Roof rack plan, ideas and a couple of questions...

[Dodge]

I'm going to make a roof rack, probably out of 3/4 in box, welded into a crate shape about 2m x 1m with uprights of about 10 or 15cm. Not sure about the base yet, may use mesh or maybe a sheet of ally tread plate.

I'll include some feet to bolt it through the roof, not worried about wrecking the paint or the roof as it's a well used truck not a trailer queen, I just find I need more load space sometimes.

I'm thinking I'll weld some small plates across the front lower rail drilled to take some extra spots and spray the whole thing or maybe have it galvanised... what's the likely hood of it distorting with the heat?

Has anyone made their own rack?... any problems you came across would be handy to hear about and if anyone has removed a roof lining it would be a help if I new where to start and any tips on taking it out would be a great help too.

If no one has tried this I'll just wing it and post what I find.

Cheers guys.

[shokenore]

I'm going to make a roof rack, probably out of 3/4 in box, welded into a crate shape about 2m x 1m with uprights of about 10 or 15cm. Not sure about the base yet, may use mesh or maybe a sheet of ally tread plate.

I'll include some feet to bolt it through the roof, not worried about wrecking the paint or the roof as it's a well used truck not a trailer queen, I just find I need more load space sometimes.

I'm thinking I'll weld some small plates across the front lower rail drilled to take some extra spots and spray the whole thing or maybe have it galvanised... what's the likely hood of it distorting with the heat?

Has anyone made their own rack?... any problems you came across would be handy to hear about and if anyone has removed a roof lining it would be a help if I new where to start and any tips on taking it out would be a great help too.

If no one has tried this I'll just wing it and post what I find.

Cheers guys.

Could you not just use a trailer?

[MWS]

Hey Dodge, If you don't want to take out the roof lining, you could always use "Rivnuts" Car Builder Supplies also sell rubber ones that you don't need a gun for. Also, There's a new member on here would probably like to see any pic's of the wheel/tyre/wheel arch combo on your new truck, if you've got a moment to post any...........Cheers....Mick.

[markp2]

If you want a rack around the size you have posted, I have one going for free in East Devon (6 miles off J29 M5).
All you have to do is collect it!
Mark

[BUSHWHACKER]

Hey Dodge, If you don't want to take out the roof lining, you could always use "Rivnuts" Car Builder Supplies also sell rubber ones that you don't need a gun for. Also, There's a new member on here would probably like to see any pic's of the wheel/tyre/wheel arch combo on your new truck, if you've got a moment to post any...........Cheers....Mick.

Rivnuts to secure a roof crate thats probably going to weigh around 25 kilos unladen, to the roof of a Surf??????

You know how they work, right?

[gary-r]

Rivnuts to secure a roof crate thats probably going to weigh around 25 kilos unladen, to the roof of a Surf??????

You know how they work, right?

snigger

[gary-r]

snigger

use the rubber ones - be more entertaining first time you hit the anchors hard

[MWS]

Ok, I'll admit my ignorance. Are they that weak / feeble?..........

[Apache]

Why not just use big f***off bolts and penny washers? No more difficult to do, a million times more secure

[BUSHWHACKER]

Ok, I'll admit my ignorance. Are they that weak / feeble?..........

Type Rivnuts into Google then click on images.

[Dodge]

depends on your galvaniser, and why not paint it, cheaper option, or powder coat it. if you search a bit several members have done there own, lordflashart i think did a good post about it.

be nice too see your job when done too, i've been toying with the idea for a while now.

Yeah, I should paint it really, I have use of a compressor and guns at work and we even have black paint... bit daft to think of doing anything else.

I did a search, didn't come up with any pics though, maybe I misspelled my search terms.

I'll take some pic then.

Could you not just use a trailer?

I could but there are a few reasons I don't want to. For starters I don't have one but I can make a rack for a few quid, I can borrow a trailer if I need to move something heavy, I spend all day stuck at 55 it would do my nut in if I had to stick bellow 60 going on a jolly and this...

If it were waterproof it would float...


It would affect my angle of departure, funny the rear tire is what limits it at the moment, I've scraped it a few times I'm glad it's old rubber...


I don't think even a ring and pin hitch would work...

If you want a rack around the size you have posted, I have one going for free in East Devon (6 miles off J29 M5).
All you have to do is collect it!
Mark

Wow, that's very generous, thank you.

I can get it picked up, just need a location. PM me your address and number and I'll get one of the guys to drop by. It'll be during the day Mon to Fri if that's OK?

Have you got a picture of it?

[Apache]

It would affect my angle of departure, funny the rear tire is what limits it at the moment, I've scraped it a few times I'm glad it's old rubber...

[BUSHWHACKER]

Did you drop it in a cow pat trying to lift it onto the carrier?

[Apache]

The weight used to tip the truck backwards. If I parked on a field and got out, I used to have to get someone to sit on the bonnet til I got in.

The tyres were rubbish. Not really that much better offroad than the BFG ATs, but as noisy as hell, vague as f*** and wore like a thing that wears really fast.

Look nice though.

[Dodge]

The weight used to tip the truck backwards. If I parked on a field and got out, I used to have to get someone to sit on the bonnet til I got in.

The tyres were rubbish. Not really that much better offroad than the BFG ATs, but as noisy as hell, vague as f*** and wore like a thing that wears really fast.

Look nice though.

I like the tread on the sidewall, don't know if it's the picture but they look huge, what size are they?