Roof Rack Build

[brad72]

Since my camper trailer build is some time away I decided to build an aluminium roof rack for my D4. I have been frustrated with our last few camping trips with the amount of stuff we are trying to fit in the boot so this seems a perfect solution getting the chairs, sleeping bags, tent, table, en-suite etc on the roof

I have gone for a rack 2100 x 1200 x 50 (H). The materials are 50x25x3 for the front and side rails and 4 cross braces, with diamond grille for the floor of the rack and 100x6mm flat for the 4 legs. Weight wise it should a tad under 23Kg.

I am using AC pulse TIG to weld her up and still haven't decided whether to get it powder coated or just use epoxy spray paint.

Anyway, i managed to get the material cut this-morning and have made a start on the fabrication. Wish I had a cold saw to make the cutting faster but an angle grinder, set squares and aluminium cutoff disc does the job.

Heres a couple of picks showing the bar jigged up for welding and this mornings progress.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6282/dscn3478de.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2283/dscn3482q.jpg

[brad72]

Well it's been a while since I have touched this project but I managed to get the bulk of the rack finshed today.

I ended up adding more cross braces that orginally planned but now I am able too walk on the rack without any flex of the mesh. The mesh is fully welded around the perimeter so no matter where a tie down is added the mesh will not bend.

All up the rack weighs 20.5 Kg so I'm very happy. This means when mounted to the D4's roof I can still carry 50kg which will be more than enough for the bulky camping gear.

Next is to fabricate the roof mounts, make a ladder and a low profile table, about 1500 x 900mm that will both slide under the rack. then I'll add some led side and rear lights (i make led mountain bike lights as a hobby so these will be bright) . Once all that is done everything will go off to the powder coaters for a nice coat of gloss black.

Here's a couple more snaps of todays progress.

http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/4099/img0528t.jpg

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/5012/img0526ib.jpg

[Basil135]

Looking good.

Cant wait to see some more progress pics

[brad72]

Looking good.

Cant wait to see some more progress pics

Thanks mate. Hopefully I'm going to get some more made this week so I'll post some pics then. At present I'm just deciding on the mount design since I don't have any roof rails.

It's always satisfying getting the tig welds in alloy looking pretty. I usually weld stainless so it it aways takes a bit to get the tig settings back to right place. I made a note of the settings this time so when someone fiddles I can pt them back quickly and save some time.

Brad

[NavyDiver]

Thanks mate. Hopefully I'm going to get some more made this week so I'll post some pics then. At present I'm just deciding on the mount design since I don't have any roof rails.

It's always satisfying getting the tig welds in alloy looking pretty. I usually weld stainless so it it aways takes a bit to get the tig settings back to right place. I made a note of the settings this time so when someone fiddles I can pt them back quickly and save some time.

Brad

landrover (d3) roof track came off mine when my roof rack was installed- your welcome to it for free if it would help. pm me if you want them. Like to see this finnished! looks great.

[brad72]

Reading some of the other furum threads regarding roof rack vibration I think I'll hold off on the $150 for powder coating till I have done some highway trials to ensure everything is ok. Much easier to cut and modify before the coating is on.

It seems that some of the racks with east/west running rails can suffer from harmonic noise but hopefully the diamond mesh will add enough strength to stop this. Others with this style of rack (without the mesh) found that if they bolted a couple of strips of flat to the underside of the rails that the harmonic vibrations stopped.

I'll have to see if my wife lets me do some more work on it over the weekend. I am the boss but I know what's best for me also:D

[brad72]

Thanks to Weakestlink for the factory roof rails which i got fitted on the weekend. Had to cut down the gutter cover but that was just a hack saw job.

I got the rack temporarily mounted to the roof to work out the lengths of the mounting brackets. I hadn't realised just how curved the D4 roof is until something straight was up there.

I started trying to fabricate 1 piece alloy mounts but there are too many angles to successfully bend them so I am going to make some 2 piece height adjustable stainless brackets. These will be easy to make.

Anyway here is the rack sitting on the temporary mounts. Man the D4 is a great looking vehicle.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[loanrangie]

Nice work, close to finishing it off.

[NavyDiver]

You might dazzel a few of us when we take a look at this flash rig as you drive past in bright sunshine Brad. :D

If you put a big long thin LED light on the front we may look like twins with you in sliver me in black mate. Only diferance apart from colour is you get the credit for doing this all yourself were as I just made my wallet a lot lighter