dumb diy rack idea...

[Weaver]

so after getting ungodly quotes on rack shipments all morning, decided to just say fuggit and engineer my own. lots of searching, lots of brainstorming, lots of different opinions i've recieved. but one thing i didn't read or hear about that i came up with this morning was this. and it just seems to easy and stupid.

why not just get some industrial van ladder racks like what's used in construction? i mean tons of them are universal, a set of 3 brand new just sold on ebay for 100, you'd never have to spend more then 200. they're rated up to like, 1000lbs or something rediculous. throw a set of 3 on, you can deck it with alluminum, cherry, pine, hell whatever you want. the ends have bars that continue up about 6 inches beyond the height of the cross bars to keep ladders from falling off. link them all together and you have yourself a little safari basket

i dunno. i wanted the tradesman because of the price and i REALLY liked the continuous gutter support, but after shipping i'm at 800 bucks. i then thought about buying clamps, quik-n-easys seemed to be the route to go, but for the 4" version, and at 2 sets, and shipping, i'm at a bit under 200 and then i still have to buy the metal, weld, powdercoat or paint, etc.

is this ladder rack idea just stupid or does it sound like as good of an option as my mind like to think it is?

 

[Weaver]

and strength is also an important factor for me i do plan on setting a tent on top of whatever i buy/build.

 

[lunyou]

well if they are universal and will fit your rig as far as width is concerned i can see no problem with it. heck its your rig, if you like the idea make it work.

lunyou

 

[WHITCHCOCK]

to sTAY CHEAP

Keep an eye out in your local junk yard. Wrecked work vans come in fairly regularly with them. The Width can always be fixed with a sawsal and a welder.

 

[Live to Ski]

How about using a steel bed frame. Just weld er up and attach some gutter mounts. Then slap an expanded steel floor in.

 

[Weaver]

i looked at bed frames first thing this morning at goodwill before i posted this.

to flimsy for my needs.

i've since changed directions a bit however for something more suited to my lifestyle. i'm calling up quik-n-easy direct tomorrow morning as i'm sure i'll save atleast 50-60 bucks on 8 of them, over SORs rediculously SORing prices and mystery shipping costs. I'm just going to get 8 in 4" form, buy some 1"x2" metal stock for crossbars (4 of them) and then, i'm going to run decking on them along the length of the car, a little over 8 feet long and a little over 4 feet wide. mock me if you will for running decking but i am pumped as pee on it. nice and flat for a tent or hanging out at the beach with a couple buddies or drinking beer on top of at some sort of event or even hauling stuff still, plenty of tie downs this way.

and it's just so dirt cheap i love it. i'm a carpenter so wood will be free, got all the tools. i think i'll screw in a metal coping around the outer perimeters so you dont get splinters or anything. will give it a nice finished look and if i need to load lumber on top, it'll prevent the decking from getting marred when loading and unloading.

hopefully i'll get the clamps in time so i can finish it up for a camping trip this weekend.

 

[tonkota]

Seems like a good idea to me. Go for it.

 

[2mbb]

Think about a fairing for the front. I'm running a full length roof rack with aluminum diamond plate decking, and the wind noise is pretty bad. I think the air gets trapped between the roof and the rack deck and bangs against the roof. I purchased a piece of thin ABS and made an angled fairing that touches the roof and attaches to the rack. This keeps the air from going under the roof rack and makes the ride much less noisey.

 

[dogboy2]

in process and finished product pics are a must with this one....

-db-

 

[fjman]

I'm about half way done trying to get a ladder rack on mine. It needs to be cut dowm alot and then you need to beat the hell out of the gutter mounts since the rails on the 60 series curve a little and the mounts are straight (and about 5 inched wide). I found that they can be shaped pretty close to the needed curve. Due to it all sticking out so far on the sides, I may cut the tops off of the rack as well and just make up a flat mounting surface.