Roof Rack Build Question (mounting)

[Link]

Soon I an going to start building a roof rack for my '92. I know most racks have gutter mounts, but I think they are sorta ugly. I also know that a well engineered rack that mounts to the gutters are just fine and some can really hold some weight, but my pen and paper designed rack worries me, I don't want to bend or break the gutters.

Question - Why do people not use the factory roof rack holes? My idea was to cut some 1/4" plates that fit on top of the rubber mounts, the same shape as the original mount "legs", then just weld tube to them, going up to the rack.

Is this a reinforced place in the roof, or well 4-500lbs dent in the roof?

If this is a bad idea, where can I buy gutter mounts to build my rack off of?

 

[duggy]

I've bent my gutter drains with weak yakima load bars. With my gamaviti mounts and rack now? No bends at all. They are very strong and I have no qualms about sleeping 2 + rooftop tent up there.

 

[Koffer]

bad idea . the roof was never designed for a roof rack to hold any kind of weight. You would need to build a support system to hold it between the head liner and roof skin and would tie into the inside where the roof meets the sides (rain gutter )
A good gutter mount will be your best bet
Shane makes some great mounts for making your own https://forum.ih8mud.com/metric-tlc/597029-lr-gutter-mounts-suitable-40-55-60-62-70-80-series.html roof racks
HTH some

 

[mmeister13]

I agree with Koffer. The roof was never really designed for a heavy loads (I wonder why that is?). I am also in the process of planning out my rack and it will use gutter mounts for sure, probably 6 total. In an effort to save some money being a broke college student and all I will probable make my own mounts but I have seen Shane's mounts and they are great.

Also another thing to think about when making your rack design it around what you're going to be doing cause you can make it prefect for what you do. For me the coolest part about planning mine is looking around at what others have done and build everything I could ever think of into mine.

Can't wait to see how this progresses!

 

[Link]

Thanks guys. I'll go with gutter mounts. I plan on putting firewood, tent, chairs, and other camping stuff like that up there.