ERMB's D-I-Y Rack System Build

My plunge so far. Copying the half cab rack style that ERMB has.

 

Sub'd.... these look pretty damn awesome!

 

I'm super happy with mine! If you make it out to the AOAA event in mid november, you can check it out.

 

Got mine cut and mock bolted up today. Need to hit up store again and get more cone nuts and bolts. Plus either t slot nuts or t bolts for the feet to mount to my track. Apparently Thule makes some that are pretty good but I should be able to find what I need locally. I cut mine 56 length and 48 width and running 5 cross bars with 3 mounting feet each side. Might be over kill but I can always adjust later. Also Thule makes some spacers like the ones you guys are running for the front cab racks that might be useful instead of cutting metal pipe?

 

What are you going to use these for? Looks like it has a specific purpose.

 

My solar panel will be up there. I don't have the masses of stuff that some of y'all have, so I didn't build the whole square or full roof. If I ever decide to put anything else up there it's easy enough to bolt on a front/back/middle brace.

 

Makes sense!! Looks really good.

 

If anyone else needs them they make these end caps for the strut.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/Superstrut-1-in-Universal-Strut-Bracket/50225781

 

Only issue is to my knowledge there are no factory rivnuts in The roof of an access cab. Just like the guys that do the prinsu and the frontrunners you'd have to drill and weatherproof the holes yourself.

 

Gotcha. I'm going to be mounting it to the crossbars of my Rhino Rack so I don't have to drill holes

 

Man I wish they made t slot nuts like the ones that fit in our bed rails for these Yakima tracks. They would be perfect to attach these unistrut mounting feet but all the ones I have seen are to deep.

 

Yeah I had to make my own out of spring nuts. It was a pain.

 

Update -












Starting to feel better about the design staring at it in the daylight.

One huge problem...with the way the Rhino Rack load bars sit on the rack, you have to assemble the whole rack then put it on the roof. Its a pain.

I have an easy idea to fix this, I just need to go to the hardware store and pick up a few things.

What size metal are you guys using for the "decorative" side pieces? I wondering if a 4" wide side piece will look to big an out of place....

Tomorrow, I should have the rack sorted out 100% and hopefully the mounts as well. Once the rack's done and mounted, I can move on to the next project - building a larger fairing with a 40" single row light bar.

 

I used 2.5" wide by 1/8" thick aluminum bar.

 

Same here. Someone used the 4 and cut the bottom to match the shape of the roof, similar to the prinsu. Looked pretty cool.

 

Cool cool. Thanks. I'm debating if a 4" side piece is gonna be too tall

 

Mock up some 4 in cardboard and test fit it?

 

He had the side pieces hanging down furthers the bottom was closer to the cab rather than in the middle. I think I posted his in post #2 with other members designs. I think he's near the end of the list.

 

Here it is @Patch92 made this one.