ERMB's D-I-Y Rack System Build

Gotcha. Funny they just tape them rather than use some kind of plug.

 

Are you going to make one

 

Yes, to permanently mount my solar panel.

 

Pics of final product once completed. I'm sure it's going to turn out way cleaner than mine.

 

Sweet. I want to do one for light bar and solar and maybe a Plano

 

Trying to get homemade brackets to bolt into the top and save the weather strips are a pain. Hard as piss to find a M6 bolt longer than 3" around here to lift the rack high enough that there is space between it and the cab. Finally got 3 brackets on each side in place but had to cut one of my weather strips to go around it. Gonna have to silicone around it good tomorrow. Going to drill side holes through the rack tomorrow to bolt it up and hit it with one more coat to cover up the scratches I made moving it around. Should have the rack up tomorrow then it's working on my side pieces to cover the mess. It's hard to do when you get home from work at 6:15 and it gets dark at 7:15 without a garage.

 

Driving around this morning with 6 random redneck mounts coming out of my roof! Where did you all find your aluminum side pieces for the design long enough. Every hardware store (Lowes, Home Improvement, Ace, etc.) doesn't have a piece cut long enough? Looks like I'm going to have to find a metal business to cut me some.

 

There's a site I found online where you can order length and width to suit your needs in steel or aluminum. I found it awhile back and was going to use them when I stumbled upon a local mom and pop hardware store that carried 6ft length aluminum sheet in different widths in stock. give me a few and I'll see if I can find the site again....

 

@Patch92 Does your rack sit all the down on your L brackets or did you use it to bolt the rack to?

 

If you can't find a local shop,
http://www.onlinemetals.com

 

Here's another

https://www.metalsdepot.com/products/alum2.phtml?page=sheet

 

I looked all of those places too with the same result. Tractor supply ended up having what I needed.

 

I always forget about tractor supply. I'll have to check them out

 

as in does the rack sit completely flush with the base of the brackets? no.
I tightened the brackets and spacers down, slid the rack onto the brackets, made it all even, and marked where i need to drill. then i removed it and drilled the holes. it does not sit flush with the base of the brackets. the bolts hold it in/on

 

Same with mine. Was just making sure that it'd still be stable enough bolting and not sitting flush

 

you should be good. it aint going to go anywhere. i can shake my truck around with it out the rack moving at all.

 

Picked up two pieces of aluminum 5' by 3 ", cut for me for $10 from a local shop here. If you are in Central Kentucky definitely look up Brown and Tribble in Richmond. Very friendly and realistic guys.

 

Waiting on the side fancy parts to dry. I'M definitely going to have to put a front on it. Has some wind noise.