Cargo Rack

[Jackel18]

so the plan is to build a cargo rack for my MJ. the idea is to to be able to carry a Kayak/cannoe, spare tire, shovel/axe, highlift, fuel cans, and whatever else i can fit up there and keep my bed clear for normal everyday truck use.

i want to build it "ladder rack" style and a roof basket to go on top.


i should be drawing up a design using a CAD program, but if anyone has any ideas, i'm open to suggestions.


Thanks,
Rich

 

[eugene]

One thing I noticed in common about all the add on cargo racks is they all sit so high above the vehicle. Most look like you could slide your arm under, some sit as much as 6" higher. When you add weight to them its up hih and adding a lot of side to side leverage. I would try to keep it as close the vehicle roof as possible, eliminate every bit of gap as possible. So rather than the basket on top of the ladder rack, i'd try to sit it in between the ladder cross peices or make it repace them so it can sit low. Thats why I mounted a factory suv rack on top my cap, the cap had plywood in the roof so that is now the bottom of my rack and the ladder bars are the front and back rather than having a basket with its own bottom sitting on top.

 

[Jackel18]

One thing I noticed in common about all the add on cargo racks is they all sit so high above the vehicle. Most look like you could slide your arm under, some sit as much as 6" higher. When you add weight to them its up hih and adding a lot of side to side leverage. I would try to keep it as close the vehicle roof as possible, eliminate every bit of gap as possible. So rather than the basket on top of the ladder rack, i'd try to sit it in between the ladder cross peices or make it repace them so it can sit low. Thats why I mounted a factory suv rack on top my cap, the cap had plywood in the roof so that is now the bottom of my rack and the ladder bars are the front and back rather than having a basket with its own bottom sitting on top.

the botom of the basket will most likly sit just above my rear window, so the canoe can go ontop without sitting to high.