Note sure this collection of pic's really do justice to the racks. The 80's rack was completed several years ago, has carried canoes, RTT, fuel, lumber, whatever. It is quiet on the freeway, and has been drug through tight ATV trails.
The 40's rack was just completed a few weeks ago.
Some variations from the original concept.
1. I wrapped the square deck in 3" x 1/8 strip rather than 2". This is 1" wider than the rack platform, and provides a 1" rim to hold on fuel cans, boxes, etc (I lay 2 x 4's on the deck for lumber & canoes that overhang the deck and would crumple the lip)
2. I elected to tack weld the deck to 1/4 AL "L" stock for the cross peices between the rain gutter towers
3. Even with a tri-fold ,XL deck, the 40 needed additional "spacers" to make the deck wide enough. I lucked out and they were surplusing a AL server rack at work, so I tacked them in to widen the ATV rack. (now I have some threaded holes for eye bolts, or permanently attaching boxes)
4. Originally my "light bar" hoop on the front of the 80, was conceived as a crumple zone, and is all "bolt on". I cannot recall how the original section was done, but I bent AL "L" stock. Later I added and AL air dam.
5. I removed the hinge pins to release the ATV ramp sections, but left the hinges on the outside of the 80's rack. I figured they would be usefull as additional tie down points. (in retrospect I would not do that again, and did remove the hinges completely when building the 40's rack)
Even though I made the 40's rack second, it probably is more poorly conceived. Note that the rain gutter pillars are "evenly spaced". I should have measured in 6" or a foot from the back for the rear one, in from the front for the front one, and the third still centered. This error, means that in theory I could put a row of fuel cans on the rear, and actually have upword pressure on the front. The front and rear rain gutter pillars should have been moved out closer to the front and rear.
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+1 
