roof rack - 80 series full length rail design.

[cody c]

Hello, Im gonna be scratching up some designs for an 80 series full length rail roof rack.

This thread will be a location for me to post pictures of what Ive CAD'd and for whomever would like to give some input.

Pictures of initial design will be up later today hopefully.

 

[merryweather]

Sounds interesting, subscribed.

 

[cody c]

here's kind of what Im looking at, long rails, about 5 or 6 square holes cut through them.

The holes arent absolutely necessary but they do a couple things.

For the cross bars, I think aluminum strut or simple square tube will work well, I say alumunim (uni-strut) 1&5/8" X 1&5/8" because the open channel allows you to drop in spring nuts, and fasten anything to them. If you have a kayak rack or a box you can bolt them on easily, and the strut can be found at almost any electrical distributor in NA.

Edit: Ill change it to jpeg if I can remember how in a couple minutes-nope cant figure it out...

 

[NLXTACY]

Here ya go

 

[NLXTACY]

BTW, back when I considered trying to make my own rack, this is close to what I wanted to do. Solid aluminum uprights maybe 1/4" thick. Then a front wind deflector but the same square cut outs to weld in aluminum square tube or some type of extruded aluminum for strength. Looking back at the design, I think it would work better if I planned in some lights and some flop bumpers.

 

[cody c]

Thanks for posting that image. What I would like to do is scratch something up in CAD and then make the file available for mud members so they can email it to their nearest shop with a waterjet or laser to have them cut out the major parts for them to assemble at home.

I want to scratch it up to use pieces of square tube to receive uni-strut crossmembers, so that it is modular and can be broken down for shipping. I also want to have holes through the side rails, to allow smaller tubing to slide in and out of the rails (cheap solution to awning, and to make it easier to get the rack on and off) as well as holes in it for tie downs. I'm unsure about the front deflector, though it's easy enough to make a separate CAD file for that. One other thing I'd like to scratch up is a storage box that is narrower at the front.

The storage box would be tapered to act as a wind deflector for the tent, and hinged at the front side. This would enable you to leave your camping clothing up top, and accessible from the tent window. It makes sense for a couple of reasons, clothes and sleeping bags are light and take up lots of space, perfect things to locate at the highest COG. Also it would make setting up your RTT easier, as you could unfold it and climb in it, without needing to pull your clothing bags out of the vehicle to take up sleeping space, and save time repacking it in the morning.

Edit, Im looking at latches, toggles, cams for hold down clamps.

Id like to find a good polycarbonate or SS unit that has some sort of lock to it.

Some outfits sell in SS, PC steel and plastic, so that would be good as whomever buys it has the choice based on personal preferences.

If anyone has found some perfect hardware for this please feel free to post up. Here's a couple that I like though in the meanwhile.


http://www.anyrvparts.com/ProductDetail.asp?PID=11437&DID=77&CID=178&DealerId=&SID=53&BID=

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Pop-Up-Camper-Roof-Latch-White-SET-4-Silver-Catch-/140576833768#ht_500wt_694

 

[NLXTACY]

Figured I would throw something up of what I was thinking along those lines. I've already forgotten how to work with SketchUp so I need to spend more time with it. But here you get the idea. It wasn't going to go all the way thru. I just wanted two on each side so I could add railing for flops.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

I'm a 40 series guy so cut me some slack here. If you sight down the length of that gutter is it pretty much straight or does the roof line bow out in the middle? Reason I ask is.... take the gutter part drawn by NLXTACY and rather than go through the plate with the cross bars bend the top edge of it inward until its level. Maybe a 1.5" flange. Then you can bolt the crossbars directly to the gutter rest without any welding or another bracket needed. Even your Uni-Strut could bolt with spring nuts Cody. The Uni-Strut would be open side up and bolt to the underside of the flange I'm talking about.

The flange bend idea would only work if the gutter was straight. And it would be another thing Joe Cruiser would have to find a shop to do.

 

[Douglas S]

Thanks for posting that image. What I would like to do is scratch something up in CAD and then make the file available for mud members so they can email it to their nearest shop with a waterjet or laser to have them cut out the major parts for them to assemble at home.

I'd love you forever. Good friend of mine works part time at a waterjet shop.

 

[cody c]

I'm a 40 series guy so cut me some slack here. If you sight down the length of that gutter is it pretty much straight or does the roof line bow out in the middle? Reason I ask is.... take the gutter part drawn by NLXTACY and rather than go through the plate with the cross bars bend the top edge of it inward until its level. Maybe a 1.5" flange. Then you can bolt the crossbars directly to the gutter rest without any welding or another bracket needed. Even your Uni-Strut could bolt with spring nuts Cody. The Uni-Strut would be open side up and bolt to the underside of the flange I'm talking about.

The flange bend idea would only work if the gutter was straight. And it would be another thing Joe Cruiser would have to find a shop to do.

I believe the gutter has an arch to it, but putting a bend it in wasnt something I had thought of, I see what your saying though and the benefits of doing that.

It might make me rethink things a bit. I wanted to get some square tube to receive the unistrut because it adds strength in all directions (whereas a flange on the top may not), but as it involves welding I suspect you'll find a better way to do it before Im done ,

I will have to get a piece of square tube across the roof to get some measurements for the shape of the arc along the gutters. Actually I may have time this evening.

Edit: crap you got me rethinking things already!

I'd love you forever. Good friend of mine works part time at a waterjet shop.

Well, Id like to scratch it up and then find someone to be a test pilot for it.

Maybe I can get AWLTEQ to cut one in some thinner sheet metal to test the design once its closer.


NLXTACY, thanks for posting that, its similar to what im thinking..

 

[NLXTACY]

I may actually measure things and get it resized. Yeah there is an arc albeit a shallow one.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

There is an arc in the vertical plane but is there one in the horizontal plane?

 

[cody c]

There is an arc in the vertical plane but is there one in the horizontal plane?

Ahh, not 100%, I will check this evening. It may taper in a bit at the front, though it may be forward enough that it wont be an issue.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

Here is what I was saying....

 

[Awl_TEQ]

And this is what I mean by this not working if there is an arc in the gutter along the horizontal plane. This view is looking straight down the length of the gutter rest.

 

[cody c]

And this is what I mean by this not working if there is an arc in the gutter along the horizontal plane. This view is looking straight down the length of the gutter rest.
View attachment 719080

Yes, I understand what you mean.

Thats an easier way of describing it. I'm not sure that the flange would give it enough lateral strength though.

If it were bent with a flange above and below the strut so it could be fastened to both the top and bottom, it would have a lip to slide in and attach plywood or another structure. But, then it would have less surface to mount the gutter clamps to.

 

[cody c]

a couple pics of the channel at lunch time. My cruiser is dirty, its cold and snowing nd I took them with an iphone, but you can see the shape of the channel is pretty much straight.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I like the idea, its what I think a rack should be like. Look forward to seeing how this progresses.
Maybe make a cardboard template along the length of the gutter to get the right 'rocker', a fridge box or something?

 

[cody c]

Alright, I ordered two sets of these: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Pop-Up-Camper-Roof-Latch-White-SET-4-Silver-Catch-/140576833768#ht_500wt_694

They were $62 shipped for two sets (8 clamps in total). Hopefully they are ideal, because the price price is right Bob!

If anyone has a single superior clamp (but at a decent cost) they'd like me to design for feel free to send me one for layout!


Once they get here I will have dimension for locating the mounting holes, I still have to get the cruiser in the garage and get dimensions, I was going to do that last evening but I gave Richard a hand with his 60 instead.

 

[angerhater]

subscribed.....