My CAD file for a custom ARE MX rack

Here's my ARE MX "Prinsuesque" RtooDtoo rack I built. - I designed it to fit in a low profile on top of my ARE MX shell- 47” wide with three Tbars just like the Prinsu and 36” long to fit the top of my shell on the Yakima tracks. I would have gone with a real Prinsu, but they don’t make a rack that would fit on the smaller top area of a MX shell, besides it was a great learning experience as my first CAD to lasercut project. The extra holes are for mounting an ARB awning to it.

The cost of the 2 sides from emachineshop cost $153, and the 47" t-bars cost $22 each from T-Nutz.com (total cost including the two sides and three T-bars and shipping was less than $250). The ZIP file at the bottom of this post is a proprietary .ems CAD file I used from emachineshop.com's free downloadable CAD program, you can use or/and edit this file to your taste and then upload it to their service for cutting.



Shown above with my ARB awning and a generic aluminum cargo basket attached to the rack.

As mounted on my Yakima tracks using generic bolts and hardware from local store (I will post closeups and parts list soon).


Shown below as received from emachineshop.com. I used self-etching primer and bedliner spray to finish it, but you can order it powder coated from the shop also.



Below is a zip file containing the .ems CAD file I created. You are free to use the file and to make your own rack with it for personal use, provided that you do not sell the design as it is copyrighted by me and probably also by Mickey Mouse...

 

Very cool.

 

Love the R2D2, @OnHartung'sRoad!

 

This is super cool. Solid work!

 

Very very cool! Even nicer of you to share the file for free!

 

Nice. I’ve actually been looking for a way to build my own rack. This will help tremendously!! Thank you!

 

There’s also a guy who posted a DIY rack here somewhere that he hand cut and drilled - it was nice work as he was very meticulous and precise. I don’t have the link but will try to find it. My rack was really easy to make and customize, and the cost was not bad compared with the cost of hand making one.

If anyone does make one from this project, please post about it here!

 

What were the options you used for the T-bars on T-nutz.com? Looking modify the .ems for a long bed ARE MX here pretty soon.

 

I used the same ones and lengths they sell for the Prinsu rack, and I measured the holes to fit the same way. You may want to change the spacing between the bars on your CAD file, but you can “join-select” a pair of holes, copy and paste as many more as you want for each bar, and move them as as a set the way you need for each of the bars.

 

Thanks, found the right ones. I'll post pics when I can get this ball completely rolling

 

I wanted to make the Rebel Alliance logo on mine or a Stormtrooper face, but R2 was easier. Can’t wait to see your logo concept if you design something new!

 

Here's where I'm at with the edit for a long bed. Matched the nose with the front slope of the shell and had it end a little before the rear just in case a awning is placed on the back. I'm still trying to figure out a good mounting method for the T-strut extrusions to the Yakima C-channel. I'm also planning on having the extrusions be 44" to hug the shell a little bit closer. Also gave the logo a change.

 

Looks great! Will post a closeup of my DIY from the hardware store Yakima mounts.

 

Would definitely like to see how you went about mounting it considering there's a lot of different ways of doing it. I was thinking about using stainless angle brackets to hold the extrusions directly to the c-channels on the shell.

 

End up going through with the entire order and build? Would love to see how you did it/how it turned out. Any chance you still have that cad file laying around somewhere?