Wooden Roof Rack

[hawker7]

Did you order the 45 degree towers? Could you measure for me the distance between the top of the roof and the bottom of your rack please?

Thanks,
Richard

I bought the 45 degree last fall. The new 30-60 degree were not available when I bought them. I would go for the 30-60 if I were to buy them now. I took my OEM rack off.

I get about 2 1/2 inches from the center of the roof to the bottom of the load bars. I have the rack lowered as much as possible.

The Gamiviti products are very well made, If you had a steel rack, you probably could get by with just 3 per side. I knew I was going to use the MDO, so I wanted 4 per side.

Hawker

 

[Josh N]

I bought the 45 degree last fall. The new 30-60 degree were not available when I bought them. I would go for the 30-60 if I were to buy them now. I took my OEM rack off.

I get about 2 1/2 inches from the center of the roof to the bottom of the load bars. I have the rack lowered as much as possible.

The Gamiviti products are very well made, If you had a steel rack, you probably could get by with just 3 per side. I knew I was going to use the MDO, so I wanted 4 per side.

Hawker

The webpage mentions that the 45s are the correct fit for an 80 and the 30/60s are for 60 series trucks.

Aside from that, that wooden roof rack is slick!!!

 

[hawker7]

Nice rack. Looks great!

As I am better prepared to work with wood (MDF) than metal it looks like an interesting project.

Did you use both the Gamiviti gutter towers and cross bars?

Yes Gamivit 45 degree towers and load bars.

You don't want to use MDF, that will not work. This was MDO, it is an exterior grade plywood. MDF is basically sawdust and glue used for interior work.

MDO is really the only type of wood product I would use to make a rack like this. And believe me, my son and I threw this together late one night before last hunting season. I really didn't spend a lot of time laying it out, just started cutting up some 1/2" that I had from an old job, I just wanted something to haul antelope on top to the cruiser. I was going to buy 3/4 " but ran out of time, so I just grabbed what I had, screwed and glued with Loctite PL construction glue. She's no work of art, but it carries as much weight as you would want to load on top of the gutters. 1/2" flexes a little, but with 4 load bars it works great.


http://www.plumcreek.com/Portals/0/downloads/productInfo/MDO.pdf

Hawker

 

[hawker7]

The webpage mentions that the 45s are the correct fit for an 80 and the 30/60s are for 60 series trucks.

Aside from that, that wooden roof rack is slick!!!

30-60's are listed to work for an 80 without the factory rack. That would be my choice now.

Hawker

 

[MYSHERPA]

Why? Because he didn't spend $1200 on this rack? The man made it himself with his ingenuity and got away with the best he could. The rack is strong as he says so if it works for him then why are you giving him grief?

Who is giving him grief? All I said is that I don't know what to think...meaning I'm neutral. As a former professional finish carpenter and now a hobbiest woodworker I love building things out of wood as much as anyone. Don't put words in my mouth, I can do that fine myself.

 

[Darl Bundren]

I would not use composite. While weather-hardy, the material is very flexy.

 

[landroamer]

Dont use composite in a cold climate especially, we paid a lot of money for composite decking here in montana and after 2-3 years it is coming apart, wood lasted a lot longer.(although more maintance, at least its there to maintain) This rack is well built and works well, dont change a good thing.

 

[Kalawang]

Plywood, even marine plywood, does not stand up to moisture all that well unless coated with epoxy. Epoxy is especially needed at the ends and edges to prevent or at least reduce the amount of moisture that can enter the plys.

Wood is good looking material but if the work requires frequent moisture and heat exposure, I would think aluminum would be the longer term investment.


Kalawang

 

[Brian894X4]

I think it looks great. The only thing I would add is that I would bolt tie down points to the metal cross bars and would avoid using the wood to tie anything down, but other than that, awesome work!

 

[huntdux]

Looks good! Post another pic once you have the antelope on top.

 

[41magsnub]

It looks good,!

 

[Bromontana]

I think the rack is awesome. I would also be interested in seeing one that was just varnished and looked like natural wood.

 

[duggy]

Trailers typically use regular ole wood for their decking....these may be weather treated but last for a while. For a budget, I think this is a great alternative. Not sure if the anal TLC crew will have any part of a dead animal on their $1200 roof racks.

 

[darwink1]

Dammit, I was hoping to see a rack made out of green pressure treated 2x6's. I guess I found my next project..

Rack looks good btw.

D

 

[Walking Eagle]

wood is good for roof racks - VW beetles and type3's and buses used to have wood slat roof racks. If a person was really wanting to make it last - throw some bed liner on it to encapulate it. Looks nice...

 

[Slabsides45]

Question to the OP: what're you putting up there during hunting season?

 

[41magsnub]

Question to the OP: what're you putting up there during hunting season?

Read post #23

 

[Slabsides45]

Ah. Reading is fundamental. My bad.

Being in the SE, I was wondering how the OP was gonna haul even a 150 lb doe up on top of that sucker without busting a gut along the way....