My low budget, light weight, low profile roof rack build (1 Viewer)

[KingSpence]

I picked myself up a roof top tent a few weeks ago, so I figured I'd get started on a roof rack setup to carry the thing around all summer long. I figured I'd start a thread in case anyone else can benefit from my ideas with their own application. The project has three goals:

Cheap: I'm not made of money, a guy like me can't afford a roof top tent and a Baja Rack, especially with the current exchange rate. Besides, I have a welder so I'd be silly to buy a rack anyways.

Low profile: As of now I can get my truck in the garage without airing down, I'd like to keep it that way. My favorite car wash in town also has 7' doors, and I'd like to keep my parkade options as open as possible.

Light weight: The tent weighs 100lbs, if I don't keep this thing as light as possible I'm going to roll my truck on a 25* incline. My goal is 60lbs, but if I can keep it under 75lbs I'll be happy. Unfortunately aluminum is not an option due to cost.

I had some spare 1.5'' mandrel U bends from when I build the headers for my 1uz, so I decided to got with a 1.5'' 16ga perimeter frame using the bends for my corners. The crossbars are going to be 1.5'' square 100 wall tube. Dimensions of the rack are 84''x52''.

So far for the steel I'm sitting around $60, $80 if you account the scrap mandrel u-bends.

I removed the factory luggage runners for a tighter clearance, but it turned out I could still use the outside two. My plan now is to cut the inside two the same width as the rack crossbars so they'll sit in between and I can utilize them.

 

[KingSpence]

Started fabbing up the driprail mounts, everything sits where I want it at this point. I found an old closet coat hanger bar in the scrap bin, without even having to cut it down it was the perfect length for a wind deflector.

I picked up some off-cuts of diamond plate aluminum, we'll add $50 to the tab. (I ended up getting more than you see but I've got some ideas for future rack accessories.

 

[randrsn]

Looks good subscribed

 

[2KCruiser]

Have you made the gutter mounts yet?

 

[AaronM33]

I'm liking the way you made the wind fairing an integral, welded-on piece. Very cool idea.

 

[jamesurq]

Looks great. What do you figure it weighs?

 

[KingSpence]

Have you made the gutter mounts yet?

Not yet, but I'm going to do something very similar to the roof rack I built for my old BJ60

 

[Burley]

Looks great so far!

 

[half k cruiser]

@KingSpence do you have a link to more pictures of your 60 rack. You don't see a lot of square racks like that and I've actually been wondering how they would look on the 80 series.

 

[KingSpence]

@KingSpence do you have a link to more pictures of your 60 rack. You don't see a lot of square racks like that and I've actually been wondering how they would look on the 80 series.

Nothing really more than what you see. It my opinion the 60 suits the boxier rack due to a "boxxy" looking body. I'm sure one would look just fine on an 80 series if done right though.

Finally got around to making this addition to the rack. I want to be able to look up through the sunroof an see no obstructions, but still want to utilize the space if needed. With this setup if I go on a camping trip and need to carry more than what fits in the vehicle I'll have a 48x30 tray to do so with.

The metal is too thin to tap, so I countersunk and welded nuts into the tubing, then grinded them smooth.

And this is the final product!

 

[KingSpence]

So this is it, time to paint it and toss it on the roof to build mounts. I added a piece of expanded mesh in the back to toss shovels/axes/beersby poles on when I'm out and about.

Found this in the scrap bin at the local Metal Supermarket, it was the the perfect size, I didn't have to trim anything from it. It's stainless steel too, but she sold it to me for the scrap steel price because it was five minutes before close and "she didn't give a f**k anymore".

This is the rack without the sunroof insert attached:

And the sunroof tray on it's own. Overall it's 73lbs all in, which is still 10lbs lighter than a Baja Rack equivalent.

 

[KingSpence]

Bought 1ft of chain for $3 and Home Depot and cut the links in half as tie down points.

Coated with POR15 and tossed it up on the roof. All I really need to do now is fab up some driprail clamps. It's actually 1'' lower than the factory roof rack believe it or not.

 

[landcruiser80]

Coming along!

 

[tayzoid1]

this is literally exactly what i have been wanting to build. bravo sir!

 

[theish]

Brother! I see that 86 in the back ground! This is a solid build how are you planning to attach it to the runners on the side. Looking to do the same. Nice LX