Roof Rack Floor

[Cruiserdrew]

Thanks to dclee on this forum, I now have a nearly new Tradsman oval tube full length rack that fits my 60 and 80! I need some sort of a floor but expanded metal seems too heavy. I was thinking marine plywood or some similar material. If you have thickness ideas that would be cool too.

I was thinking 3/8 ply (to save weight) but some sort of plastic material would be cool too. It will have to be finished as well-Marine Polyurathane or even marine varnish. Thanks for any feed back/ideas, especially if you used a material that did not work.

Also ideas for hold downs, Nato Can holders, etc, all appreciated.

 

[NorCalDoug]

A bit on the pricey side, but these looked good for Jerry cans.

 

[Steve C]

I would think twice about the marine plywood-varnish thing. Varnish dosn't last and the high tech clear coats cost plenty (maybe $100 for a quart with all the fixins for allbright). Basicly, the UV's will have their way with any clear finish.


How about 3/8 exterior ply saturated with epoxy with a few coats of boat paint rolled on then tipped with a foam brush? Any pigmented paint will last much longer than clear.

 

[yooper]

I used 3/4 inch plywood for my ConFerr. WAY too heavy, didn't need to be that strong, but it's indestructable. 3/8" sounds about right. I always meant to paint a big TEQ on mine, but never got around to it, and now I'm selling it.

 

[Echo_29]

Jerry Cans, no flooring content

A bit on the pricey side, but these looked good for Jerry cans.

I picked one of these up a couple of weeks ago but haven't installed it yet, but it will be by the Death Valley trip. I saw them online and they looked like a good solution, then SilverCruiser and AMMO, I think, had them at Surf & Turf and I was sold. They are very simple (good), light and well made. Now I'm just trying to figure out the best way to mount them to my square tube Tradesman half rack. U-bolts seem to be the direction I'm heading.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Those NATO holders look really nice-once you sort out the mount, share your solution with me.

Good tip on the paint vs varnish. I'll look for a dark boat paint I guess, but I could make it gray like a ship.

Keep it coming. If I have time to remove my factory rack, I'll have it in Death Valley on my 80.

ECHO:
By the way-silvercruiser sent me some tie rods-I want to pay the shipping but he didn't respond to my pm's. If you see him just let him know I appreciate it, and will be happy to send him some $ if he sends me an address or paypal email.

 

[e9999]

one thing I would suggest NOT to do is to plan on the agglomerated (little strips) kind of plywood. I got some with the idea of painting it since I had plenty of paint left. When I tried some water-based Latex, I got plenty of these little chips to start lifting up. A bit mess. Then did it with oil stain. Better but still not great, pretty rough. IOW, get the sheet kinda plywood.

 

[photogod]

Slee has a nice idea for J-cans for 49.00 You could make a lot of can holders for 110.00. JMHO.

 

[euclid]

I had a piece of 3/8 marine on mine for over a year. It is down now getting a piece of expanded metal. I am using flatened expanded 1.5", can't remember what gauge. It weighs about 2 pounds less than the plywood (around 19 lbs, IIRC.

Only problem I have with the expanded metal is that I don't think I will be able to put heavier stuff on there if it doesn't span the roof rack cross suports. I think the expanded metal is going to bow down too much.

I am going to powder coat the whole thing before it goes back up. Powder coat guy said that will add some strenght, but I'm not sure I believe him.

Give me a couple more weeks and I'll tell you what I think.

Thanks to dclee on this forum, I now have a nearly new Tradsman oval tube full length rack that fits my 60 and 80! I need some sort of a floor but expanded metal seems too heavy. I was thinking marine plywood or some similar material. If you have thickness ideas that would be cool too.

 

[Mike S]

Andrew;

My first choice would be expanded metal.

My second choice would be 8mm marine ply, coated first with CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer), followed by marine non-skid deck paint in any color that looks good. The idea is to totally encapsulate the plywood, then isolate it from any UV problems with the paint, whch will also provide a non skid surface that you can walk on.

With today's steel prices, I believe that this is a very good alternative.

 

[BMAN]

Perforated (Speed Hole) aluminum is the direction I'll be looking once I build my rack.

http://www.mcnichols.com/cqapp/stoc...=ROUND&selector=ALUMINUM&View=View+Stock+List

 

[82-SOA-60]

I have expanded metal in my roof rack now and am happy. However the stuff Bman is talking about looks pretty nice.

 

[BMAN]

Aluminum is light weight yet strong. I'm gonna build my rack out of elec conduit so I need to keep the weight down wherever I can.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Bman, thanks for the link. That's cool material and might just work if it isn't too soft. That company has an amazing number of materials avaliable.

 

[BMAN]

I've never purchased anything from them personally but have heard good things about their service. I will actually be using that material but purchased locally. Prolly 1/2" holes at 1" spacing by 12ga thickness. Plenty stong and plenty light. I may step up to s slightly larger hole also. Just kinda depends on what mood I'm in at the time of purchase. Good luck with your rack.

 

[pismojim]

I've been looking for a source of "expanded" plastic sheets. Like the stuff you see on the sides of shopping carts or milk crates. It would be light, corrosion proof, no dis-similar metal corrosion like aluminum/steel combo and, the expanded or open mesh grating provides plenty of tie down points. It should be cheap.

Too bad I haven't found any.... yet.

 

[sjpitts]

I've never purchased anything from them personally but have heard good things about their service. I will actually be using that material but purchased locally. Prolly 1/2" holes at 1" spacing by 12ga thickness. Plenty stong and plenty light. I may step up to s slightly larger hole also. Just kinda depends on what mood I'm in at the time of purchase. Good luck with your rack.

That stuff looks pretty cool. Where would you get that locally? What do you think it will end up costing? And how do you think the final weight would compare to regular old expanded steel?

I have a lot of crossbars, so I don't think I need much strenght. That looks stuff looks like it would be the ticket.

Jared

 

[photogod]

I've been looking for a source of "expanded" plastic sheets. Like the stuff you see on the sides of shopping carts or milk crates. It would be light, corrosion proof, no dis-similar metal corrosion like aluminum/steel combo and, the expanded or open mesh grating provides plenty of tie down points. It should be cheap.

Too bad I haven't found any.... yet.

Pismo, look on the sight shown in the above posts and go to "products". They have a fiberglass that might be better for that application.

 

[pismojim]

Pismo, look on the sight shown in the above posts and go to "products". They have a fiberglass that might be better for that application.

Yes, I like that stuff. Plenty strong, and very light. I think the square holes would be great for tie downs. The 1-inch thick was the thinest but that might not be too bad.

Thanks for the link.

 

[BMAN]

That stuff looks pretty cool. Where would you get that locally? What do you think it will end up costing? And how do you think the final weight would compare to regular old expanded steel?

I have a lot of crossbars, so I don't think I need much strenght. That looks stuff looks like it would be the ticket.

Jared

Jared,

Try Capitol Metals over on 48th south of Broadway. They're kinda pricey but they've got some cool chit in there. I also like the thought of a plastic mesh. I'd try Plastifab on Anne street right down the block from my shop.