NEW HOW-TO TECH: 80 Series Aluminum Roof Rack

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Cruiserhead05 said:
Johnny,

Your rack idea is very sweet. I currently am running a yakima load warrior basket but love the moose idea. All i would want to do it incorporate some type of side bars or something to put a surf board on. Also, FWIW SOR sells similar gutter mount clamps.....whether they are cheaper, i dont know.

Lastly, it may not be as stout but my yakima basket is mounted on yakima 1A gutermounts and 48 inch crossbars.....any reason why someone couldnt pick up the moose rack and just used some small u-bolts to mount it to some crossbars. I think thats what i would do, just to save money. Though i do like the confers better.
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Yeah, good catch! I had not seen those SOR clamps yet! Looks like they are about $22 a peice. So about $176 for 8. I paid about $130 through 4Wheel Parts for the Confers. It may be just me, but I think the Confer appears to be a little cleaner, and it has more of a clamping base. But, it is another option!

SOR (Wilderness):
256-80-big.jpg


ConFer Bull Dog:
HD-2_big.jpg


And yes, a Yakima or Thule system would work... But that stuff isn't cheap either. If you wanted proper load weight distribution, one would probabaly have to buy quite a few of the feet and cross bars, thus raising the cost quite a bit. Just food for thought.
 
John, you some good points.....I currently just run two crossbars on my 80, for this type of thing i would go with three or four.

I got all my stuff cheap from ebay. its a good source. Best part is i could probably get for the basket alone to pay for the atv rack.
 
Nice Rack!

Excellent write-up on the DIY roof rack. I currently have a Surco Safari roof rack 3/4 length. It is aluminum but only has 2 gutter clamps per side. I would like to upgrade to a longer rack with more gutter clamps to evenly distribute the load. Your invention has given me hope to a cheaper version of the professional quality racks one might find avaialble.

And thanks for adding another project to my already loooong list of mods :flipoff2: ;)

I will definitely send you pics if I go this route.
 
Brandon, you can completely remove the top part of the 1A's that clamp the crossbars and just use them as feet. What you're left with is the gutter clamp part and a threaded hole at the top. I've got a set of 1A towers and crossbars I might be willing to sell since I have the only vehicle in my family with rain gutters. Lemme know if you go that route and want the towers.

Ary
 
I think if you bolted on some 1x2 tubing as crossbars at all the gutter mounts, you would make the rack stronger instead of relying on the outer aluminum perimeter to distribute the weight.....or just use Thule or Yakima crossbars and u-bolt it on...
 
Very slick! :D

Great write up.
 
Cruiserhead05 said:
Arya, i may be interested in your 1A's and cross bars. Got any specifics? soo you have for towers and two bars?

How bout you send my those and you can keep my deposit for your hub socket.....
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Haha, good one ;p The towers and bars cost about $130 new, I'm a nice guy, but $30 for that doesn't seem quite fair ;)

I do have the 4 towers and 2 bars. PM me and we'll talk some more, don't want to clutter up this thread...

Ary
 
I have actually done that before with the Yak mounts on a previous rig.

I made some light tabs for the lights tonight. They are aluminum with a little bit a spray paint. Basically, two peices of angle alumin riveted together. I wanted he pedestal for the lights to be lower, thus the reason for the two piece tabs.

Additional photos:
rlweb1.webp
 
Great Idea ! Truly a cost saver !
I am putting my order in for something like it tonight but I am going to adapt mine to Yakima bars. I still need he ability to carry up to three touring kayaks. I think I can keep my cost down under $150 using existing towers and bars.

thanks again. what other ideas do you have ?
 
Alright Johnny,
its been 2 days already & I don't see a ladder yet.


Slacker :flipoff2:
 
nice job, very pro looking!
read several times about people complaining that rooftop lights were a real pain wrt hood glare, though...
 
How about a shot of the rack from the rear of the truck. Something similar to what you have posted with the lights, but from the opposite end.

I'd like to see how you wrapped the band around the rear and if it's supported back there. I see how you did it up front with the non-load bearing section...I'd like to check out the back-side.

I still think it's a sweet rack.
 
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