Help with home built roof rack on trailer, and a hello

[Cheepjeep85]

First off i'd like to say hello, this being my first post I thought it would be rude to just start asking questions. I've been lurking around for a while now, and I'm in the middle of a trailer build, using half of a Jeep tub with a home built storage box on the front, and a home built trailer frame, sitting on 33x12.50x15 tires.

I'm to a point where I need to start building a rack for my smittybilt overlander xl rtt, and it's heavy, 150lbs roughly, with a 800lb capacity. This rtt will sleep 4 adults easy, so it's likely that it will see capacity. My plan/question is this, I have 1x1 14 gauge tubing for the rack, I'm thinking it's going to have 3 (for lack of better wording) "support hoops", and of course be tied together for the rack. To add to it, I'm going to make it height adjustable, I have some 1.25x1.25 11 gauge tubing for the 1x1 to telescope into. Range of motion will be 16".

Does this plan and or materials sound like it's going to be sturdy enough? Should I change anything?

Thanks in advance.

 

[shifty98]

Welcome! I am interested in some of the responses on this question as I am preparing to build a RTT rack for my M1101. Are you using square or round tube?

 

[Cheepjeep85]

Square tubing 1x1 for the rack, 1.25x1.25 for the portion attached to the trailer. I'm not sure it's going to be heavy enough though.

 

[Hoghead]

Not sure if this will help you, but I went slightly larger. I have 1.5 outer (lower) and 1.25 for inner portion (part that goes up and down). I haven't had any issues with strength. I have the CVT tent that is equivalent to yours I believe. Linear actuators do the lifting on mine. If I were to build it again, I wouldn't go smaller. It may be ok, but I wouldn't. Some of it will likely depend on how you brace your uprights, or if you do. Gauge of the metal will make a difference also I'm sure.

 

[ShamusTX]

What is the span going to be? I used 2"x1" 14 guage rectangular tubing on my M1102 trailer with a span of 7.0'. My tent, tepui Ruggedized Kukenam 4 is about the same weight. The tent mounts on three of the 4 cross members.
For the uprights you are really only supporting ~1/4 of the total weight, but 1"x1" 14 guage is probably not strong enough. As previously stated go 1.5"square,possibly 11 gauge outer, and 1.25" square 11 Guage for inner portion.

My Build thread:
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/m1102-conversion-to-expedition-trailer.154336/

 

[Cheepjeep85]

I plan to use 3 upright supports on each side, so 6 in total. If I do that there will be less than 23" between supports length wise, and about 59" width wise. I fully intend to triangulate braces in the corners. The length of the trailer body is 69" and the width is 59".

 

[EmersonHart13]

Try this?

http://www.atc-mechanical.com/calculators/tube-size-using-structural-properties/

 

[villageidiot327]

My take on this is you’ll likely be fine.

At work we have a flatbed car hauler, and we stick the Jeep cj8 on it. On the front of the trailer there’s a big frame/cage made entirely of 1x1 14ga and it’s trailer width, and high enough to pull the nose of the scrambler under it. On top of this cage is some more 1x1 to make supports and some expanded steel. It holds 2 quads on top with the Jeep pulled underneath. Hasn’t failed in 20 years.

It’s held to the trailer with 4 3/8” bolts.

I personally cringe every time I see it in use, but it’s not my circus.

 

[bad dog]

Sounds like you have the same set-up as I do ( 1.0 x 1.0" Sq.Tube ) :




You're golden. Mine has been dragged through the bush, bounced over rocks and bumped into trees.



Focus on getting a solid mount to the cross-members:

 

[Cheepjeep85]

Yeah mine will be similar to yours, except mine is going to move up and down with around 16" of travel, and I'll have braces in between the cross supports.

That calculator says a 23" 1x1 tubing section 14 gauge will support about 900lbs.

 

[Hoghead]

Don't forget about the forces that are going to act on the bottom of your uprights. Lots of leverage when that tent is 32" up in the air. I'm talking back and forth forces not up and down. Of course back and forth motions shouldn't be too bad while it's sitting still, but it will be at least 16" in the air as its going down the road . It being the 150lb tent. Hard braking, accelerating, the tent is going to try to break of bend the tube at the frame of the trailer. However if you are going to have 6 uprights attached to the trailer frame, you may be ok. I only have 4.

 

[ottsville]

Try this?

http://www.atc-mechanical.com/calculators/tube-size-using-structural-properties/

Ha, I just this earlier today and was going to link it here but you beat me to it!

 

[FlightMedicJP]

Have some videos showing how i made my roof rack. Plan to have a smittybilt XL tent as well.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

That's awesome man thanks.