ERMB's D-I-Y Rack System Build

Mine is 3" I believe

 

Cool. Thanks. I saw the pictures of it

I basically plan on adding another 2" side piece to mine with a radiused edge to match the current one essentially doubling the current height of the side pieces of the rack. I'll be mounting it so it hangs down 2" below the current height.

 

Almost lost my rack on the trail today! The RTT on it combined with the super bumpy and shaky trail broke the spring nuts loose from the feet. Pulled the tent, tightened it back up and called it good. I'm gonna weld it together before the next trip juuuuust in case. Now I just need to buy a welder and learn how to weld....

 

Got the solar panel on the rack today.




*temp wood block support

 

I dig it. I got mine all sorted out today. I changed the design again for the 4th time now. I need to paint it and its 100% done

 

Looks good man.

 

Final design sorted out and completely finished and mounted. I made it about 10" narrower than my initial design. Making it smaller cut down on some weight plus it didnt need to be the full width of the load bars. The only down side with this design is it sits above the load bars instead of the same height as them but its not a big deal.

100% happy with it.












Happy with how it turned out. And it makes no more wind noise than the Rhino Rack crossbars and fairing. Im pumped to get the lighting sorted out for it now. Then the new faring and awning brackets.

 

Anyone thought of running aluminum strut for this?

 

Mine are half and half, I had some extruded aluminum left over from some broken easels at my work and they had T slots already in them so they worked out perfectly for this application. I used the steel cross members for strength and more attachment points with the slots.

 

That makes sense I'm really liking this rack idea and I just saw some 14 gauge aluminum strut and was curious. I don't know if I'll be pushing my rack to the point that I need steel. I may just have to buy aluminum and give it a shot.

 

anyone make one of these for a regular cab?

 

or maybe im thinking it would be a really good idea to make one that extends from the cap up over the cab, but to leave maybe 3 or so inches of clearance for cab and bed flex? opinions?

 

I used 1x2 10 series t-slot extrusions from tnutz for my work-in-progress. I have 4 more pieces I'm going to run perpendicular to the crossbars. The steel wire grid is a temporary solution, but it works great. The t-slots are great for mounting just about anything.

 

i may be missing something(most likely) how are the racks attached to the roof? they appear to bolt into the fact holes

 

Yes on mine they are bolted into the factory rivenuts under the rubber molding on the roof. I'm not sure if the 1st gens had them though? I had to fab up risers out of pipe cut level on top to account for the slight angle of the roof line at the different points where the factory mounting points were located. I actually have a design for a front one to be made out of formed steel I just haven't made it yet. Only exists in cardboard form right now.

 

No factory holes for first gens. Dealer-installed Yakima tracks.

 

ah, thank you

 

where you guys getting fairings or what are you making it from?

 

My rack is attached the the load bars on my Rhino Rack similar to how 2beer's rack is.

My fairing is plexiglass. I made it years ago to fit the rack on my Volkswagon. It's 3/16" thick. The new one I'm making I'll be 1/8" thick.

The struts that mount the fairing are 1/4" x 1" aluminum flat stock. To attached the struts to the rack, in using a mix of Thule and hardware store parts.

 

I’ll have to find where some plexiglass can be had that big for cheap.