Locating Internal Aluminum Structure??

[ColdRail]

I am wanting to mount some roof racks up top and a vertical bike mount on the exterior back wall of my truck camper. The camper is a welded aluminum frame with sandwiched fiberglass, ply, styrofoam, ply, inner cosmetic panel construction.

I need advice on how to find the aluminum square tube structure under the roof membrane and fiberglass exterior walls. I have read that a stud finder can be used. I purchased one of the advanced types that can locate metal studs and interior wiring, and it can, but it appears it can only find steel studs and copper wire, not aluminum.

Any advice is appreciated.

[wa8yxm]

I have a metal finder app on my android... Don't know how good it is but I've located some copper with it.

[CA_Traveler]

Bobbo wrote:
The only way that I know of is to wait for a cool night when the camper gets cold. The dew settles on the camper, and the studs are visible in the dew pattern.

One of the very first things I did with the current rig was to take pictures of the dew patterns. Excellent suggestion!!

[BB_TX]

There are stud finders that claim to find ferrous and non ferrous (of which aluminum is one) metals. Maybe you just need a different model stud finder.

[Bobbo]

The only way that I know of is to wait for a cool night when the camper gets cold. The dew settles on the camper, and the studs are visible in the dew pattern.