Suggestions to add plastic armour to round tubes on racks

[steelnwool]

Hi, I have a custom bed rack made of 1.25" round steel. It's powder coated, but I'm always dragging kayaks on and off the top.

I'm looking for suggestions on how I could armour this. I want it to look nice as well. I'm imagining something black and textured that looks similar to the plastic plates that manufacturers bolt onto nerf bars/steps.

Thoughts?

 

[Kmrtnsn]

Kydex sheet, a heat gun, a bandsaw, a belt sander, and a pop-riveter.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Kydex sheet, a heat gun, a bandsaw, a belt sander, and a pop-riveter.

Close
Use a tube undersized and cut the sheets so they just touch ends when wrapped. Remove tube Snap over rack tube.

 

[pith helmet]

see your favorite plumber for a few pieces of 2" black polyethylene water line, split it lengthwise and it will fit over it and you're good to go. if you want it not to move, you could rivet it on. it will outlast the rack.

 

[Alloy]

Convoluted Tube
Convoluted Pipe
PVC Tape/Wrap
Plastic split ducting or 1/2 pipe
.063 Black UHMW sheet with rivets

 

[NatersXJ6]

I used foam pipe insulation and black duct tape. Replace every 1-2 years. Cheap, easy.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Line-X

 

[pith helmet]

Convoluted Tube
Convoluted Pipe
PVC Tape/Wrap
Plastic split ducting or 1/2 pipe
.063 Black UHMW sheet with rivets

I don’t know, sounds convoluted.

?

 

[86scotty]

see your favorite plumber for a few pieces of 2" black polyethylene water line, split it lengthwise and it will fit over it and you're good to go. if you want it not to move, you could rivet it on. it will outlast the rack.

I like this one the best. Or just sell the vehicle and buy a new one outfitted as you see fit. Overland vehicles are a dime a dozen these days.

 

[pith helmet]

I like this one the best. Or just sell the vehicle and buy a new one outfitted as you see fit. Overland vehicles are a dime a dozen these days.

It was what my dad had on the pipe rack on his ‘68 Chevy step side growing up. Seeing the Grumman canoe getting loaded on there was the best thing in the world.

 

[86scotty]

It was what my dad had on the pipe rack on his ‘68 Chevy step side growing up. Seeing the Grumman canoe getting loaded on there was the best thing in the world.

I've got the family Grumman under my back porch. It has a big dent in it nowadays from a tree limb falling on it and I'm way too lazy to take it to the river when kayaks are so much fun but man did we have a ball in that thing growing up. My Dad would put it on the top of his 1970 something Volvo wagon and off to the Spring River (in the Ozarks) we would go.

 

[pith helmet]

I've got the family Grumman under my back porch. It has a big dent in it nowadays from a tree limb falling on it and I'm way too lazy to take it to the river when kayaks are so much fun but man did we have a ball in that thing growing up. My Dad would put it on the top of his 1970 something Volvo wagon and off to the Spring River (in the Ozarks) we would go.

I have my dads 17’ and bought his best friend’s 15’ square stern from his widow. Both are painted with house paint from their original house colors from 1970. The 17’ will cover some miles with two strong paddlers. Kayaks are easy and fun.

 

[86scotty]

You know, I've forgotten the length of ours but it is LONG and wide. We would put a huge drybox in the middle plus Mom, Dad, me and my brother (when we were young) and do overnights in that thing. I actually still use the old dry box around the house still. Currently half of it is a firewood box on the back porch.

To gently steer this thread back on topic I can assure you that nothing creative was used by my Dad to aid in loading/unloading the canoe. That is unless you count dents, scratches and gratuitous use of twine as creative. I think Natural Light beer and profanity were the grease that got the boat loaded usually.

 

[Alloy]

I don’t know, sounds convoluted.

?

Yeah it's either really convoluted or split. Hard to know which one.

 

[MiamiC70]

Helicopter blade tape it’s invisible and easily removed when you want.