Another Roof Rack build

[MARLIN375]

Just finished my full length Safari rack.
Special thanks to "theMule" for his gutter-mount brackets that arrived in time for the fab before I leave on my fishing safari next week.

All the other materials are recycled from the local scrap yard.
I used stainless (IH8paint) for the hoops and crossbars and found a roll off some funky plastic/rubber coated mesh to cover the crossbars. Put a 2lb roll of stainless wire in the welder and three evenings and a box of bud later........







I plan on getting a RTT for next year so the top hoop is going to get chopped and changed depending on the tent dimensions.

 

[Aussie cruiser]

Looks good

 

[wierdbeard]

lookin good, you got a championship season ahead of you. i wish i had room in my g-rage for a rack.

 

[romegadave]

Nice work--wish I could do something like that to have a rack on my 55

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

That looks great


What did you use for the bottom mesh?

 

[MARLIN375]

The mesh on the bottom is a 12gauge steel screen with 1/2"X1/2" openings that is coated/dipped in plastic. I found a roll of it at a garage sale a while back. Not sure what it's design application is. Here is a picture of whats left of the roll (I bet it weighs over 100 lbs).

installed with UV zap-straps, there is some flex when I walk on it atop the truck, but that won't happen very often.



How do you roof rack owners get up on your racks? I climbed up with the rear passenger door open, using the rear seat and the back of the front passenger seat for steps....I think I need to fab up a ladder.

Thanks for kind words guys

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

How do you roof rack owners get up on your racks? I climbed up with the rear passenger door open, using the rear seat and the back of the front passenger seat for steps....I think I need to fab up a ladder.

I roll the left rear window down, stick my right foot on top of the left rear tire, then my left foot on top of the door with the door closed and pull myself up

If my shoes are dirty, I take one of the floor mats from the center row and hang it over the door upside down (spikes up)...

I thought of making a ladder myself, but I rarely go up there and the window trick works fine for me...

Besides, my kids are the ones that are always climbing up there and they just jump up on the hood and walk over the windshield

 

[Atoyot1031]

How do you roof rack owners get up on your racks? I climbed up with the rear passenger door open, using the rear seat and the back of the front passenger seat for steps....I think I need to fab up a ladder.

Thanks for kind words guys

Looking good!

I left the floor of the roof over my sunroof open so that I can climb out that way. I have a drop in floor for it for when I need to utilize the entire rack. I'm also building a ladder for my Kaymar rear bumper.

 

[Red Fox Ranch]

Geordie,

Good to see that you got 'em, how was the trip to get them? Your rack is lookin' good, have a good expedition fishin'.

 

[mikedamageinc]

Nice Rack!

It looks good but also looks heavy, how much does that joker weigh?

The mesh looks like fencing material.

 

[MARLIN375]

Kaleb,
A friend of mine had some other stuff to pickup in Oroville, so he spent a couple of hours explaining himself to the customs official coming back into Canada (the officer actually phoned me and quized me about you, how much?, how did I pay?when?, why?) all the paper work was in order and he had copies of everything, but it is becoming a bit of a local joke getting detained and searched coming back into your own country with a bag of groceries. My Buddy actually came away with a 3 year restriction for smuggling because he did not have paper work for some plates (like the ones you eat off) that he had won on ebay, even though he had declared everything in his Van.

I am going to owe him for a while for that trip.

Thanks again for the gutter mounts they work great and should be as durable and dependable as a Mule.

 

[MARLIN375]

Nice Rack!

It looks good but also looks heavy, how much does that joker weigh?

The mesh looks like fencing material.

Actually ended up lighter than I thought it would.
guessing about 65-70 lbs with the gutter mounts..
Next time I have it off I will weigh it.

The mesh could have been fencing material but the guy I bought it from said that it was about $300 for that roll originally (it was surplus from a job he was on years ago) he figured it was to be submerged at a pulp mill.