Bed Rack Storage Basket Help

[cycleman4]

Hey friends I was hoping for some advice. I have a bed rack system I am trying to attach a storage basket to so I can out my spare tire and fuel in. The issue in question is weather or not I use additional square bars to put the basket on then attach that to my rack some how. Here are some pictures for reference.



The reason for using the extra bars is that the basket doesn't center on the round bars of the rack. The rear hangs over and I thought it would be a weak point. What do you think the best way to attach the square bar to the round. Thanks for the input.

 

[tarditi]

I think using loadbars makes sense.

Have you looked at muffler/exhaust clamps?

Are you trying to avoid drilling through the roof rack? That would be pretty easy to do.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Another great thing about using the load bars is you would have enough room next to the basket to add a long plastic tube for fishing rod storage.

 

[cycleman4]

See thats why I posted my dumb question at 10:45 PM. I have no issue with drilling the square bar. I should have thought of that. A few U bolts should do the trick to secure it to the rack. I like the Idea of the fishing rod tube as well. I will have to work that in. Thanks for the help. If you have any other ides let me know. This is going on my 2015 Tundra TRD PRO.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

See thats why I posted my dumb question at 10:45 PM. I have no issue with drilling the square bar. I should have thought of that. A few U bolts should do the trick to secure it to the rack. I like the Idea of the fishing rod tube as well. I will have to work that in. Thanks for the help. If you have any other ides let me know. This is going on my 2015 Tundra TRD PRO.

The rod tube is something I plan to add to my rack this spring, a 6 inch pvc tube with a locking cap should fit 3 rods with reels attached, keeps them out of harms way that you typically deal with inside the vehicle.

 

[cycleman4]

Alright this is what I came up with. Drilled holes in the cross bars and used Ubolts to attach it. As I was repurposing an old Thule rack I was able to put back on some of the ski holders and load stops to use for something else. Maybe I'll put my Hi-lift there some how. Anyways I'm just need to do a little tweaking of the hardware and I'll be set. My next project is building a spare tire carrier for the basket. I already gathered the parts so I will try to work on that in the next few days.

 

[rayra]

That certainly works and as mentioned give you additional places for other things. I would have just center-drilled the bed rack and basket main tubes where they intersect and bolted them together directly. Or used a J-bolt thru the backet main tubes, hooking the bed rack.

 

[cycleman4]

That certainly works and as mentioned give you additional places for other things. I would have just center-drilled the bed rack and basket main tubes where they intersect and bolted them together directly. Or used a J-bolt thru the backet main tubes, hooking the bed rack.

I thought about doing that but I wasn't real excited to drill the main rack. I didn't want water to work its way in the holes If I removed the cross bars. Also this is pretty easy to slide the bars forward or back if I need to.

 

[rayra]

I agree, having some adjustability is a good thing.

I zoomed in on that u-bolt photo and don't see any washer or locknut, you might want to consider a lockwasher, or star washer or a nylock nut or even just double nutting those u-bolts. A rubber pad between the bars would also help limit vibration wear and absorb some shimmy that might work those u-bolts loose.