Has Anyone made a roof rack that connects to the bumpers?

[Johnnybaja]

Just wondering if anyone has ever made a Rack like this. I think it would fix the problem of rust under the rain gutter clamps and in mexico/ the desert there is a lot of washboard and I have heard of the washboard wreaking havoc on rain gutters if you have one or seen one please post pics or tell me why you dont like the idea. Sorry dont know whose cruiser this is just needed and example to work with in paint..

 

[roalco]

I'd think you'd get a whole lotta shakin' goin' on with weight on long legs like that. Not to mention flexing, torque, and metal fatigue of the weld nodes, but wait, perhaps it'd work as a self-unloading rack??

 

[Tennessee Jed]

I don't think the system you have drawn will take a lot of flex or sway. If you could triangulate the corners, maybe, but that adds a lot of complexity. The rain gutter is tremendously strong.

The Danish couple (Schmids?) who drove their 60 all over the world had a variation of this plan.

The Camel Trophy vehicles had racks joined to internal roll cages, not to roof rails (at least the Discos did, and probably the Range Rovers as well.) I think with all the room inside a 60 a good internal roll cage would be a tremendous mod. It's like a handball court inside there - plenty of room for some tube here and there. You could mount a killer rack system to it with no flex or sway, and it would also of course support the roof if you rolled. It would also form super internal lash points for harnesses, cargo, security gratings, etc. Would solve a multitude of problems.

Haven't seen it done though.

 

[Johnnybaja]

What about a combo between gutter mounts and a tube system?

 

[beaufort-fj60]

i'd go down along the a-pilar and down the front door line and tie to the frame and on the back down to the frame under the quarter

 

[kling-on]

for a roof rack get a cheap pipe crusher and go to town

 

[lehiguy]

I have toyed with the same idea, you should give it a shot.

 

[sirenmoses]

I'm with the replies that say the downward force of rack and cargo is pushed too far outward horizontally. Didn't pass Physics II, but I studied the hell outta it, and the vectors are just wrong.





So yea, you should totally try it, and let us know what happens... If it works in Africa, it must be okay!

 

[Johnnybaja]

So do you guys think that the rain gutter mounts are fine and wont wear out the gutter over time on harsh roads?

 

[roalco]

I have had no problems with mine, make sure that they are all properly spaced and aligned (no tension or stresses), make sure that you pad the legs well in the gutters (I used the same plastic crimp on edging as they use for door trim) and make sure they are tightened as snug as possible without any deformation or stressing of the gutters (the more rigid you build it, the less vibration will occur and the more even and properly distributed the loads will be on the gutters and body).
Oh, and use lots of mounts, I have four, 4 1/4 inch long mounts on each side, with one more above the tailgate, spread out that load.....

 

[shotgun12321]

There was a guy who posted a pic of his 62 that had a "exo-cage" and it was basically what you have/drew. Id use the search function in the 60 series section for "rack ladders" as thats what I recall being the topic of discussion when the pic was posted.

P.S. it was a dark green cruiser

 

[rove_mcanus]

It won't fix the rust problem, you can not stop the rust. So just go gutter mounted. Just run bar right along it, and use 4 mounting points either side to distribute the weight more evenly across the gutters. I do like the idea of mounting to an internal cage like the camel trucks better though.

 

[IndianDoc]

Rack idea

Another factor that I don't think I saw anyone state is that the body and the frame are rubber mounted. So the attatchment would have to be frame like bumper to bumper could not also incoporate the gutter mount. That would be a combo for failure as stated eariler self unloading rack. however the idea of a roll rack internally with a bolt thru the roof to a rack has promise. HUM!!!! no! no!no more mods till I get the others done so Nevermind doc out.

 

[Johnnybaja]

Anyone have Pictures of a gutter mouting that uses a bar that runs the inside length of the rain gutter so the weight is spaced out over the whole gutter?

 

[lehiguy]

It could mount to the frame by going down along the A pillar (or possibly the B pillar with careful placement so as to not impede the doors) and again in the rear of the rig. The stock rear bumper will never tolerate it, but some good fabricating can overcome that and make a rear bumper mount a possibility. Using the rain trays equals rust now and always. I cannot understand how anybody could say that mounting to the roof is better than mounting to the frame unless they can't weld...

 

[specialk396]

I thought one of the fellas at IPOR had the 60 with the exo cage. I'm pretty sure he sold it a while back. It mounted to an ARB in the front.

 

[Cruisified]

Octavio62's buddy, obviously not what you're talkin bout but good for ideas.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm with the replies that say the downward force of rack and cargo is pushed too far outward horizontally. Didn't pass Physics II, but I studied the hell outta it, and the vectors are just wrong.

Concur, X Eleventeen.

Those Rovers with exterior cages are all joined to the body at the base of the windows, they don't extend down on the outside clear to the bumper/rocker level and presumably they do have internal structure where they are bolted to the body. Shorter tube runs are stiffer than long tube runs.

The more distributed the loading is, the lower the stress. More clamps is best, and like has been said, all clamps need to rest in place - none high or low as tightening them will then introduce stress.

Absolutely do not use a combo of exterior cage and body mounting. It will tear the sheet metal.

 

[cruiser guy]

sounds like a good idea give it a shot!

 

[lcwizard]

Anyone have Pictures of a gutter mouting that uses a bar that runs the inside length of the rain gutter so the weight is spaced out over the whole gutter?

I believe Tradesman (Kaymar) still uses that full gutter mount (mine did) although hard to see in their photo

http://www.man-a-fre.com/parts_accessories/parts_pictures/fj80racktop3.jpg