Topic: Roofrack build .FITTED... (Read 16163 times)

lee celtic · « **on:** July 06, 2008, 23:02:09 »

A Roofrack :dance: :dance:

I have been looking around for ideas regarding the shape and materials for making a roofrack with front and rear lights plus mounts for bits and bobs etc...

I now have the design roughed out and the materials sorted .however on my quest for a good looking roofrack that is easy to build with limited time and money I found a picture of a roofrack with something on the back I don't know the use for ....

Its the vee shaped bit in the middle :-k is it a mount for something or is the to triangulate the rack for stability :-k
come on wizard tell me it's doing my head in... :lol:

:dance:

paulnb57 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2008, 14:30:47 »

A decent roof rack will be my next projecct, it will be interesting to see how your turns out...........I want mine split level a little like the old Safety Devices style, thevee shaped bit in your pic - cant imagine it would give much additional bracing - must be for something specific - dingy mast or something?? front to back not straight up with a sail!!
Edit - cant be for a mast.....got me wondering now.........
Paul

stuntman · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2008, 15:10:55 »

Here;s my home made effort, it has a few extra bits added now though.

It does look a little twisted in these shots but it was straightened and fiddled with before fitting.

paulnb57 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2008, 16:15:46 »

Nice work there, my own preference would be round tube and curved corners (may be setting myself something I cant achieve!!) but thats not intended as a critisim....well done!
Like the style and shape of it.
Paul

lee celtic · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2008, 18:37:21 »

Yeh I like round tubing but I must say the mating of two short racks to make that one was an inspired idea that set me off :lol:

I am using 20mm electritions conduit and steel mesh ( I blagged a bending jig off a mate ;)) and fancy doing somthing a bit safety divs and a bit special (ie making it up as I go along :lol:)

I have plans to make it as easy as possible using tools everyone should have in the shed or can rent by the hour .

That way when (or if) it works others can have a go . :D I'm hoping to do a rack blog thingy and post it at the end of the build .

Right off to the shed [-o< [-o<

paulnb57 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2008, 18:57:58 »

Was thinking along the same lines myself - (Thats why I am wanting Thule rack feet.....need 4x 953's)although not sure about welding Galvanised conduit - would use steel tube myself - although I guess a certain ammount of conduit could be blagged from skips etc - A "green" recycld rack??.... blog would be a great idea. Oh - and could you start today so I can learn from your mistakes??!! :oops:
Paul

lee celtic · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2008, 21:39:59 »

Have Started :lol: :lol:

First thing I did was build a frame the same size as the roof out of 2x2 in the garage so I don't get wet ;)

second was liberate some non galv conduit from a skip :D :D I will have to buy some but I know a guy whos got a scrap yard looking out for me and putting any he gets to one side

the only new stuff will be the coppered mesh and some 60 x 6 flat for the legs and a few nuts and bolts ....

stuntman · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2008, 07:58:22 »

I'm looking forward to seeing the results, I would say if you are going to have lights and accessories on the rack, weld all the bracketry on to hold the wiring etc before you mount the rack, when they are this big they are heavvvvvvyyyyyy!

My next rack will be round tube, I just used square section as it mated with the half rack easily. I'm also going to make channels for the wiring to sit in and make supports for the boarding along the inside edge of the rack.

Rivnuts are really usefull for boarding out the rack, therefore all you do is bolt through the board and into the rack, no need for a spanner on the underside.

lee celtic · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2008, 22:37:32 »

As I'm using conduit I am planning to use glands at a point where the lights are so I can run the wires through the rack and bring them out close to the lights though waterproof seals into flexi pipe and right into the lights :D

at the moment I am trying to decided whether to slope the the legs to the same angles as the pillars or take them straight up :-k

I have however decided to leave the bottom of the rack flat and not shape it to the roof as this will give me a handy gap to store waffle boards under the rack :D

mentalmoshio sophs V8i · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2008, 22:37:49 »

heres mine and with height issues to at eastnor aswell

mentalmoshio sophs V8i · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2008, 22:41:43 »

did extend it abit a few weeks ago

lee celtic · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2008, 23:38:04 »

So are we still taking bets on what the "v" thing is ???

Mine is ...

Mounts for giant beedee boppers to make the truck look like a big ant :D

mentalmoshio sophs V8i · « **Reply #12 on:** July 08, 2008, 23:45:50 »

was gonna be a w for wizard but he forgot the other bit :lol: :lol: :lol:

stuntman · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2008, 07:40:20 »

I recon it's for a pair of confederate flags, dukes of hazard stylee :dance:

mentalmoshio sophs V8i · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2008, 14:01:33 »

:roll: oh god finally touches replys already and lee has on just began making it his

lee celtic · « **Reply #15 on:** July 09, 2008, 21:41:07 »

Added to rough plan ,

Tubes for mounting flags :lol: :lol:

I've just been in the garage bending tubes for the rear of the rack looks sort of g4 at the moment but what I have figured out is I will need a lot more tube :(

The two lengths I started out with have gone nowhere :shock: but it is looking good :dance: (so far) ;)

paulnb57 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 10, 2008, 18:29:29 »

Photos my dear Watson.....................photos.................
Good luck with it!!
Paul

lee celtic · « **Reply #17 on:** July 11, 2008, 16:28:33 »

Photos will be at the end as I want to do a complete build without replies to put in the tech bit ;)

though I will put a few teasers in here now and again :lol:

It will take a few weeks as I have a holiday coming up :(

I'd rather spend it in the garage but my wife dos'nt understand me :lol:

lee celtic · « **Reply #18 on:** July 20, 2008, 22:24:07 »

Part 1.

