DIY prinsu style shell rack

I bought a set of 6 for mine, because I had no time to design something for the topper. I will however use something similar as the OP in the future.

 

Working on the cab with my pretty green 3D model

 

I tried to search, but for the life of me, I can't find a reference to these SmittyBilt mounts elsewere on TW. Can you link please?

 

Your google fu is weak!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mounting-foot-alternative-for-toprac.503846/

 

Damn. You’re good.

The question of the hour: Should I get 4, 6 or 8 of these mounts for my short bed SnugTop?

 

What're you going to be carrying up top? If nothing too crazy, 4 would be adequate. I only have 4 feet on my prinsu on my long bed, but I'm never seriously loading it with weight. Just a couple kayaks. If I was planning on a RTT or something, then I'd do 6.

 

@BeachBoy - I read this whole thread. I’d like to get in line for your turnkey solution (1/4” side, mounting feet, SS hardware) minus crossbars. I currently have a pair of 48” Proline Tracks on a short bed.

Please let me know when available. Hoping to get these installed soon. Thanks!

 

I got 6 on my longbed

just opened the box a few minutes ago, there's a bunch of reaaaaaly long bolts, hopefully everything is included to install iit, I hate having to go to the store midway when doing something. The hardware is all black that's neat though, but I hope it's stainless.

 

Now time to paint and install.

 

So it seems the distance 1" between holes for the crossbars is a little too tight on my plates. I have to check if it's my design, the laser cutting or the bars. Then I have to decide if I need to correct or have a slightly larger hole diameter.

For my set I will simply file the holes a little.

 

This might be the case if one were to assume I only had a one vehicle. Such peasantry.

But still doesn't solve the issue of getting sheets of 4'x'8' anything back home.

If you look at Rocky Mountain's solution.

https://www.rockymtnracks.com/s/Matterhorn-Assembly-Instructions.pdf

They use two on either side bolted to the extrusions. The 4runner doesn't have a rail that runs down the sides of the cabs like the 2nd gen tacomas and 4th gen 4runners on.

so uhm.. does a model exist for an access cab tacoma?? and perhaps a 3rd gen 4runner?

 

So the culprit are the t-slots profiles.

They are much less than 1" even though the technical drawing calls for 1" +/- 0.026" (less than 1/32) I think the actual is shorter than that. I would have to double check with my caliper this weekend.



My next set of side plates I'll make the holes a tiny bit oblong to compensate. That's how a prototype works.

I also find the profiles are not straight, they curve "down" and I have to check with the supplier if that can be corrected. This picture shows them back to back, the gap means the center of the rack would be about 1/4in lower than the ends. Of course the next set will be straighter.

 

Yes they have short bed, access cab, 2014 and 2011 versions.

I still have not received the actual cad, the image was an object imported but I can't use it much (not to scale and only a bunch of surfaces).

 

Two things:

The extruded bars i ordered from tnutz were dead on 1" (measured with a caliper) I wonder if its an off run or something. 2: i think the arch in the pieces are due to the heat from plasma cutting. I dealt with that making my roof rack and it was a pain. Aluminum acts weird with any heat at all even from media blasting.

 

I didn't think the laser cut would heat that much. I'll chat with the company and see if I can arch my design a little to compensate and make it straight after cut. It's not too bad as you can see in the picture (the actual "droop" is half the gap shown).

For the position, I will measure with a caliper to make sure, and check different ones as I have over a dozen. But the one I checked was definitely shorter as you can see even with a tape measure.

 

Id be interested to see what they say. I tried to correct that same arching on mine and made it worse by over compesating. I also cut by hand which adds another variable. The bar holes suck mine weren't like that.

 

My profound applogies for the mistaken assumption m'lord/eminence/majesty/et al. You didn't mention another vehicle or your title. I have an AC myself and carry 4x8 sheets all the time, sometimes in the bed and other time on the cap rail mounted Thule bars, it's not a problem that they hang over the tail gate by 2'. If it's an issue you want to plan for I suggest increasing the width from the Prinsu standard 47" to something greater than 48". If carrying them in the bed is your only option I suggest a 2 x in the forward elevated notch along with a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/2" ply so the alu sheets stay reasonably flat.

 

Can't use the bed for that at all. Pelfreybilt Swing out and Habitat.

 

Then rent a uhaul trailer or a truck from home depo. As for heat warping from a plasma cutter, might get better results from water jet cutting?

 

Could rent a home depot truck. Cheap since you only rent it for a little bit

https://www.homedepot.com/tool-truck-rental/load-n-go-truck-rental/