Flooring ideas for Con-Ferr Rack

I just bought a 4x8 Con-Ferr rack off of craigslist for $75. It needs some paint and a floor. The plywood it currently has is in bad condition and needs to be replaced. I was thinking of maybe using some expanded metal mesh, but was wondering how people were welding it on or bolting it on. Any ideas for other materials is appreaciated....looking for a low cost option.

Thanks,
david

Safe to say that you don't want to replace the floor with plywood again?

I like the metal mesh floor idea. Since I don't have a welder, I would use small U-bolts. Welded on would be nice.

I've got mesh floor welded into my Con-Ferr rack. It really makes the rack heavy. I would use something else.

1x2" redwood or cedar planks sanded and finish sealed.

Cruiserman, the plywood that it had on it was 1" thick and wieghed a ton. I figure the expanded metal mesh would be considerably lighter. Do you have any pics of your rack?

david

Nothing that shows the mesh very well. I'll see if I can dig something up.

I cut the middle out of a freebie pickup truck bedliner and used it for the floor of my 4x6 ConFerr rack.

I used bedliner material because it's light, corrosion proof, stiff, slightly-rough (textured), and free. I cut it slightly smaller than the rack to allow it to expand when the sun hits it. I also drilled access holes in this bedliner floor to the ConFerr bracket bolts to adjust and tighten them. I bolted the floor with large washers to the ConFerr rack and then used a few industrial-strength zip-ties at the outer edges. I took the rack to Moab and put my tire up on top, and it worked fine. One hint is to scrub all the manure out of this free bedliner so that it doesn't drip on your truck roof every time you wash it . I pondered using expanded metal, aluminum (too expensive), plywood (not durable), etc. YMMV.

Steve

The nice thing about expanded metal and thick plywood is that you can stand on them. The downside is weight.

used pallet rack! got two for free from a buddy, bolted one on but still need to cut the other down and size to fit but honestly haven't needed it for the last two years. I too have the con-ferr 4x8 rack. I can't say how I got it for $50 brand new so don't ask Absolutely works great. I've loaded a ton of $hit on it and have never had problems. I put the heavy stuff (ice chest, tool chest, (2) 7 gal water jugs, extra tire, etc. on the rack and all the light stuff over the (more open) part such as tents, duffle bags, etc. I dont believe expanded metal can take the abuse i've given it.

The pallet rack shelf just sits on top of the rack and is u-bolted down. the rack itself is u-bolted to 3 Thule bars of which I slide back and forth to fit either the LC or the '89 4Rnr.

btw- I raise and lower it (and my 4Rnr shell) onto the vehicle via an ATV hoist and a series of pulleys so that I can do it (more/less) alone.

I've attached a couple pics.