Thread: Roof Rack plans

Hi Guys

I am planning a big roof rack that I am going to attempt to build with the assistance of a boiler maker mate.

I am looking to carry a fair bit of stuff but also thinking about a clam shell style tent with an ally Lid/roof. That way we can leave the bed made up and all that.
the clam Shell is stage 2 though.

Stage one is to follow the roof line similar to the TJM rack. I am thinking I will use amplimesh for the floor of the rack with 3 or 4 cross braces for strength. The mounting process to where I am stretching things by mounting it from the rear bumper that will extend to the wheel arch after cutting the rear panel. so this mount will be a ladder both sides of the car as close to the corner as possible. I was then thinking about a brush bar from the ladder acros the top of the rear guard and down to the rock sliders. possibly a second support going up from this brush bar to support the rack just behind the back door.

Similar to this at the front I was going to go from the Brush bar over the front guards that turn into the sliders with a support following the A pillar closley as to not restrict diver vision up to roof rack. So I would have 6 Support point all up without any weight on the roof of the truck with solid ladders to load the rack. I am thinking the Rack it self should be alloy to save weight but the supports might need to be steel to save on coin. would be nice to do the whole thing in Alloy but that would be crazy cost.

Do you think in NSW I will need to get this engineered? would they class it as a roll cage?

This is a big job and will take a long time to do in the not much spare time that I have but it is good to get the ideas flowing.

cheers

Matt

Check out the D2 Full external roll cage on Devon 4x4 or similar for ideas. They have mounting points in similar locations to what your talking about.