Homemade Roofracks.
- Thread starter Box Rocket
- Start date
StumpXJ
SE Expedition Society
Well said. And true.
I am giving it to a friend of mine with an XJ in a couple weeks so I can build a replacement out of round tubing and incorporate it into my roll cage.
It will live on!
~ James
StumpXJ
SE Expedition Society
Everytime I get in my Jeep, I miss my Tacoma. One day, I will have another one. Awesome truck for sure. Thanks!
~ James
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Cool. I've been thinking of something just like that, but retaining the factory 04 fat roof bars.
4307
Adventurer
recent test fit...
Work in progress.
I used a roll on bed liner as the finish.
I'm thinking of doing a HID conversion on the Hella 500's and 550 fogs.
I'm also going to mount mini fogs on the sides and a couple pointed to the rear.
The tray is level with the roof rack on the topper. I want to keep it low profile to accommodate our kayaks, transport 4x8' plywood sheets (home reno).
it's a good place to strap down my dry bag I use to remove camp garbage.
off-roader
Expedition Leader
Nice low profile design.
For the bedliner, if you used Herculiner, I recommend covering it with a gloss UV resistant finish. My buddy painted his lower panels with it and had to repaint it because the UV made everything a dull flat finish.
Will the Hella 500 plastic enclosure handle the heat from HID's?
As for the mini fogs, take a look at the Hella Micro FF's. Nice small fog light. Also consider work or flood lights. Wider beam pattern but shorter throw. Depends on your intensions for the lighting.
Box Rocket
Well-known member
recent test fit...
Work in progress.
I used a roll on bed liner as the finish.
I'm thinking of doing a HID conversion on the Hella 500's and 550 fogs.
I'm also going to mount mini fogs on the sides and a couple pointed to the rear.
The tray is level with the roof rack on the topper. I want to keep it low profile to accommodate our kayaks, transport 4x8' plywood sheets (home reno).
it's a good place to strap down my dry bag I use to remove camp garbage.
That is cool. Nice work
TangoBlue
American Adventurist
4307 that rack is awesome! I especially like the low-profile feature and the holes in the angle and PSP stock allow for infinite tie down options when lashing gear, besides the other features you mentioned. I'm thinking your idea is my solution for a rack over my CanBack. :victory:A couple questions though...
* what does it weigh, approximately;
* what specific material did you use;
* how did you secure it to the cross bars;
* what are the small square cut-outs on each corner in the PSP for?
Thanks for sharing your pics and ingenuity!
* what does it weigh, approximately;
* what specific material did you use;
* how did you secure it to the cross bars;
* what are the small square cut-outs on each corner in the PSP for?
Thanks for sharing your pics and ingenuity!
Wes Craiglow
Member
I second TB above: major cool points, my man. I SO wish I had welding skills like you. Can't wait to see what you do next. If I may, though, tag along another question to TB's four...
Do you anticipate hood glare from the lights being immediately above your windshield?
I would like to put some up there on my truck, but I'm worried about blinding myself unless they're further rearward.
Thoughts? Thx.
StumpXJ
SE Expedition Society
Awesome rack 4307! One question though, I am assuming you had a typ when you said 55 "fogs"? Did you mean driving light beams? Fogs would be a bad choice for spread pattern up there. I made a mistake (grabbed the wrong set off the bench) and put the fog pattern on the rear of my rack for back up lighting. Fogs have very wide beam, but it is also extremely short. They are designed to be mounted as low as possible.
You will ove the HID's. I converted all of mine as well, and its SOOOO much better.
Diggin the rack!
You will ove the HID's. I converted all of mine as well, and its SOOOO much better.
Diggin the rack!
4307
Adventurer
* The rack weight is exactly 51 lbs. 72 lbs with the shovel, axe and Hi-Lift
The bedliner material added a fair amount of weight. That being said, it was worth it. I'd do it again. POR15 would be my second choice.
* I used....
1/8'' x 2'' x2'' angle iron.
1/8'' expanded steel
Hippo Liner bed liner kit... only used 1/2 of the kit, over 3 coats, applied with a fine mini foam paint roller.
* I'm using hardware store U-bolts for now.