Well Iâ€™ve set out to build a roof rack for my Disco as I canâ€™t justify the cost of buying one in the style and shape I want (sort of G4 but not roof hugging).

The brief is simple build a rack using tools found in the average garage and reclaimed steel tube, plate and anything else I can get my hands on.

The only thing that could not be found in my garage that I would need is a pipe bender, I found several on ebay for between Â£30 and Â£60 that would suit my needs however a mate had one

and after a bit of bartering (swapped it for a bike seat cover) I had the tools. I then built a frame out of 2 x 2 pine the same size as the roof so I can work inside in the dry.

To start the rack I have cut a piece of tube to a manageable length and done a couple of test bends just to see what sort of angles were possible these will come in handy later.

I decided to start with what I thought would be the hardest bends, the double bends at the rear of the rack.

Using two pieces of tube the same length to make both sides of the rack at the same time. The first bend was a little under 90 degrees to run under the rear alpine window and up onto the roof the second bend a little over 90 degrees and then across the roof these were done a little by guess work and trying on the car. When doing the bends I used the stop on the bender to make them match and turned the tube in opposite directions to get a mirror image, the two tubes were then fixed to the frame so they overlapped then marked and cut to make them touch end to end. They were then butt welded together with a metal slug inside to strengthen the joint.

Now I have the starting point I decided to trial fit it to the car (looks good :dance:) I marked on the tube using white tape the position of the tube that would run along the roof to the front of the car. Then using one of the test bends (said theyâ€™d come in handy ;))

I worked out where the first upright would be on the back of the rack.

The edge of the upper frame will be level with the lower frame (white tape)

Remember every thing has to be done twice as there are two sides to the rack.

Using some 3mm plate I cut some tags to hold the rear work lights and welded them in position,

It may seem strange fitting the lamps and things this early in the build but I would rather make sure they fit now unless I finish the thing then have to hack it up again to get the addons to fit.

I have now run out of tube :(so off to the scrappers tomorrow :D but so far so good :dance:

akmroofrack · « **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2008, 20:53:07 »

I build roof racks for discovery,s they start at Â£200

lee celtic · « **Reply #20 on:** September 10, 2008, 21:41:11 »

I've priced mine up at Â£47 plus paint/powder depending on if the finished item fit's through the oven :lol:

For Â£200 I'd want to drive it not bolt it on ;)

No dis-respect meant I'm just tight :D

I Haven't done much on it this month as I have been pimping my new Hi lift jack ...( second hand and need of a rebuild and paint)

akmroofrack · « **Reply #21 on:** September 10, 2008, 23:07:45 »

Lee don't powder the steel rots out from under it

Disco_Stu · « **Reply #22 on:** September 15, 2008, 21:22:50 »

AKM, do you have a website or any pictures I can take a look at mate?

JimP · « **Reply #23 on:** September 17, 2008, 09:19:53 »

Been looking for a roofrack for a while now, think I might have a go at this!

Unless one of you guys who's alredy done it fancy making another :shock:

Jim

lee celtic · « **Reply #24 on:** September 17, 2008, 19:18:16 »

Funding should be better at the end of the month so more will be done then . I know it's not much but I've diverted this months toy money to a hi lift (don't tell the wife) ;)
I have also started doing proper drawings with angles and stuff .

I tend to make stuff by eye then do the drawings so it can be repeated :lol: :lol:

lee celtic · « **Reply #25 on:** October 11, 2008, 18:14:58 »

Well it's moved on a bit :dance:

I have been doing a bit in the evenings and weekends , to be honest I have found that using the frame I made in the garage and doing everything by eye has worked pretty well. I have used two roof bars I had for carting ladders about to set the heights of the cross supports and I am now happy with the height as it was a bit high at the start..

These piccies are of the first full try on, the light bar is just resting in place as I will need to un-wire it to get it off :roll:

so What do you think :D

Now I need to add some more uprights on the top cage and some cross bars for the deck to sit on :dance: before paint :D

mentalmoshio sophs V8i · « **Reply #26 on:** October 11, 2008, 18:41:18 »

nice start lee un sure on the bare metal finish :-k thinking the black will more in keeping with ur truck

stuntman · « **Reply #27 on:** October 11, 2008, 18:56:25 »

Looking really good mate, the front leg of the rack looks a little bare somehow, I really like the lines of it aswell.

How about some bracing for the light bar, then mount 4 wipacs to the front of the roof rack and 4 small rectangular lights hanging off the light bar?

You'll be taking orders soon bud

paulnb57 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 11, 2008, 19:45:57 »

Awesome!

lee celtic · « **Reply #29 on:** October 11, 2008, 19:58:20 »

The fronts not finished yet I am thinking of somthing a bit like this on the front but a little further back ;)

To stop the lights hitting the bonet..

also loops on the top corners for bush cables (must remember to wear safety glasses ;)) and thinking of a swivel/ search type light right on the drivers side corner.

sorry I don't know whos pic it is I have collected so many doing research while designing my rack from ebay and other sites but thanks anyway ;)

this was the very first fit and was just to make sure the frame fitted in the gutters , there is still a way to go but not as far as when I started :dance:

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AuthorTopic: Roofrack build .FITTED... (Read 16163 times)

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