Roof Rack Build Completed!

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SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr

SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr

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10 Year
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Mar 17, 2013
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In preparation for a biking/camping/off roading trip with some friends this summer, I ordered a roof top tent through the 2014 CVT group buy. With the tent on the way, it was time to build a real rack.
We used 1.5" round tubing all the way around and 1.5" square tubing for the 7 crossbars. Outside dimensions= 84x54"
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I wanted the roof rack as close to the roof as possible because I think they look better, and to help preserve the fuel mileage. We used 8 Kargo Master 4" gutter mounts.
http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Exterior-Parts-Accessories/Rain-Gutter-Mount.aspx?t_c=3&t_s=82&t_pt=8875&t_pn=kar50541&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=product&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1,1&gclid=CM2U89Oxyr4CFWgF7AodsgcARA

The mounts are beefy and are super low to the middle of the roof. Because the roof isn't perfectly level, metal plates spaced the rack up on the farthest front and rear mounts on each side. All the gutter mounts are welded on.
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I found a cheap 40" led light bar on eBay and wanted to have that mounted on the front and two small 4" lights on the back to serve as camping lights or backup lights. On the top and bottom edges of the light bars, we filled the gaps with silicon to help keep them watertight.

Next issue was how to mount the light bar on the front. Should we use the existing feet, or make mounting plates? I decided on making some cardboard templates that would work. With the basic shape, I started looking for mountain silhouettes on Google that would fit the basic shape of the mount.
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I made a template in cardboard and traced them onto a piece of wood. I cut it out 1/4" smaller so I would have a guide for plasma cutting.
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Drawing inspiration from Baja Rack's drop down fairing, we bent 1" tubing and then cut it to fit.
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For the actual fairing, we used a jigsaw to cut an aluminum sheet to fit. For mounts we used angle iron tabs welded on in most areas and straight tabs in areas where clearance was an issue.
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Then we put POR-15 on all the welds and light bar "mountain" mounts. Before painting, we took a small grinding wheel to the tops of the mountains to give is a snow capped look once cleared. We taped them off for painting and then untaped them when it was time for clear.
First a full coat of POR-15 was sprayed on and then a glossy black with clear coat.
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Then the fairing was bolted up with stainless steel bolts, washers, and nylon locking nuts.
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We knew that the roof top tent would really steal what little power the 3FE already had so a pivoting removable fairing large enough to cover the front of the tent was in order.
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Using the same mounting method as the smaller fairing, we drilled all the holes and prepped the aluminum sheet and fairing base for paint.
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That is the fairing with a bolt holding it in place. I ended up using two small hitch pins.
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To match the tent, a CVT decal was made for the larger fairing.
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To keep the wires self contained in the rack, we drilled holes and ran a large old wire for each light before the rack was fully welded. That allowed us to tape on good wires and pull them through once the welding was complete without damaging or melting the wires that would actually connect to the light bars. Once I finished welding up all the seams, I used a grinding wheel, flap disk, and then wire wheel on the welds so they are smooth.
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All connections are soldered and shrink wrapped then fed through grommets.
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The tolerances for the rear light bars was very tight. With the hatch full opened, we didn't want the spoiler hitting them, blocking their light pattern, rubbing on the roof, or having the top of the bars protruding above the roof rack.
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Then all wires were run through an enlarged roof rack hole into the sunroof area.
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A hole was drilled through the side of the sunroof housing going into the headliner above the B-pillar.
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Then the wires were siliconed up into the corner out of the way of the sunroof.
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Then down the pillar and under the carpet up to the dash.
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Pre-paint and pre-fairing.
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Lowering the roof top tent into place.
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Large fairing off.
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Large fairing on w/ amber light bar covers.
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Cascadia Vehicle Tents Mt. Bachelor with annex
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Nice work!!! That's an awesome fairing idea btw.

Looks great!
 
Great job on the details! Gives me the itch to do some metal fab of my own. Unfortunately I no longer have a welder.
Thanks for sharing!
 
That LC of yours is awesome! :clap:

Might I ask what brand of bull bar that is? Also, where did you source the front clear turn signal covers?
 
Great job on that!!! I may steal your idea if you dont mind. Now go get that Cruiser dirty, looks to clean. :cool:
 
ThePatient1 said:
That LC of yours is awesome! :clap:

Might I ask what brand of bull bar that is? Also, where did you source the front clear turn signal covers?
Click to expand...

Thanks! The bumper is an Ironman Deluxe Bull bar. The clear turn signal lights are Depos. They were sold with the clear corner lights. I changed it so the orange corner lights are now the turn signals.
 
SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr said:
I wanted the roof rack as close to the roof as possible because I think they look better, and to help preserve the fuel mileage. We used 8 Kargo Master 4" gutter mounts.
http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Exterior-Parts-Accessories/Rain-Gutter-Mount.aspx?t_c=3&t_s=82&t_pt=8875&t_pn=kar50541&utm_source=google&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=product&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1,1&gclid=CM2U89Oxyr4CFWgF7AodsgcARA

The mounts are beefy and are super low to the middle of the roof. Because the roof isn't perfectly level, metal plates spaced the rack up on the farthest front and rear mounts on each side. All the gutter mounts are welded on. View attachment 900933
Click to expand...
How tight did you tighten these mounts to the gutters? I'm installing some tomorrow & not sure how tight to get them. Also, any problem w/them vibrating loose? I'll probably use blue loctite in addition to the lock washers they came with.
 
LFD2037 said:
How tight did you tighten these mounts to the gutters? I'm installing some tomorrow & not sure how tight to get them. Also, any problem w/them vibrating loose? I'll probably use blue loctite in addition to the lock washers they came with.
Click to expand...

Pretty tight. I did end up re tightening them after a little bit, but I haven't had any issues with them coming loose.

tractorpole said:
@SUMMIT CRUISERS Jr
What brand is the light bar and amber cover? i am looking for a cover for my light bar and it appears to be the same brand as mine.

Thanks
Click to expand...

It's just a random ebay bar. The covers I bought came from some company in Las Vegas. This seems to be pretty much the same, but enough for a 50".

http://m.ebay.com/itm/281443925161?nav=SEARCH
 
Wow, that's nice detail work, running the wires internally w/grommets. Posts like this remind me that I really need to get a welder...
 
That is one good looking rig!!!
 
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