The rack will be removed for daily driving, so a quick release lock mechanism is in the works.
I'll post the results when it comes together.
* The square cut outs in the corners are to clear the thickness of the cross tube clamp on the Yakima roof rack tower. This allows the rack to sit flat on the cross bar. By doing this the rack is totally level with the bed roof rack.
StumpXJ.... yup that was a typo, it should be Hella 550 driving...
http://www.myhellalights.com/halogen_lamps/Hella_550_Driving_Lamp_Kit.html
I agree, not the best choice, but I will be replacing them. Before I do that I'll try them out on the trails. The short wide pattern may work for our narrow bush trails to illuminate the peripheral bush the regular 500's will focus on the forward trail.. in theory..
:coffeedrink:
I would like to run 2 HIDfoglight.com 7'' HID... as outer lights....
http://www.hidfoglight.com/productsAndServices/hid7Trucklight.html
And Kragen 7'' HID's for the center. Kragen's throw a different pattern than the HIDfoglights.com version. Other than the pattern difference the lights are identical.
Only problem is, I can't seem to order Kragen's from Canada.
http://shop.oreillyauto.com/product_images/img/csm/99000csk.jpg
I'll convert the Hella 500's to HID and stick them on my ARB.
But, in the end money dictates... LOL
The bedliner material added a fair amount of weight. That being said, it was worth it. I'd do it again. POR15 would be my second choice.
* I used....
1/8'' x 2'' x2'' angle iron.
1/8'' expanded steel
Hippo Liner bed liner kit... only used 1/2 of the kit, over 3 coats, applied with a fine mini foam paint roller.
* I'm using hardware store U-bolts for now.
The rack will be removed for daily driving, so a quick release lock mechanism is in the works.
I'll post the results when it comes together.
* The square cut outs in the corners are to clear the thickness of the cross tube clamp on the Yakima roof rack tower. This allows the rack to sit flat on the cross bar. By doing this the rack is totally level with the bed roof rack.
StumpXJ.... yup that was a typo, it should be Hella 550 driving...
http://www.myhellalights.com/halogen_lamps/Hella_550_Driving_Lamp_Kit.html
I agree, not the best choice, but I will be replacing them. Before I do that I'll try them out on the trails. The short wide pattern may work for our narrow bush trails to illuminate the peripheral bush the regular 500's will focus on the forward trail.. in theory..
:coffeedrink:I would like to run 2 HIDfoglight.com 7'' HID... as outer lights....
http://www.hidfoglight.com/productsAndServices/hid7Trucklight.html
And Kragen 7'' HID's for the center. Kragen's throw a different pattern than the HIDfoglights.com version. Other than the pattern difference the lights are identical.
Only problem is, I can't seem to order Kragen's from Canada.
http://shop.oreillyauto.com/product_images/img/csm/99000csk.jpg
I'll convert the Hella 500's to HID and stick them on my ARB.
But, in the end money dictates... LOL
Last edited:
UK4X4
Expedition Leader
"For those talking about using conduit. What size/thickness is appropriate?"
I used standard conduit not the extended reach stuff, ie the lighter wall.
The bends were the standard electrical bends which are a slightly larger OD
Being that they are designed to be threaded together, and I had no tap for the cut lengths I just drilled out the thread with a cone cut and pushed the tubes into the bends, and welded.
These joins are behind the upright supports, so you can't really see the joins.
Butt welding this wall thickness would not be that easy.
Mine was 25mm and 35mm OD tubing
The cross bars I used a hole saw to round the ends - made then push fit and then fully welded.
I only used a hobart 140 but works fine for me
I used standard conduit not the extended reach stuff, ie the lighter wall.
The bends were the standard electrical bends which are a slightly larger OD
Being that they are designed to be threaded together, and I had no tap for the cut lengths I just drilled out the thread with a cone cut and pushed the tubes into the bends, and welded.
These joins are behind the upright supports, so you can't really see the joins.
Butt welding this wall thickness would not be that easy.
Mine was 25mm and 35mm OD tubing
The cross bars I used a hole saw to round the ends - made then push fit and then fully welded.
I only used a hobart 140 but works fine for me
Last edited: