Homemade Roofracks.

[TangoBlue]

4307 that rack is awesome! I especially like the low-profile feature and the holes in the angle and PSP stock allow for infinite tie down options when lashing gear, besides the other features you mentioned. I'm thinking your idea is my solution for a rack over my CanBack. A couple questions though...

* what does it weigh, approximately;
* what specific material did you use;
* how did you secure it to the cross bars;
* what are the small square cut-outs on each corner in the PSP for?

Thanks for sharing your pics and ingenuity!

[6string]

4307 that rack is awesome! I especially like the low-profile feature and the holes in the angle and PSP stock allow for infinite tie down options when lashing gear, besides the other features you mentioned. I'm thinking your idea is my solution for a rack over my CanBack. A couple questions though...

* what does it weigh, approximately;
* what specific material did you use;
* how did you secure it to the cross bars;
* what are the small square cut-outs on each corner in the PSP for?

Thanks for sharing your pics and ingenuity!

I second TB above: major cool points, my man. I SO wish I had welding skills like you. Can't wait to see what you do next. If I may, though, tag along another question to TB's four...

Do you anticipate hood glare from the lights being immediately above your windshield?

I would like to put some up there on my truck, but I'm worried about blinding myself unless they're further rearward.

Thoughts? Thx.

[StumpXJ]

Awesome rack 4307! One question though, I am assuming you had a typ when you said 55 "fogs"? Did you mean driving light beams? Fogs would be a bad choice for spread pattern up there. I made a mistake (grabbed the wrong set off the bench) and put the fog pattern on the rear of my rack for back up lighting. Fogs have very wide beam, but it is also extremely short. They are designed to be mounted as low as possible.

You will ove the HID's. I converted all of mine as well, and its SOOOO much better.

Diggin the rack!

[4307]

* The rack weight is exactly 51 lbs. 72 lbs with the shovel, axe and Hi-Lift
The bedliner material added a fair amount of weight. That being said, it was worth it. I'd do it again. POR15 would be my second choice.

* I used....
1/8'' x 2'' x2'' angle iron.
1/8'' expanded steel
Hippo Liner bed liner kit... only used 1/2 of the kit, over 3 coats, applied with a fine mini foam paint roller.

* I'm using hardware store U-bolts for now.
The rack will be removed for daily driving, so a quick release lock mechanism is in the works.
I'll post the results when it comes together.

* The square cut outs in the corners are to clear the thickness of the cross tube clamp on the Yakima roof rack tower. This allows the rack to sit flat on the cross bar. By doing this the rack is totally level with the bed roof rack.

StumpXJ.... yup that was a typo, it should be Hella 550 driving...

http://www.myhellalights.com/halogen..._Lamp_Kit.html

I agree, not the best choice, but I will be replacing them. Before I do that I'll try them out on the trails. The short wide pattern may work for our narrow bush trails to illuminate the peripheral bush the regular 500's will focus on the forward trail.. in theory..

I would like to run 2 HIDfoglight.com 7'' HID... as outer lights....

http://www.hidfoglight.com/productsA...rucklight.html

And Kragen 7'' HID's for the center. Kragen's throw a different pattern than the HIDfoglights.com version. Other than the pattern difference the lights are identical.
Only problem is, I can't seem to order Kragen's from Canada.

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/product_...m/99000csk.jpg

I'll convert the Hella 500's to HID and stick them on my ARB.
But, in the end money dictates... LOL

[UK4X4]

"For those talking about using conduit. What size/thickness is appropriate?"

I used standard conduit not the extended reach stuff, ie the lighter wall.

The bends were the standard electrical bends which are a slightly larger OD

Being that they are designed to be threaded together, and I had no tap for the cut lengths I just drilled out the thread with a cone cut and pushed the tubes into the bends, and welded.

These joins are behind the upright supports, so you can't really see the joins.

Butt welding this wall thickness would not be that easy.

Mine was 25mm and 35mm OD tubing

The cross bars I used a hole saw to round the ends - made then push fit and then fully welded.

I only used a hobart 140 but works fine for me

[4307]

I guess it really depends on how big you want the rack to be.

My light protection bar is made from 1/2" I.D. standard conduit. I was surprised at how strong it actually is. I welded bolts in the tube end for mounting. It was tricky because of the wall thickness but the result was worth the effort.
If I decide to run the Kragen style HID's I'll make a new light bar to accommodate the outer 7" lights.

If anyone decides to take the conduit route for building a rack, wear a good respirator when welding. The zinc coating is very toxic. Even if you sand the conduit for weld prep wear that respirator.

[FlatlinesUp]

while mine's not full home-made, it's modified quite a bit with more to come soon as the snow dries up.

It's a KargoMaster commercial rack that I added 1" square tube bracing to and expanded steel over the rear that works for a work platform, and I cut/sectioned/sleeved all the horizontals to narrow it 3" and I cut/rewelded the legs to lower it 2" (it was ment for a over the cab high roof shell)

I plan on making a halo type light bar that will lay down/up via linear actuation in the front and add 2 solar panels in the framed area over the cab as well as fabbing up some antenna mounts.

I'm also going to put a full diameter angle in the bed to tie the rack too and eventually tie the rack to the yet to be built(replaced) slider/steps and the yet to be built rear bumper

Lots still left to do, but that's the story of my life lol

(sorry don't have a better pic of it at this time)

[TangoBlue]

Very nice. I like your plans for its future modifications - keep us posted. It sounds like you have some neat ideas ahead for it.

[StumpXJ]

Will the Hella 500 plastic enclosure handle the heat from HID's?

HID's put out a fraction of the heat that a regular halogen bulb does. Plenty of folks have done the conversion, awesome upgrade to any lighting.

~James

[Box Rocket]

Bump for more ideas and pics.