Homemade Roofracks.

[evldave]

A couple thoughts on solid vs mesh floor...expanded metal is a pain to install, but if you do it right (tension + lots of welds), it won't sag, but if you slack at all, it will sag over time...I have 3 separate sections on my rack and started to get lazy on the last one and only welded every other point...it was the first to sag

And idk about the wind resistance and solid floor effect on it, but my experience is that the expanded floor allows wind gusts to go through the rack, vs the 'sail' effect of a solid floor...so in gusty winds, a solid floor seems to have more push to it...totally seat of the pants measurement, but that's been my experience (and why I go open floor or expanded metal, not solid floor)

 

[ntsqd]

I never noticed any 'sail' effect from the solid deck of the rack on the old Suburban. I guess I'll find out on the FJ if it was a size/mass thing or not since that rack is slated to get cut down to fit it.
With only a perimeter steel frame I could walk on the deck of the Sub's rack. The width-wise span was over 4 feet as I had to use 2 sheets of 1/2" ply turned sideways.

IME expanded metal has to be supported frequently to avoid sagging. Frequent welds are good, but w/o frequent support it can not span any great distance and carry a load w/o sagging. Then any weight advantage would be lost. Were I determined to have an 'open' type of decking I would go with the polymer farm grate that has been discussed in the past.

 

[scarysharkface]

Keep in mind that the rack sits in the area of low pressure and turbulent flow from the windshield/roof junction. I don't think solid vs. mesh is all that big a deal aerodynamically.

John

 

[ntsqd]

The front edge maybe depending on length and placement, but not the whole thing.

 

[sjk99]

gutter mounting options for DIY racks

What do people think would be good low-height gutter mount options for a DIY rack. I'd like it to be pretty low to the roof and most of the commercial rack gutter mounts seem fairly tall. The vehicle is a 96 XJ.

Here's a list of what I've found so far.


Quick-N-Easy - says the yoke height is 7 3/8 which is pretty tall. Saw some references on the web to a 4" Q-N-E clamp but apparently no longer made.

Yakima 1A - available everywhere, still kind of tall but in this thread there's a picture of them with the top part removed so maybe 1.5-2" shorter.

Kargo Master These are also available elsewhere - search on "kargomaster 50541" at 4" above gutter (for jeep XJ) or extra-wide 50551 at 5" above gutter (Rover up to 95.) Not clear what "extra-wide" means.

Thule #300 - 5" rise.

Proline house brand (same as Thule but less $)

Offroad Unlimited Defender gutter mount kits - Sturdy looking. High and adjustable low models. Low says it goes as low as 3"

Groucho / Tallowpot.com from IH8MUD.com makes very nice looking adjustable clamps similar to the defender clamps as well as monster cross-bars.

RenoRacing pointed out
JCR Offroad as an inexpensive set of gutter clamps although they appear designed for attaching cargo net or straps but could be adapted to a rack.

Slee has nice looking gutter mounts that come with extruded aluminum load bars.

Surco has gutter mounts in three heights from 5 1/2" to 12" on this page

Automaxi commercial truck type roof bars out of the UK or eBay - 55-65 BP for four mounts & two bars.

Or make your own. Could probably use piece of angle, spread the 90 degrees to whatever it would take to meet the cross bar & sit in the gutter and weld a threaded rod nut (sorry, not sure of the name) and make a clamping piece.

Thread on DIY gutter mounts
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28716

StumpXJ's DIY mounts

A thread on MUD thread with some good DIY mounts.

thanks.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

If you want low, definitely make your own.

 

[lcsodiver]

Well I may have posted this before but here are pictures of my homebuilt roof rack/ mounting brackets and accessories.

Rack done, just getting the gutter mounts built

Front drop light rack, I wanted the tops below the rack bar for ladders/kayaks/canoes and protection from trees.

Gutter mount stand off

 

[RenoRacing]

Here you are sir...
I was looking for something low profile as well. And liked the looks of the low profile rack that JCR made, and was planning on copying their mounts myself.
Simple flat stock, and some 1" channel with a hole drilled through it...

I had looked all over the internet for some nice low profile mounts. Then I stumbled across this on their page!!! I haven't seen anybody use these or anybody that even knows about them for that matter, but they're the best ones I've seen out there. You can't beat it for the price! $10 each, you're gonna spend more than that trying to fab some up yourself. I ordered 6 of them for the rack I'll be putting together when the welder arrives. Ordered them last week so hoping to have them in my hands soon. I can take some measurements then if needed.
(disregard the backup light picture, apparently the two photos are all one "image" copied off of their site)

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=XJRCKMNTS&Category_Code=XJMISC

 

[ntsqd]

This picture shows how low I was able to mount the flat rack that I had on the '79 Suburban. It has not been put on the '91 because the '91 was too nice to do that to.

This picture hints at just how big it is. Those 2 sheets of ply had to be turned sideways so it is just over 8 feet long and a little more than 4 feet wide. I can easily pick it up and move it around the yard by myself, yet I could walk around on it when it was mounted to the Sub and it barely deflected from my 200+ lbs.

I have the six Con-ferr mounts that came on the rack that was on the FJ60. I kept the mounts and gave away that rack. I plan to cut off the old mounting feet and shorten and narrow the frame to fit the FJ60 at some point in the future. As the Con-ferr parts are they are too tall. I'll either cut them down or those JCR mounts look pretty nice, I may just use them instead.

 

[Noxious007]

I finished my rack. I still need to mount lights and run wire.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Finally got mine done. Read more HERE

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Read more HERE

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

So you just thru bolted it to the roof?

 

[RenoRacing]

Here's the start to mine. I'm using the mounts I posted above(although only 4 for now, seeing as JCRoffroad shorted me one of the smaller "clamping" pieces off of the 6 I ordered.)
This was about three hours into the fab, I'm heading out to put in another 6 hours or so today! Everything is just tacked into place in these pictures(rack is just sitting on the mounts).

 

[Herbie]

Looks like Galvanized conduit? That's what I was thinking to use for a lightweight rack for my scooby at one point.

You're planning to wire-brush the galvanized coating off before you do the real weld, right?
If not, google "welding galvanized steel", your health with thank you.

 

[ExpoMike]

Looks like Galvanized conduit? That's what I was thinking to use for a lightweight rack for my scooby at one point.

You're planning to wire-brush the galvanized coating off before you do the real weld, right?
If not, google "welding galvanized steel", your health with thank you.

x2 on the danger.

Even wire brushing off won't remove it enough. I just got done doing some welding on a project using some galvanized square tube and using a 120 grit sanding disk on a 90* prep tool, removing to bare metal, it was still out-gasing because the galvanizing is on the inside too. Very good ventilation is needed and don't stand over your welds.

Also, as a side note, your welds will look like crap. Every place I had galvanized metal, it looks like crap but all of the non-gal. bare metal welds look awesome.

Overall nice looking rack and curious to see how it turns out. Good luck and don't kill yourself welding it. :Wow1: