Roof Rack Reality Check?!

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gregnash

gregnash

Anal Retentive Analyst
Joined
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Location
Carson City, NV
Ok so now that I will be picking up BeBe next weekend I am planning the "other" stuff that I want to do to her. Since she will spend a large majority of her life as a camping, dog hauling, mtb'ing rig I am looking at different roof rack and just floored.
I dont want anything special, thinking 3 mounts per side and just a basic 2"x49"x6X" basket that will cover a majority of the roof, be strong enough to carry a decent load of camping gear and not look horrible.

Am I being unrealistic when I see things like the ARB rack, DiamondRax, etc where they want $800+ just for the rack and then another $30-$50 per foot/mount?
 
As I recall, the roof racks aren't cheap especially the feet and bars.
You could make your own rack...
It'd be tougher on a 60 series, though.
Seems that you could get the feet and bars and make your own rack pretty easily.
 
I buit my own rack its fits my 80 and my 60 bout the same i also built the legs/feet myself as well. Trust me build your own tubing from pdm wasnt that expensive. And yes your right arb and the rest have bumped their heads when it comes to price they are making about 500% profit on their products.Although Baja racks arent quit as bad on price as the rest they are still up there. Ill get pics up soon its almost finished complete just needs some grinding n then off to the powdercoat shop

Dan :cheers::steer::bounce::bounce2:
 
If you do an image search for "gutter clamp rack mounts" you will see a bunch of options for easy to fab home brew solutions.


Other thoughts,

I picked up a pile of Thule bars and clamps at a garage sale this summer for $20. There were two sets of bar/clamps that will work perfectly for Joes Heep this winter. (I donated the rest to MS because they were OEM specific non Toyota stuff, sorry.)


You might search E-Bay and Craigs list for Thule or Yakima bars.

I'd also search the rest of Mud, this is a pretty common topic on the site.

Expeditionportal also has a lot of threads on roof rack construction.

Dr. Smash down in Carson builds roof racks, it wouldn't hurt to get a price from him.

I stumbled on this site just now;
http://www.discountramps.com/car-top-carriers-roof-racks.htm#.UFs9-me6TTo
Looks like they have some good deals.
 
spressomon said:
I agree with Keith...build one! You can source just the rain gutter mounts and then build from there.

http://www.prolineracks.com/van-ladder-racks.html

Contact Shane aka AATLAS1X about his gutter mounts for a base...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/metric-tlc...ble-40-55-60-62-70-80-series.html#post7656113

Matt aka DiscoveredLC, BBCNN member, built a nice rack for his prior LR that turned out nice.
Click to expand...

Saw the mounts from AATLAS1X and was actually thinking of those or the mounts from DiamondRax. I know the Reevsci made his own mounts/rack on Blue Marley and the foot seemed pretty simple concept.

Funny you mentioned Matt, just found out last week that I am switching back to my old department with the State and a friend here came up to me to "confirm" the rumor. He is a LR guy and has a lifted Discovery and wheels pretty often. We somehow got on the subject of bumpers and low and behold he knows Matt! Said he would be a good reference for building locally.

krokarthecrooked said:
I buit my own rack its fits my 80 and my 60 bout the same i also built the legs/feet myself as well. Trust me build your own tubing from pdm wasnt that expensive. And yes your right arb and the rest have bumped their heads when it comes to price they are making about 500% profit on their products.Although Baja racks arent quit as bad on price as the rest they are still up there. Ill get pics up soon its almost finished complete just needs some grinding n then off to the powdercoat shop.

Dan :cheers::steer::bounce::bounce2:
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan that would be awesome! Should be headed through your area next weekend on the drive home with BeBe the new cruiser!

rusty_tlc said:
If you do an image search for "gutter clamp rack mounts" you will see a bunch of options for easy to fab home brew solutions.

Other thoughts,

I picked up a pile of Thule bars and clamps at a garage sale this summer for $20. There were two sets of bar/clamps that will work perfectly for Joes Heep this winter. (I donated the rest to MS because they were OEM specific non Toyota stuff, sorry.)


You might search E-Bay and Craigs list for Thule or Yakima bars.

I'd also search the rest of Mud, this is a pretty common topic on the site.

Expeditionportal also has a lot of threads on roof rack construction.

Dr. Smash down in Carson builds roof racks, it wouldn't hurt to get a price from him.

I stumbled on this site just now;
http://www.discountramps.com/car-top-carriers-roof-racks.htm#.UFs9-me6TTo
Looks like they have some good deals.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have been keeping my eye out for stuff on CL (wish I would have picked up that damn Class III hitch a month ago) but nothing has been popping up. That discountramp site is pretty cool and cheap, just wonder about the quality of the stuff.


So it looks like for what I want and my budget, my best bet is going to be building something myself. I have buddies that weld but do not have a welder myself and dont really know how readily they can get access to the welders, saws to cut, and grinder (though I should be able to pick up a grinder for pretty cheap if needed). So basically, at this point it would be me designing, purchasing materials and then having someone else do the work. :meh:
 
This might be more than your bargaining for, but the FOUNDATION for fab work IS an angle grinder and a welder.
You can do pretty much ANYTHING you need to do with those two items.
If you learn to weld, you'll instantly save yourself THOUSANDS in this hobby!!
That alone will be the single best thing you could learn how to do!!

A decent mig welder, IMO, should be the FIRST purchase. You don't need gas, just run flux core if you want, get some scrap and start burning some welds for about an hour or so a day.

This is by far the BEST advice that I can give you!!

K
 
chicago said:
This might be more than your bargaining for, but the FOUNDATION for fab work IS an angle grinder and a welder.
You can do pretty much ANYTHING you need to do with those two items.
If you learn to weld, you'll instantly save yourself THOUSANDS in this hobby!!
That alone will be the single best thing you could learn how to do!!

A decent mig welder, IMO, should be the FIRST purchase. You don't need gas, just run flux core if you want, get some scrap and start burning some welds for about an hour or so a day.

This is by far the BEST advice that I can give you!!

K
Click to expand...

You aren't the first to tell me that and talking with my BIL he said that he wanted to do some welding classes (he is a master plumber and figures it couldn't hurt). So that will be on the list of things we will do at WNC. But right now the budget is going to the cruiser in other forms, eventually down the road I do want a small MIG/TIG welder for "things". :D
 
I recommend you go by Dr Smash's shop and look at his roof rack on his burb. It's waaaayyyyy better to see things in person. Every time I go there, I learn something new.

I can show you the basics of welding, but I am no expert, if you decide to buy one.
 
Well if your commin through next weekend then give me a shout n maybe i can meet you then youll see the rack in person bit un the meantime ill try to get some pics up



Dan :cheers::steer::bounce2:
 
Sweet I know exactly where that is (lived just on the other side in Mound House for a while by the old NV50 Grill).

Dan - If I get a chance I will hit you up and check everything out. Right now I am just banking on the fact that she will get home without any issues. Plus, with the misses riding with me I am just going to pray we make it home without issue.
 
IMO, smash is way PROUD of his stuff.
Don't be surprised if he throws a stupid high price at you.

Just my .02
 
No worries and if your close to my location and have any issues let me know ill come help out you have my number. also i have a car trailer if need be

Dan :cheers::steer::bounce::bounce2:
 
check this out

http://www.wildyoats.com/the_j-rack.htm

several of the guys in So-Cal 80's built them about 4 years ago, the first one took them a day after that they had it down couple of hours and they look good for what they cost...
 
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