Is the roof key to body stiffness?

[Expat]

Once my Ram gets to Africa, I'd love to have a safari hatch installed in the roof (much better for photography without risking being eaten by a lion... ) I'm guessing, however, that with no support between the front and rear doors in a quadcab, maintaining roof integrity is probably crucial for body stiffness. I'm worried that cutting it might even result in not being able to close the doors properly. Has anyone installed a sunroof in their quadcab? Or does anyone have any firsthand knowledge of how important the roof is to body stiffness?

I gather my Ram is doing well otherwise. It's in a shop in the US where they're installing the front ARB, Skyjacker 4. 5 lift, etc.

 

[illflem]

I've had the head liner off mine and there are ribbed supports on the top. I think you are right that it will compromise the strength of the cab by cutting into it especially since you are going to be traveling on some rough ground. Might just have to take your chances with the lions,hey but that's half the fun. If they want you they could just as well jump on the roof anyways.

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95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks Stinger,Warn fender flairs and running boards(work truck)
95 3500,5 speed 3:54,BD E-brake,Driftwood,Banks&Psycotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(works harder truck)

 

[The patriot]

A friend of mine has a sunroof in his 94. It was put in just after he bought it new, and it's still running. I dont have the measurements, but it's not small.
Illflem does have a point about the terrain though... .

 

[Bad340fish]

In a Unibody car it would for sure be a problem. But our trucks do have a full and pretty healthy frame under them. But to answer your question the roof does not hold the truck up. But then again as illflem said with the terain your going to be on you will need all the help you can get.

Clark

 

[Missouri Mule]

Remember gentlemen he has a Quad Cab not a club cab.
Expat, I'm sure that the engineers strenghtened the pillars so the roof would be Ok.
But why not contact Dodge engineers via e-mail and ask them? If any one knows they should?

 

[Expat]

Thanks for some very good thoughts. I'll try DC's engineers. I have no doubt they'll know, but I often wonder whether I'll get a good, common sense answer or an "I'd better not say anything even remotely controversial, because he might come back and sue us later" answer. Fewer and fewer folks seem ready to take responsibility for their own actions these days, so I don't entirely blame them.

 

[John]

correction "Missouri Mule", there were no '94 Club Cabs... they debuted in '95 hence, the '94 mentioned by "The patriot" must have been a Regular Cab.

 

[JKloppe]

I have just completed rebuilding my truck. I had to put a roof on and all of the supports up there too. After seeing what all the supports do, there is no way I would think of cutting them out. If you do, be careful not to slam the doors. The latch for the rear doors has a support beam on them. It would comprimise the strength of the cab.
Just my 2 cents

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99 2500 4x4 QC, auto
cowl hood,strait pipe,Armorthane bedliner

 

[The patriot]

Yes, it's a std cab.