Roof rack build...advice needed (1 Viewer)

[thebeedeegee]

So I've bought a welder, and I've made a work bench, a small table, a picnic table, and welded some diamond plate on my wife's rock sliders.....so since I am basically a professional fabricator now I've decided to have a go at building a rack for the LX. I want a very basic low profile rack that could support eventually an RTT, and without the tent I'd probably only ever have like 300 lbs up there. The design would have a bottom rail, and top rail, but only separated by about 2" so it's low profile, while still providing an edge so things couldn't slide off easily.

I'm looking to build it out of square tubing, because I don't have a tubing bender or notcher, and I don't really want to mess with it. I'm wondering if I use 5/8" square tubing if that will be enough, or if I should go with 3/4" square tubing. I'm debating on whether I would want to weld in expanded metal for the floor, or just use cross braces of the same diameter as the rack.

Essentially this design, but with square tubing (and on a 100)

Another problem is how to mount it. Could I just use rack mounts from Gamviti or something?

Anyone who has done this have any advice?

 

[JURELCATCHER]

Gamiviti makes a great rack mount kit that will save you a ton of time.

 

[thebeedeegee]

Gamiviti makes a great rack mount kit that will save you a ton of time.

Thanks I was hoping their feet would work. Seems like I could get enough 5/8" tubing shipped for around $200, then that kit is around $200 as well i think..so total about $400 plus my own labor (cheap)

 

[JURELCATCHER]

I used their kit for my roof rack build, and it worked out great. I used round tubing, but the flats on the top of the Gamiviti brackets will lend themselves to square tubing just fine.

 

[thebeedeegee]

I used their kit for my roof rack build, and it worked out great. I used round tubing, but the flats on the top of the Gamiviti brackets will lend themselves to square tubing just fine.

Do you have a tool for notching the tube or did you do it with a grinder?

 

[JURELCATCHER]

I picked up a tube notcher for the job from JD2

 

[thebeedeegee]

I just put in an order for 3/4" square tubing. I plan on using the Gamiviti mounts. The tubing is $80, so the rack should end up being around $300 all said and done. I haven't decided whether I want a flat rack, or basket style. I ordered enough tubing for the basket though.

 

[vman07]

homemade square tubing rack in my build thread. Good call on buying the towers and not trying to create those yourself. Those measurements are a PITA. I personally like flat. Nothing that you attach up there is going anywhere if you attach it right. Basket is just more surfaces to catch the wind. Consider a deflector or else you could find your rack whistling at you...

 

[JJ_SC]

I bought the Gamiviti mounts also. Good call.

 

[Skidoo]

I just put in an order for 3/4" square tubing. I plan on using the Gamiviti mounts. The tubing is $80, so the rack should end up being around $300 all said and done. I haven't decided whether I want a flat rack, or basket style. I ordered enough tubing for the basket though.

If you make the basket, making it bolt on would give the flexibility of both. If you ever go with a RTT flat is better.

 

[thebeedeegee]

If you make the basket, making it bolt on would give the flexibility of both. If you ever go with a RTT flat is better.

that's a great point , thanks

 

[Skidoo]

When I was first building couldn't wait to get the next mods on. But now that the rig is pretty heavy I am looking at what I can take off or leave behind. Even looking at drilling holes in some of the mods to lighten it some. Also glad I have a flat rack, with my 2nd lift kit only way it fits in the garage. If you don't leave any sharp edges on inside of tubing you can drill some access holes and run wires for lights, front, back-up, work, awning and seal them with RTV.

 

[MJK]

If you get a tube bender, let us know how you like it. I've been eyeballing the JD2 M32 for years but haven't talked myself into it ... yet.

Regarding the basket, I'd be tempted to make bolt on / reversible. So, with the lip up as you have it pictured, it would be perfect for storage. Flip it over (lip down) and it could be a flat sleeping platform.

 

[thebeedeegee]

I drew this up in Sketchup (mainly just to see if I could). I couldn't find a good scale model of a 100 so this one is an 80.

 

[Skidoo]

My Baja rack has a fairing to just above windshield and an opening over sunroof, I like being able to stand up and shoot photos out of the sunroof and it can be used as an emergency exit.
If you are going to weld up rack accessories it doesn't matter but if you want to use someone's rack accessories, like a Jerrycan mount, you will need to match cross bar spacing. The Baja uses round tubing, but this Jerrycan mount would work with square if the spacing was the same.

 

[thebeedeegee]

My Baja rack has a fairing to just above windshield and an opening over sunroof, I like being able to stand up and shoot photos out of the sunroof and it can be used as an emergency exit.
If you are going to weld up rack accessories it doesn't matter but if you want to use someone's rack accessories, like a Jerrycan mount, you will need to match cross bar spacing. The Baja uses round tubing, but this Jerrycan mount would work with square if the spacing was the same.

Thanks for that, right now I have planned to do 1 foot on center spacing across the length. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to put a cross bar over the sun roof or not...

 

[thebeedeegee]

I've been thinking more about this lately, and I've decided to go with 1" round tubing instead of square. I'm going to just bite the bullet and get a tubing notcher.

What I'm thinking about it trying to fabricate a mount for my spare tire on the rack. I eventually want to add a Coastal offroad rear bumper with a swing out, but I can't do that right now. Does anyone else carry their spare this way? Currently my spare isn't even a 285 ( I think it's a 275) so I need to replace that ASAP anyway.

I was thinking about a 3/16" plate toward the back of the rack maybe mounted to the cross bars with U-bolts so its removable. Then the mount would be another 3/16" plate with studs welded in the correct pattern and attached to the bottom plate with a piece of 2 x 2 square tubing at the correct length so the tire sits about 3/8" above the rack. This way I could lock down the spare, increase ground clearance, and actually fit the spare since I don't think a 285/75 will fit under my 100 with the hitch installed.

 

[Biggreener]

I've been thinking more about this lately, and I've decided to go with 1" round tubing instead of square. I'm going to just bite the bullet and get a tubing notcher.

What I'm thinking about it trying to fabricate a mount for my spare tire on the rack. I eventually want to add a Coastal offroad rear bumper with a swing out, but I can't do that right now. Does anyone else carry their spare this way? Currently my spare isn't even a 285 ( I think it's a 275) so I need to replace that ASAP anyway.

I was thinking about a 3/16" plate toward the back of the rack maybe mounted to the cross bars with U-bolts so its removable. Then the mount would be another 3/16" plate with studs welded in the correct pattern and attached to the bottom plate with a piece of 2 x 2 square tubing at the correct length so the tire sits about 3/8" above the rack. This way I could lock down the spare, increase ground clearance, and actually fit the spare since I don't think a 285/75 will fit under my 100 with the hitch installed.

View attachment 2435531

285s should fit with the hitch. Personally I would leave the spare underneath if at all possible. I just fab'd this DIY rack last week. It was a fun project, turned out really stout, and it even looks "semi decent" as well. I went with 1x2x16ga tube for the frame, and 14ga Superstrut for the ribs. For the feet I used 2x2x1/4 steel angel which I cut down to fit. Once the main rack was fab'd, I shimmed it in place on the roof, took measurements, and then made the feet. It was a little involved, but worked well.