot.

The only thing I dont like about the ARB model is the rubbers around the windows they seem to peel off real easy, espcially when you lean in the trademsn side to dig something out. They really need another system where the rubber slides in a track (like a awning), that would be more durable. On the plus side it has a brake light in the rear window which TJM charge extra for, and it also has a nice bright interior light.

I think I paid $1800 from ARB Southside Brisbane June 2004, so unless prices have gone up since then make sure you hunt around. And get it colour coded if your truck aint white, it looks horrible (in my opinion) if you dont.

Cheers,

Glenn.

Hi Smocky

I bought mine second hand from a car yard at Homebush. Hi top, security mesh, tinted tradesmen windows on both sides in vg cond, unmarked $800 + new keys cut. Put in a vent from Witworths marine. White is easy to come by but for a Lux xtracab, I was really lucky.

Cheers

G'day Smocky
Contact me on the email at
op.support@tsn.cc
and i'll give you a rundown of what we've done to our Rodeo suspension etc.
The Rodeo is NOT an eXtreme rock jumpin vehicle- but a very capable off road touring vehicle.
Have a good one
Signman