theksmith
Explorer
watch that first step when you get out in the middle of the night to pee!
but seriously, that's quite practical and came out great!
Homemade Roofracks.
- Thread starter Box Rocket
- Start date
watch that first step when you get out in the middle of the night to pee!
but seriously, that's quite practical and came out great!
Mark Harley
Expedition Leader
Thanks guys!
I think I and going to get foam interlocking floor tile and cut them to size.
Cheap and easy and they stack for travel.
I think I and going to get foam interlocking floor tile and cut them to size.
Cheap and easy and they stack for travel.
southpier
Expedition Leader
seanz0rz
Adventurer
Cross posted from UltimateYota
Thanks for the great ideas here! I plan on starting mine this week!
I love my old Surco rack. It has served me well, but it is starting to rattle again, despite me adding a few dozen screws a few years ago.
I have decided to build my own light weight, low profile roof rack.
Goals:
Light weight, <60 pounds
Low profile, <7 inches
Mounts for Lights and HAM antenna
Maximize storage area
Look damn cool
I have decided to use 1" EMT conduit. With an OD of 1.163" and a wall thickness 0.057", it is really close to what I would use in regular structural tube. Plus, I can get a hand bender for under 70 dollars!
I have acquired some of the conduit, (I will likely need a few more sticks since I changed from my original design), the bender, hole saw to notch the tube, and acid to strip the zinc coating off the tube for welding. If I feel motivated tomorrow, I will start making it!
Since Solidworks is my poison of choice:
Front view:
Side:
Top:
Isometric:
Forward part will sit just ahead of the windshield on some custom mounts and I will make custom mounts to fit onto my existing tracks. I also will have spots for my strobe lights, etc.
I am also trying out Flickr. I hate it so far.
Thanks for the great ideas here! I plan on starting mine this week!
I love my old Surco rack. It has served me well, but it is starting to rattle again, despite me adding a few dozen screws a few years ago.
I have decided to build my own light weight, low profile roof rack.
Goals:
Light weight, <60 pounds
Low profile, <7 inches
Mounts for Lights and HAM antenna
Maximize storage area
Look damn cool
I have decided to use 1" EMT conduit. With an OD of 1.163" and a wall thickness 0.057", it is really close to what I would use in regular structural tube. Plus, I can get a hand bender for under 70 dollars!
I have acquired some of the conduit, (I will likely need a few more sticks since I changed from my original design), the bender, hole saw to notch the tube, and acid to strip the zinc coating off the tube for welding. If I feel motivated tomorrow, I will start making it!
Since Solidworks is my poison of choice:
Front view:
Side:
Top:
Isometric:
Forward part will sit just ahead of the windshield on some custom mounts and I will make custom mounts to fit onto my existing tracks. I also will have spots for my strobe lights, etc.
I am also trying out Flickr. I hate it so far.
225
Village Idiot
I am double posting this from my van build thread.
Post #1:
The first thing I wanted to do before I started on the 4WD conversion is F/R bumpers, roof rack, and side ladder.
There is a awesome thread on this forum about DIY roof racks: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/37607-Homemade-Roofracks
Lots of guys are using electrical conduit. Which is galvanized, dangerous, and make for horrible welds. At HD, one 10ft. piece of conduit is $5.89 : http://www.homedepot.com/p/Allied-T...Z1z113diZ1z113buZ1z10wtmZ1z113bl#.UcsEuZz2Ci0
I was quoted for a 1" steel 20' length 16ga tubing from my local steel yard is $11.50. Which will weld better because I will be TIG welding it. And a 4'x8' sheet of expanded metal is $48.00 a piece. I'll need two of those.
I want a rack strong enough to hold a few people when we are at the races. And I think that will do fine if I use enough supports. Also, I am going to try the XJ roof gutter mounts. I hope they work...
http://www.jcroffroad.com/product/RCK/RCKMNTS.html
Post #2:
The roof rack mounts came in. Since they are made for a Jeep, I wasn't sure if they would work for my van. It was kind of a crap shoot. Luckily, they do.
What came in the box:
Mounted on the van:
Soon, I'll start on the rack. But back to work for 20 days first.
Post #1:
The first thing I wanted to do before I started on the 4WD conversion is F/R bumpers, roof rack, and side ladder.
There is a awesome thread on this forum about DIY roof racks: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/37607-Homemade-Roofracks
Lots of guys are using electrical conduit. Which is galvanized, dangerous, and make for horrible welds. At HD, one 10ft. piece of conduit is $5.89 : http://www.homedepot.com/p/Allied-T...Z1z113diZ1z113buZ1z10wtmZ1z113bl#.UcsEuZz2Ci0
I was quoted for a 1" steel 20' length 16ga tubing from my local steel yard is $11.50. Which will weld better because I will be TIG welding it. And a 4'x8' sheet of expanded metal is $48.00 a piece. I'll need two of those.
I want a rack strong enough to hold a few people when we are at the races. And I think that will do fine if I use enough supports. Also, I am going to try the XJ roof gutter mounts. I hope they work...
http://www.jcroffroad.com/product/RCK/RCKMNTS.html
Post #2:
The roof rack mounts came in. Since they are made for a Jeep, I wasn't sure if they would work for my van. It was kind of a crap shoot. Luckily, they do.
What came in the box:
Mounted on the van:
Soon, I'll start on the rack. But back to work for 20 days first.
RKraft
Observer
Here is my roof rack finally mocked up, squared up and tacked in place. Had to remove and welded it up and to allow my Excursion out of the garage. I only have 2" of clearance as it sits. Once the spring swap is done it will not clear with nothing on the roof. I actually have more into welding gas than I do into materials for structure and beside the lights. Here is a picture.
