RoofRack Build - Yakima/Extrusion Hybrid

[grundsethp]

So the next couple of upgrades to my LX470 are going to be a roof rack and a rear bumper. I have some design and engineering experience so I am looking to build the easier one (hopefully).....a roof rack. I have a few yakima accessories so my plan is to mount yakima bars onto the stock mounting locations. To the bars, I am mounting an extrusion frame so its easy to add all kinds of accessories. Here is my first cut at this design.

There are two brackets. The first(black) attaches to the stock mounting holes. Since I have not removed the current roofrack, I have not measured them so that bracket does not have mounting holes yet. Does anyone have these dimensions. I have searched the forum but I have heard they can be different between 100 and LX. The second bracket(Blue) attaches to the yakima bar by using yakima shear blocks (not pictured in cad).

Here is the similar real view. Used cardboard to make a mockup

Here is a view from above.

Both these parts could be made by using getting the flat pattern lasercut and using press brake. Also planning on welding the flanges to increase stiffness but that might not be necessary.
Extrusion is made by 80/20...part number 1020 (1"x2") and uses 1/4"-20 hardware. Yakima shear mount and brackets will use 3/8" hardware.

Currently I bought 58" yakima bars and 4 extrusions (2x 97" and 2x 72" long). They are way too long but give me the flexibility to go smaller. The smallest is probably 48"x84" so I can use the rack to get 4x8 sheets of material.

I have not figured out what to do between the bars and extrusions. There are multiple options I am considering but will probably use 2"x2" steel grid. I may just use just 1/4" baltic birch plywood with notches cut out.

 

[labcab]

Below are the dimensions from my 98 LC. In the rails, the mounting points for my factory, 3-pillar luggage rack are the rectangular ones. There are other bolts (round) in the track that I assume are there to fit the other types of factory luggage racks. e.g. Two-pillar, three-pillar short, etc.

A couple considerations for your design:
- the 6 mounting points are not in the same plane due to the curve of the roof. So your mounts will need at least 1-inch of vertical adjustment.
- the rails are not parallel, and with the curve of the roof, not really straight either. I think this is going to cause issues with your bracket design. There needs to be some horizontal adjustment
- bolt hole spacing is different on the front than the others

 

[SmoothLC]

Nice approach.

When I researched this a few years ago, I found out that one of the Yakima towers fit the Front Runner rails.

Currently it is used to attach a fairing to it, but had considered other options when I learned the towers fit the rails.

Anyway, good luck with the build. Looks like a solid plan.

 

[grundsethp]

Thanks for feedback and info labcab and SmoothLC. I have designed up two more option. They are both 3 bracket per mount designs to allow for the flexibility in all three directions.

1) Most flexible option

2) Cleaner design but less flexible. The blue bracket has a slot in it to allow the upper gray bracket to move.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

I have a frontrunner slimline II, but I used some 80/20 bars to build snowboard/ski racks (the frontrunner ski/board racks are complete trash)... 80/20 is great stuff!

 

[nakman]

Agreed, fun project. I made a rack out of 80/20 for my Taco once, was fun to work with.

(warning, non-100 content. but still IFS )

 

[labcab]

Thanks for feedback and info labcab and SmoothLC. I have designed up two more option. They are both 3 bracket per mount designs to allow for the flexibility in all three directions...

No problem. Both of those designs look like they would work nicely. Nice work, and looking forward to following the progress.

Dean

 

[Live to Ski]

grundsethp: I have the same thoughts as you except using my existing Thule ghetto 1/2 width rack system (currently using a Home Depot security door as the platform portion). Need the 1/2 width as I have a Thule Hullavator kayak mount (used for paddle/surfboards).

What design program are you using? I'm a solidworks guy myself.

Labcat: that is good info. Wonder if it's valid for the 2004 year?

I am currently cursing toyota for making this such a difficult task. In fact, since I skimmed the FSMs this past weekend, I am cursing the whole platform as compared to the 60 series (only one I know well). Sure...comfort/power...but the complications I will have to grind through....oh well.

Back to the thread....I will monitor and hopefully contribute once I clear some band width to address this problem.

 

[grundsethp]

I did some measurements on the roofrack mounting mounting points yesterday and all the mounts were the same spacing(3 5/32")so it looks like there were changes during production. I will probably keep the slots anyway. I will also redo the measurements and make a drawing.

I am using autocad inventor 2010. The company I work for bought a license for evaluation 4-5 years ago but never installed it so I am playing with it now. So far its okay at best. I prefer solidworks.

 

[Live to Ski]

Cool.

I used autocad pre windows....that was a grind.

Anyway, my issue, besides above, is I'd like to run 4 thule crossbars. Tough as there are only 3 mounting points per side. The need is to accomidate 2 fuel can trays, one forward and one rear. Not sure I can pull that off.

You know what they say, much tougher to take an existing design and mod to mate versus new design.

BTW: if you get around to measuring the elevation difference between the mounting pads, feel free to share

 

[grundsethp]

Here is an update. A couple design changes. I added the land crusier roof. I have not verfied the dimensions and just using the dimensions provided above. The rack width is working out to be 53.5" from outer extrusion to extrusion. It can be wider but this is the smallest width with this design.
This is a variation of the independent design (version 1). I also placed a panel between the last two crossbars. Its 1/2 material routed to insert into the extrusion and also with slots. Ignore the mounts to the right of the picture. They were mirrored and the program did no place them correctly. Also the yakima bars are too long.

Close up of mount. Middle mount is higher by 1" to simulate a crowned roof.

This is probably the design I will start making real parts from. The only measurements I need to make is the angle of the roof (very small but needed) at the mount. I can then angle the black bracket the same amount.

another angle

 

[AimCOtaco]

Another option that could really streamline your plan would be to use an existing commercial tower set and then build your rack on that. I would look at the towers you can buy from Gamiviti; the hard part is done for you and already tested/proven... just my 2c.

 

[cruzerDave]

@grundsethp I love what you're doing, I've been daydreaming ideas based on my experiences building a rack for my FJ62 and the mounts were the one sticking point. The Gramviti feet are $150 for 6:
Gamiviti roof rack towers

Dissent is also starting to look at racks and I've been talking to him about picking up some mounts once he was done, not sure if he will sell them separate or not yet.

Any chance you can share the model of the roof so I don't have to recreate?

And have you thought about maybe fabbing a few extra mounts and selling them?

 

[labcab]

Jason @reevesci at Trail Tailor has mounts too:
100 series-- Racks, Sliders and Bumpers

 

[cruzerDave]

Oh sweet, i spaced and didnt even check him, which is pathetic since im running his mounts on my 62 and loved them

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Oh sweet, i spaced and didnt even check him, which is pathetic since im running his mounts on my 62 and loved them

100 mounts (bare) are 20$ each shipped.

J

 

[grundsethp]

I have built a prototype. The material got thicker and the flanges got removed. Looks seems to work as I have kinda teaked the mount angles to the roof angle. I will try mounting it to the lx470 this week since haven't remove the existing roof rack. I may stick to my mounts or buy the one mentioned above. They would be really easy to build if I could get them laser cut.

 

[grundsethp]

First mockup. Only did one corner.

 

[grundsethp]

Finally got all the Yakima brackets built. I have to still make a few more extrusion brackets.

 

[grundsethp]

I've made a few tweaks to the brackets. The Yakima brackets use tapered bolts to keep the top smooth. The extrusion brackets are done. The width is working out to be 54" wide. On the drivers side is my original design and in the passengers side has the extrusion above. Also looking to attach extrusions on top of the Yakima bars from from to back to create a platform. The long extrusions are 96" long and will be trimmed.