Building your own roof rack.

[meyek91974]

I should tell ya how to make it better, then

Oh that sounds like it was a very well built rack! I think if I make a new rack ill have to steal some of the things you did if you don't mind.

you know, when you do something once you then see where next time you could do better?

Mine was 9 feet long - and I would NOT change that. With the tailgate opened it was about an inch, or thumb thickness away. Also, aside that it was attached to the five or six roof cross bars it protruded forward and vertically was alligned with the top seal of my windshield - - not only for space in the rack BUT forward facing lights were in front of my eyes/head and directly out front up top

For better sealed storage, I could have used military steel .50 cal ammo cans mounted/bolted to the side/perimeter tubing with fender washers and good sealed, easily accessible storage of quick things.

Another reason that it's 9feet front to back is that I used a king size sheet that I sewed in eyelits and hooked it at one broad end to the truck rack then using two 8foot aluminum pipes and some paracord I made a canopy for camping.

I WOULD NEXT TIME measure the width of the roof cross beams and evenly spaced four front-to-back tubes to spread the weight. Remember to keep more weight of the load over the cross bars but oars and stuff can be put toward the front over the sunroof. - - I'd use about 1 1/2 inch bottom or rim tubing as a rack of this size looks weenie-ish with 1inch. & Make it 8inches top to bottom; nice and deep that you can secure stuff better. AND I'd get a red plastic 2'x2' or so fuel cell to mount up there. Jerry cans on the back are EASY to steal and/or cyphon but if you're out and need well stowed away gas there it is; just have a clear nylon tube that you can gravity feed into your gas tank BUT BE AWARE THAT GASOLINE WEIGHS JUST SHORT OF 8 LBS PER GALLON

This is a great raised platform for those 3'x3' solar panels from rv places too

Let me know how yours goes

 

[97Mounty97]

you know, when you do something once you then see where next time you could do better?

Mine was 9 feet long - and I would NOT change that. With the tailgate opened it was about an inch, or thumb thickness away. Also, aside that it was attached to the five or six roof cross bars it protruded forward and vertically was alligned with the top seal of my windshield - - not only for space in the rack BUT forward facing lights were in front of my eyes/head and directly out front up top

For better sealed storage, I could have used military steel .50 cal ammo cans mounted/bolted to the side/perimeter tubing with fender washers and good sealed, easily accessible storage of quick things.

Another reason that it's 9feet front to back is that I used a king size sheet that I sewed in eyelits and hooked it at one broad end to the truck rack then using two 8foot aluminum pipes and some paracord I made a canopy for camping.

I WOULD NEXT TIME measure the width of the roof cross beams and evenly spaced four front-to-back tubes to spread the weight. Remember to keep more weight of the load over the cross bars but oars and stuff can be put toward the front over the sunroof. - - I'd use about 1 1/2 inch bottom or rim tubing as a rack of this size looks weenie-ish with 1inch. & Make it 8inches top to bottom; nice and deep that you can secure stuff better. AND I'd get a red plastic 2'x2' or so fuel cell to mount up there. Jerry cans on the back are EASY to steal and/or cyphon but if you're out and need well stowed away gas there it is; just have a clear nylon tube that you can gravity feed into your gas tank BUT BE AWARE THAT GASOLINE WEIGHS JUST SHORT OF 8 LBS PER GALLON

This is a great raised platform for those 3'x3' solar panels from rv places too

Let me know how yours goes

Thanks for all of the info! It will help me a lot when I decide to make a new one and also anyone else that is looking to make one.
One thing I would definitely do is make the sides a little taller I believe mine where 4 inches high but I think I would do like 6 inches or something that way it's tall enough for storage with out looking too big.
Thanks again

 

[meyek91974]

One more thing

Thanks for all of the info! It will help me a lot when I decide to make a new one and also anyone else that is looking to make one.
One thing I would definitely do is make the sides a little taller I believe mine where 4 inches high but I think I would do like 6 inches or something that way it's tall enough for storage with out looking too big.
Thanks again

If you bolt instead of weld, where your ribs meet the outer rectangular parimeter, flatten the heads and bend them to a C shape so that when you drill and bolt through it's going through at the bottom and top of the C. Draw an o with a C around it and a l vertically through it.

 

[97Mounty97]

If you bolt instead of weld, where your ribs meet the outer rectangular parimeter, flatten the heads and bend them to a C shape so that when you drill and bolt through it's going through at the bottom and top of the C. Draw an o with a C around it and a l vertically through it.

Alright thanks

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

If anyone is in the market for a rack, Cabelas has one on sale, not sure sure for how long though. There is a rack and an option extension to add 22”+ more in length. Regular price for rack is $149.99 on sale for $99.99 Regular price of extension is $59.99 on sale for $39.99 Dont have time to learn to the link process at the moment so sorry about that.