Show us your homemade truck Racks

Here is my home made truck rack / back rack.

I made this back/truck rack last weekend. It took me about 12 hours total to make this rack using 1 1/2 inch square tubing for the back rack and 1 1/4 square tubing for the rails and the rack inserts. It cost me $150.00 (Canadian) in steel and my time welding it up with my arc welder. Makes me want a mig welder !!!!

I designed it after a buddies rack. The racks that hold the canoes and boats are easily removed and stored in the garage when not in use (see pic showing racks removed).

I hate having racks on when not needed. Only the back rack and rails stay on the truck and its below the roof level which gives no wind drag for fuel savings.

What do you think?

 

What do you think? Very nice job - that's what I think.

 

Great job. Looks good. Have you done work like that before?

Frank

 

I was thinking of doing something similar, using the back rack as a post for a removable bed rack mine would be a RTT though,

Nice setup

Wondering why you built it so tall though?!

 

thats some very nice work, i wish i could weld

 

Found this rack on Craigslist for $200 - it was for a full size truck but I cut it down to fit. That's 20 16' long treated deck boards on top - works great!

 

Rides real smooth - - -

 

OP - That sir, is an an IMPRESSIVE looking rack.

 

Rack, basket, same thing. It holds shit!

 

Its built that high

1. so the canoe does not hit the roof of the truck

2. so I can put my quad under neath the boat and or canoes.

This was my first build of a truck rack.

 

Oh nice,

Yea I was wondering how much the canoe bent down towards the truck,

Multi-functional!

 

Derek,
I like your basket a lot!
Using the factory mount locations is the way to go in my opinion.
It is more than I would need with the light guard in front but I may have to attempt to build one with a lower profile and a bit less heavy duty.
Thanks for giving me an idea of how to do it!!!!!!

 

Yessir. This was my first rack build. More to come with revisions and yes, a lower profile.

 

Not as good as everyone else's, but it was the best I could do without a welder. All-in-all it turned out very sturdy, use it to haul my kayaks.

 

^nice job!

 

OP you did a he'll of a job fabricating that rack, looks store bought!

 

nice job, i like the way the racks can be removed when not needed. You should probably tie that canoe down though might not stay there like that

 

I bought this rack from a guy that had it on a full size Dodge. After looking at, I figured I could modify it to fit the Taco, seeing as it was completely adjustable.

He had made it with 1 1/2" & 1 1/4" square steel tubing that slides into each other to adjust. It is bolted together with 7/16 bolts, and nicely welded corner peices. He had made this in his garage himself and did a very nice job! The mods I had to do were, even with it in its smallest size it was still to long and to wide. As well I had to make it fit my bed rail system, as he had it mounted right into the bed wall holes on full sizes.

Cutting the lengths to size was pretty straight forward. In order to mount it to my truck, in the box on that small lip, I mounted a right angle bracket, and used a 1/2" bolt to go thru the post. I used a 1/2" carriage bolt in the bed rail for the four posts. As you can see in the photos, he made attaching points so the entire rack can be easily removed and just the attachment posts are left in the box of the truck. I made this in order to carry my 12' aluminum fishing boat, as I tow my tent trailer behind the truck. I added the rollers on the back corners. On the front cross member I put an upright 1/2" bolt which goes right into the handle hole on the bow plate of the boat. I made a bracket out of flat bar, which goes on the inside of the bow plate and bolts down the bow of the boat right to the rack. Eliminating the need for a safety line to the front bumper, which I think is annoying to have to do!

I have done four fishing trips with the boat on top, and it hasn't even budged! The kicker is I bought this rack for $75, and with some new bolts, and hardware and rollers, I am into it for $137! Sure beats a $800 for a factory made one! Hope some of my ideas are helpful. Cheers and happy trucking!

 

In-the-bed rack for my 12' Radisson aluminum canoe. the bar rolls for easy loading.