DIY prinsu style shell rack

Nice work BeachBoy! Definitely interested once you work out the design for over the cab.

 

What would that be cost wise?

 

I am also interested in the file. Would like to use that to design my bumpers i want to make.

 

turned out great man well done.

 

Thanks! I also got some stuff mounted to it. The cap rack should be on this weekend weather permitting.

 

Looks great!

 

Installed!







It was getting dark and it's black is we don't see the details much.

Learned a few things and seriously the mounting feet are quite long to install/align. In my case there was a significant difference in height between the middle and the front/back so whatever I design needs to be easily adjustable for height.

Also, I really need M6 carriage bolts because two of the drop ins fell.down and inserting then upside down was a PITA.

 

I forgot my tape measure on the roof.

 

My iges file is to scale and useable, so will be working hard on the cabrack sooon.

I just need to measure mounting holes distances as they are under the weather strip.

 

I’ve heard the holes can be off from truck to truck, so my suggestion would be widen or oval the holes for adjustability.

 

Mine were misaligned AF. The dealership had to cut out part of the backing plate that stuck out too far and then tap it again. I'll never take my rack off for fear of messing with it again lol

 

I have some different needs than most, and am looking for some information on how everything is mounted to the rails. I may go into details on some of my needs, but I really want to know more about the mounting.

It looks like the Smittybilt AM-6 Adjust-A-Mount is what is being used to mount your rack.

• Can you get some better pictures of how everything mounts up?
• Are there any measurements on how high up these sit?
• How are the mounts attaching to the rail?
  • When I looked on Amazon, it looked like the AM-6's were designed to be bolted to the roof, but here they are clearly being put into the cap rails.
• Has anyone looked at using Prinsu's mounting feet?
  • A set of 4 would only set you back $90, as opposed to Smittybilt's $120. I figure if we are trying to save money and not buy directly from Prinsu, saving money is one of the keys to this.

If anyone is interested in my needs (and if it wasn't me, I wouldn't be interested)...I want a rack like this that would fit between 2 Yakima/Thule cross bars, and it would sit lower than the cross bars. I plan on strapping an un-inflated whitewater raft to this, and when the raft isn't being carried, I would like to strap whitewater kayaks to the cross bars (traveling on their sides attached to kayak stackers, able to carry at least 6 boats). Since the kayaks have a curve to them, the flat rack between the cross bars would need to sit low enough so that the boats can sit below the bars while traveling.

 

The prinsu feet are 30 each, and 4x30=120 so they are the same price but less, that also doesn’t include shipping.

 

Yea...I see where it says "Mounting feet are sold per each and include (1) mounting foot..."

It doesn't help that my math was flawed with the $90 either. Math is hard on a Friday.

Still interested in the Prinsu feet. In pictures they look like they are made of beefier metal, but a picture is not always representative of the actual product.

 

The Prinsu feet is 4 x $30 = $120 plus shipping

The SmittyBilt feet is 6 for $120 so you get an additional pair of feet. Or there is a 4 pack version for $90 (I think)

I like the SmittyBilt because it manages the angle of the attached cap roof rack better than the Prinsu feet ( from what I’ve read on TW.)

 

The prinsu feet has many issues. Three that are major:
When the rails are not level left to right, then one of thettop two sections that attaches to the bars is VERY far from the bar, I've seen pictures here with over 1/2" gap and more.

The feet don't compensate at all for front to back slopee (likel at the ends of the cap), this is less of an issue as it's on the narrow side of the brackets.

If your rails are quite far apart (like mine at 44" for 47" bars) then half of the feet cannot be used at it sits in the air outside of the rails, you then need to cut them and it makes the feet quite flimsy IMO.

The smittybilt are not perfect, you need extra mounting hardware, to attach to the bar:
M6 carriage bolts (1/4 doesn't fit)
M6 nuts
Lock washers
Flat large washers.
The other option is to use drop in the nuts (like I did) and 1/4-20 x 1/2" bolts and no nut.

To mount on the rail:
1/4-20 x 1/2 bolts x 4 per feet
Large washers x 4 per feet
Lock washer x 4 per feet
2 slide in plates for your rails.

In my case the plates were 1/4-20 and slide into the thule tracks.

I'll take pictures in a few minutes.

I'm interested in your Project/needs.

 

I got pricing for black powder coat and it's much cheaper than expexted... So I don't expect to charge much more for black!

 

Pics of the smittybilt and rack

 

Pm if you can share the 3d model

 

Just got my rack finished up. Basically the same as the OPs, but I am happy with it. I probably should have gone a bit higher with my mounts (used 1 1/4" square steel) because it isn't taller than the shark fin antenna. The awning fits nicely on it though.