Budget roof rack basket

[jscherb]

Here's an idea for a budget roof rack basket using two inexpensive Harbor Freight ATV Cargo Carriers:

This rack is to go on my custom hardtop, but my hardtop has an XJ rack on it so this idea will work with any rack that's similar to the XJ rack. Here's a rough drawing/photo simulation of what the rack would look like on my Jeep:

I finished up the rack basket today, all it needs now is priming the new parts and painting. The bottom photo shows a close-up of how it attaches to the XJ rack bars, after it's painted I'll put some rubber on the clamp surfaces to cushion it a bit.

Here's a photo of the rack mounted on my roof panel:

One thing I like about this basket is how the "fence" doesn't go all the way around and leaves a "valley" down the center - this will make it easier to carry long items like 2x4's on the rack.

All this took besides two Harbor Freight $32 racks ($39.99 regular price - 20% off coupon) was:

- 1 48" piece of 1/8" x 1" steel (to bolt the center together)
- 2 48" pieces of 1" square steel tubing (to strengthen the sides/form the mounts)
- 8 3/8-16 x 1" bolts/washers/nuts to bolt the baskets together in the center
- 24" of 5/16" x 1" steel strip to form the bottom of the clamps

All of the original bolts/nuts/washers supplied with the HF baskets were also used.

Total cost of the project was about $75.

The only modifications required to the HF racks were drilling holes to mount the side stiffening/mounting rails.

The light brackets (you can see one in the photo above) were made from 8" of 2" square tubing split lengthwise into a 1" channel, and will be attached with 8 1/4-20 x 1 1/2" bolts/washers/nuts. I'll drill the holes in the basket for the light brackets when I decide to mount lights on it. I'm thinking these lights would be a good size: 55 Watt 5" Fluted Light by Pro Comp and Other Jeep Parts and Jeep Accessories by 4 Wheel Drive Hardware-RH2

 

[Black Dog]

How do the XJ rack parts attach to the fiber glass top? It seems to me that if you get a lot of vibration it will eventually work that part loose, or if you have a heavy load on the rack and are jostling it around a lot it might stress the fiberglass enough to cause problems.

 

[jscherb]

How do the XJ rack parts attach to the fiber glass top? It seems to me that if you get a lot of vibration it will eventually work that part loose, or if you have a heavy load on the rack and are jostling it around a lot it might stress the fiberglass enough to cause problems.

The roof is designed to support the rack - there are cross-ribs bonded into the inside of the roof that the rack bolts to. Here's a photo of the inside of the roof during construction, I set the XJ rack inside the roof so I could accurately drill the holes through the roof to mount the rack:

The rack bolts through the roof and the ribs, and the ribs are filled with oak plugs at the points where the bolts go through.

It is very strong, but in addition to the ribs, I have designed, but not yet built, roll-bar tie-ins that go from the roof rack bolts in the ribs down to the roll bar, these will allow much heavier loads to be supported.

Even as it is, the whole thing is very sturdy, I don't have any concerns about it.

 

[XJCamper]

This is a great idea and easy enough to do. I have on of these baskets and it works out great on the back of the XJ. Mine did not come with the raise in the receiver though.
Nice Build.

 

[jscherb]

This is a great idea and easy enough to do. I have on of these baskets and it works out great on the back of the XJ. Mine did not come with the raise in the receiver though.
Nice Build.

Thanks. I think the reason it has the raise in the receiver is that this rack is intended for use on an ATV. I believe the HF racks that are intended for use on cars and trucks have a straight receiver tube.

 

[SSF556]

Can't seem to find the ATV cargo rack on the HF website....

 

[jscherb]

Can't seem to find the ATV cargo rack on the HF website....

It is only on the Harbor Freight USA website, I have no idea why: http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...o?itemid=67623&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

 

[gpwpat]

good work.

I have plans to use that rack to build and interior rack for storage in the back of my unlimited. so I can tie down some stuff to it and still get the stuff underneith out.

 

[Greedyg76]

Great work on the cheap, I like your style
Can you give us a closer picture of how you joined the rack halves at the center front and back-

thanks!

 

[jscherb]

Great work on the cheap, I like your style
Can you give us a closer picture of how you joined the rack halves at the center front and back-

thanks!

Just today I painted the light mounts and the few other metal parts I made for it, and I plan to do the final assembly on Thursday. Also got four driving lights to mount on it. Will post some photos of the completed rack on Thursday.

 

[jscherb]

Great work on the cheap, I like your style
Can you give us a closer picture of how you joined the rack halves at the center front and back-

thanks!

Here's the completed rack and some detail shots.

And a few detail shots.

Upper left, I've joined the baskets in the center with a joiner part that came with the HJ racks, although I've used it in a different place than would be if assembling the HF rack according to the instructions.

Upper right, the baskets are joined across the center with bolts sandwiching a 1/8" x 1" steel strip.

Lower photos, mounting to the XJ rack rails, and the light mounts.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Really fantastic idea! My only concern would be the mounting point to the stock cross bars. It looks like the edges could cut into, or wear down, the crossbar. Thoughts?

 

[jscherb]

Really fantastic idea! My only concern would be the mounting point to the stock cross bars. It looks like the edges could cut into, or wear down, the crossbar. Thoughts?

If you're looking at the photo in my first post of this thread showing how I notched the square tubing to fit over the XJ cross bar, maybe you're assuming that I just left the notch open with sharp edges. After making the notch, I welded in a new piece of steel to provide a smooth and continuous wide surface for the tube to rest on the crossbar. And after I painted it, I put some thick foam tape on the inside surface of that notch as well, so there's no way the tube would even scratch the crossbar, let alone cut into or wear it down.

 

[RocKrawler]

I dig it - great thinking out of the box

 

[jscherb]

I dig it - great thinking out of the box

Thanks!

I've only got one photo of it mounted on the Jeep so far, didn't have time to take photos when I finished installing it today, will try to get some tomorrow. Until then, here's the one photo, sorry the pickup is in the way...