FJ40 Roof Rack Build (2 Viewers)

[cuencanolenny]

I don't have a problem with the Gobi roof rack price of $1,500 but to buy, ship and pay 47% customs fee would make it around $5,000-$6,000 to me. Too much. So armed with the installation instructions I have set about reverse engineering the unit. I built a 1/10 scale rough model to validate dimensions and the like and set about drafting the features.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I found a "problem" with my model in that I made the roof flush to the windshield instead of overhanging. This required moving my windshield bracket supports up on the model. I needed to check the rig to find out how much crown there was in the roof to establish a 1" clearance relative to the drip rail. I'm sure the Gobi rear supports work fine but the design is for no drilling and fits any FJ40. I will make a new bumper and my posts will pass through the 2 X 4 steel tubing and then I will use a yoke and clevis of my design for the pivot.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I'm not sure what caused so much confusion with this sketch for how to cut two sheets of 3/4" MDF. I like having Edimco cut the sheets as they use a flat bed unit of some sort and everything comes out exact size, square, etc. and they charge three cents per cut. So this is simple, cut 6" off the 4 foot width and then cut at 70", three cuts total. The girl spent an hour putting my sketch into the computer and when I picked up the material I actually got three sheets as they tried using her sketch and screwed up. The side benefit is that the table I had under my tool box that was converted to a saw stand will now have a new table.

 

[cuencanolenny]

So the mother jig is built. I did it outside where you saw the material, laid out the geometry, disassembled and moved into the dance hall and reassembled and everything lined up. It will only (fingers crossed) come apart one more time for transport to my welder. My plan is to have everything fitted so there is a minimum of fabrication required at the welder. I had brought a B&D laser level down with me. Usually used for hanging pictures and finding studs, I think I can use it to align the yoke hinge centerline L/H to R/H so that when the bumper is mounted I know the pivots are in line. The first jig in the picture will be used to control the fore/aft upper and lower cage pieces. When you flip it over it will control the rear uprights. The tall pieces control the 90* bend that welds to the plate that is in turn bolted to the cage. The index gets flipped over to do the opposite hand. The pie plates borrowed from a display rack in the house are high tech radius gauges. Steel tubing is to be delivered tomorrow, $55.46 with delivery. I sourced the expanded metal "bed" in Guayaquil last week and it was delivered to the welder yesterday. The cost for that with delivery was $55.00. When I built a bumper for the old '70 cruiser I had a lot of the 2 X 4 steel tubing left over as I have to buy 6 meter lengths. So I have enough of it for the new bumper and I will use this material for making the lower windshield support brackets, attach plates front and rear as well. Where the rear support tubing passes through the bumper I will have enough (1") for adding a support that will go under the body and attach to the chassis frame rail. Not quite like Gobi, but along those lines.

 

[ColoradoFJ40]

Wow. I feel dumb after seeing your work. Awesome job. Can't wait to see it complete.

 

[swelltimes]

Looks like some thorough planning, can't wait to see how it comes out! Nice looking truck, too.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Very nice, Lenny!!!

 

[camcruiser13]

hahahaha colorado thats funny

Wow. I feel dumb after seeing your work. Awesome job. Can't wait to see it complete.

 

[ginmtb]

Love the old school drafting too! I'm sure it is going to turn out really nice with your planning and attention to detail.

 

[tmarx]

Awesome job sofar ..... subcribed !

 

[cuencanolenny]

Thanks guys. I had to tool up a little for this project and I stole the stand out from under my tool box for the saw. I added some casters in the back so that as soon as I lift the handle they come into play for moving it around. The drill press is a must for the rack risers and bumper. With the "mistake" the plywood yard made last week and only one small jig left to build (lower windshield support brackets and tube) I was able to fabricate a new stand for the tool box this morning. It is almost finished, I got called away to guide the steel delivery truck up into the boonies. Should start bending tubing next week me thinks.

 

[Mace]

You are using the wood jigs for bending the tube?

 

[HighOctane]

Nice preperation going here
Subscribed. Looking forward to the result of the labour.

 

[cuencanolenny]

No, the wood jigs are for control of the bending. Conventional rollers will be used to bend the tubing and fit check to the wooden jigs. Now the welding will be done in the wooden jigs where I can clamp and hold during weld and cooling. It is a one time fabrication and so it will work fine and then be tossed afterwards. Similar approach as to when I built the dash box last year.

 

[Coolerman]

I have always envied people who are really good at fabrication in wood or metal. You seem to have the skills to do both. I'm at best a hack when it comes to either!

You might consider keeping those jigs. Maybe give them to the welding shop so they can make more of these awesome racks. You get a cut of each one they make and everyone is happy! Hook up with an exporter and you could make some money.

 

[Hornd]

For what tube costs I would make 2 minimum before pitching the jigs.
I'm sure there is another person in Ecuador that doesn't want to pay $5k and yours would be essentially free.
I wish I could show you AutoCAD.....You'd be downright Dangerous!

 

[cuencanolenny]

Hahaha! I ran CATIA V2, V3, V4 for over 24 years! My drafting skills have suffered greatly, especially my lettering. Another retired tooling engineer was telling me last week I could probably find a free program on the internet. I told him I would have to take time to learn it and I know how to run a pencil!

 

[Helipilot]

Very nice work and very creative...I like your style!

 

[cuencanolenny]

We all know the saying "Fish or cut bait" meaning get with the program or get out of the way. So Friday morning it was time to start cutting steel. The 2 X 4 X 5/32" steel tube I bought a few years ago to make a new bumper for the blue cruiser comes in 6M lengths. After moving to the country I went back over to get the 13' long piece that was left. Hindsight is always 20-20, wish I had cut at least one piece about 61" long. Alas, I cut them to fit inside The Beast and so I have a splice on the rear. Not a big deal, just make sure the weld doesn't fall into a fastener. I needed to be careful about which pieces to use where as I need several items to be cut out of this and certainly don't want to buy another 6M for $82 (at that time) needing a foot or two. Made fairly good progress on Friday. Saturday I was able to start on the angled pieces at the rear. I ended up taking another long break, as again today, the weather has just been stellar and we needed to get out and do some stuff. So today I finished up the forward end pieces. Need to make plates to close out the forward ends. I made the two forward lower brackets. Carefully staging my cuts to avoid banana boating of the parts. Even at 5" long they want to do that. I need four plates 12" long cut from the 4" side of the steel tubing for upper rear attach plates and since they have to mate flat it will be a challenge to keep them flat.

 

[cuencanolenny]

Shown is the jig for the forward brackets to tubes. Set up so that one index/nest block will work for both hands. Need to get with my welder to find out how much excess is required for bending the tubing so I can cut some of that up. Delivered in 6M lengths it is a bit long for The Beast.