Here's the start of my new roof rack.

Plan is for something quite large. 9' x 5'. Round tube perimeter with rectangular tube cross bars. But more on that later.

Just figured I'd start with some new rails (scrap the factory ones and mount some 1/4" x 2" plate to weld everything to). However, once I looked at the factory rails, decided to build something compatible with them.

Started with some plates to go inside the rails. Cut them out of 1/4" plate (7/8" x 4")


Then some plate to sit on top of the rails and mount the crossbars to. Also made from 1/4" plate (2" x 4")


Then mounted some risers to set the height of the crossbars. You can see how they are cut on an angle on the bottom due to the curve of the roof.

 

Here is how they are mounted. The internal plate (inside the rail) is threaded. The bolt goes through the mounting plate (on top of the rail) and threads into the internal plate. When you tighten the bolt, it sandwiches the two plates around the factory rails.


Here you can see the full cross bar. The cross bars are made of 1" x 2" rectangular tube. These ones are super thick (3/16"), way too thick, but it was all I had at the time and needed the cross bars to pick up some stuff last weekend!


Just painted them flat black for now. Plan to make 2 more of these to support the roof rack (which will essentially just be a deck that mounts to these cross bars

 

Tuned in!!

 

subscribing. looks pretty cool

 

Great thinking. Thanks for sharing!

 

Planning for a similar project, subscribing to yours.

What tubing are you going to use for the rest of the frame?

 

I used your sizes and idea for mounting the alum roof top that I scored at the wreckers. Originally made for the 15 passenger van. I used stainless bolts to hold it all down.

 

Wallz. That is awesome! good score. good install.

I've found a few complete racks around too but not quite that size. If I find one I'll consider that over building. But I'm gonna pick up steel in the next 2 weeks to work on the rack near the end of the month if I don't find anything.

 

thats sweet. Now thats ready for combat!

 

Looks good if it were mine I think I would take it and have it line x ed..

 

Watching

 

Do you get much wind noise from that? It looks perfect on the X.

 

I did get some whistling thru the tube ends. Bought some plastic push in and painted them alum and stuck then in.
It actually pretty quiet for the flat front.

 

Looks great, I like it!

 

Here's a helpful fix for those who have factory load bars that will no longer lock in place because the tensioning pins have pulled out of the tensioning bands.

Here's a pic of the pulled out pin


Take a small washer a cut a slot in it


Then spread the washer enough to get it over the pin


Then push the steel band down enough and squeeze the washer closed. Wahlah. Fixed. Don't know for sure how long it will hold, but seems to be okay. And I don't move them that often anyway.