Randy
Randy
deerkiller
New member
Here's some of my roof rack. Could use some flat iron pieces on the bottom but other than that, it cost me less than $50.
Angle iron and rebar
Angle iron and rebar
Here's my homebrewed. Angle, flat and square tube. Mounts to a set of Barrecrafters bars I've had forever. I want to ad one more set of legs in the middle to spread the load a bit more. On the list of winter projects. Maybe $50 in steel cost.
Loaded for a trip last month. kayaks, 2 ez-ups and kayak gear bag on the rack. Sure lets me carry way more stuff than a cherokee normally will hold.
Geoff
DakotaAdventurer
Never Satisfied
boo471
Adventurer
This was my build of my roof rack.
This roof rack will be built to hold my RTT and with a "basket" in front to hold either a spare tire or what ever else one would want up there. It will have mounting points for my LED light bar and for reverse/work lights in the back. I will also build a custom sliding adjuster and mount a 100W solar panel that will be horizontally mounted above the LED light bar and that can slide forward, above the windshield when parked.
I did shorten the rack a little bit compared to my original design. It was just to big. It looked weird and I wanted to keep the weight down.. There is still enough room up there to put a whole lot of stuff.
The frame is built out of 1"x0.120 DOM tube, 1" and 3/4" HREW tube. Should be pretty sturdy once everything is welded down properly.
Right now Im debating how to design the mounting brackets on the truck. I want to make sure it's waterproof so might need to go get some more seals (for GX470s without roof rails). So no water gets in under the current seals.
Wife grinding down my not so pretty welds (its been a while since I welded).
[URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"]
[/URL][/URL][/URL]
This is how far we got yesterday before I had to stop working and start moving a Copper head snake instead that my dog was playing around with.
[URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"]
[/URL][/URL][/URL]
Today's progress. Before the thunderstorm rolled in and the power went out.
View attachment 185099
Ok so the basic rack is completed. I'm goin to add som more tabs for light and mount a solar panel later on. Weight is about 75lbs so not to bad.
I started working on the mounts today as well. Hopefully it will be on the truck by next weekend.
Your welds sucks she said and took the welder out of my hands....
View attachment 185100
Final result.
View attachment 185101
I spent a couple of hours on the roof mounts today. Or the base of the roof mounts I should say. They came out sturdy and pretty good. I designed them so they can use the original seals. Slow progress working on the mounts. At least I got the the base for all three mounts on the left side done and I cut out the pieces needed for the right side. I'll finish up the right side on Wednesday hopefully... and then do the actual mounting fixtures on Thursday/Friday so I can test the rack this weekend. Or at least that's the plan.
Here are some pictures.
Front/mid and rear base
View attachment 185102
Front left base
Left side. They came out very sturdy. Should easily handle the weight I'm going to put up on the rack.
View attachment 185103
I finally got the roof rack mounted to the truck. I threw the RTT on there and the LED light bar as well. The wife approves.
View attachment 185104
//Marten
This roof rack will be built to hold my RTT and with a "basket" in front to hold either a spare tire or what ever else one would want up there. It will have mounting points for my LED light bar and for reverse/work lights in the back. I will also build a custom sliding adjuster and mount a 100W solar panel that will be horizontally mounted above the LED light bar and that can slide forward, above the windshield when parked.
I did shorten the rack a little bit compared to my original design. It was just to big. It looked weird and I wanted to keep the weight down.. There is still enough room up there to put a whole lot of stuff.
The frame is built out of 1"x0.120 DOM tube, 1" and 3/4" HREW tube. Should be pretty sturdy once everything is welded down properly.
Right now Im debating how to design the mounting brackets on the truck. I want to make sure it's waterproof so might need to go get some more seals (for GX470s without roof rails). So no water gets in under the current seals.
Wife grinding down my not so pretty welds (its been a while since I welded).
[URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild2_zps49555ce8.jpeg"]
[/URL][/URL][/URL]This is how far we got yesterday before I had to stop working and start moving a Copper head snake instead that my dog was playing around with.
[URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"][URL="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/Marten_Medin/Bild3_zpsb22b3484.jpeg"]
[/URL][/URL][/URL]Today's progress. Before the thunderstorm rolled in and the power went out.
View attachment 185099
Ok so the basic rack is completed. I'm goin to add som more tabs for light and mount a solar panel later on. Weight is about 75lbs so not to bad.
I started working on the mounts today as well. Hopefully it will be on the truck by next weekend.
Your welds sucks she said and took the welder out of my hands....
View attachment 185100
Final result.
View attachment 185101
I spent a couple of hours on the roof mounts today. Or the base of the roof mounts I should say. They came out sturdy and pretty good. I designed them so they can use the original seals. Slow progress working on the mounts. At least I got the the base for all three mounts on the left side done and I cut out the pieces needed for the right side. I'll finish up the right side on Wednesday hopefully... and then do the actual mounting fixtures on Thursday/Friday so I can test the rack this weekend. Or at least that's the plan.
Here are some pictures.
Front/mid and rear base
View attachment 185102
Front left base
Left side. They came out very sturdy. Should easily handle the weight I'm going to put up on the rack.
View attachment 185103
I finally got the roof rack mounted to the truck. I threw the RTT on there and the LED light bar as well. The wife approves.
View attachment 185104
//Marten
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Bought the aluminum rack on CL for cheap and built the steel base to hold it. It gives me something to mount lights to and something else I have in mind. I think I will fill the space between the rack and the roof with a panel to deflect the air over the camper.
Every Miles A Memory
Expedition Leader
Marten, your rack looks awesome, and kudo's to the wife for being right there working with you!