toobladink
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- August 29, 2023
- Messages
- 57
- Reaction score
- 38
- City, State
- Spokane, WA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2000 4WD XLT
I'd really like a custom roof basket as a way to mount an awning and a place to store extra camping equipment when I need it. My explorer came with these like "rope" tie points that you can put in the rails. They're made of aluminum and I'm thinking that if I get enough of them, I could spread out the load more evenly among the rail, so then it'd only be like 15 lbs per point instead of like 45. I found out the screws that thread into them are M6-1.0. Good idea? If you think so, any ideas where I can get more? This is what they look like, searching these numbers don't give me much. Of the four I have, 15700 is the only number shared so I'm guessing the upside down number is some sort of serial number; they're all identical. Honestly I titled this thread the way I did to get more clicks because I want more of these because even with a roof basket, I want to have more of these to cover/tie down some of the lighter stuff so I don't have to buy more straps.
UPDATE: I FINALLY found a thread with the part numbers Roof rack anchor part number
I guess more related to the thread title.. lol.. I was also thinking about unscrewing the rail and just using those mounting points, mostly because the rail sits at an angle and making sure the loads are distributed evenly/fabricating something so it's level sounds annoying. This picture is super blurry but it sits at enough of an angle I want to bring this up. I was thinking I could just get spacers and grind them down at an angle, but I don't have one/would need to borrow one.
And unrelated, has anyone made one from extruded aluminum? For example, I'm thinking of having the sides made from this 3034-Lite-Black-FB (this is T slotted aluminum, usually built for frames for custom machining setups, the weight and strength are very appealing) that way it's easy for me to mount/unmount my awning when I don't need it. Also could have cool uses for other novelty stuff to be mounted on it, like a temperature gauge or a light. What do you guys think? Otherwise I'm just gonna weld something up.
UPDATE: I FINALLY found a thread with the part numbers Roof rack anchor part number
I guess more related to the thread title.. lol.. I was also thinking about unscrewing the rail and just using those mounting points, mostly because the rail sits at an angle and making sure the loads are distributed evenly/fabricating something so it's level sounds annoying. This picture is super blurry but it sits at enough of an angle I want to bring this up. I was thinking I could just get spacers and grind them down at an angle, but I don't have one/would need to borrow one.
And unrelated, has anyone made one from extruded aluminum? For example, I'm thinking of having the sides made from this 3034-Lite-Black-FB (this is T slotted aluminum, usually built for frames for custom machining setups, the weight and strength are very appealing) that way it's easy for me to mount/unmount my awning when I don't need it. Also could have cool uses for other novelty stuff to be mounted on it, like a temperature gauge or a light. What do you guys think? Otherwise I'm just gonna weld something up.
