Do it yourself rack

Eric K

Observer
Has anyone tried making a roof rack using these bars? I just want something I can stand on for photos and possibly put a roof top tent on for a couple trips a year. Just curious how well they work, thoughts on attaching to an LR3 and any gotchas I should look out for?

 

Betarocker

Adventurer
My brother made a roof rack with those extrusion bars for his 4runner. Pretty bomber stuff, but it's dependent on the mounting brackets.
 

billiebob

Well-known member
Honestly the fastest, strongest, cheapest, most durable racks are built from welded tubular steel. Rectangular and square shapes are the easiest to work with and the easiest to secure things to.

Unless you find a manufactured rack that works, it is pretty hard to beat a mass produced product.
 

CampStewart

Observer
Never built a rack but have worked with similar material that was 1.5 inches square. I think by the time you get all the necessary fittings and hardware it will be very expensive. The extrusions themselves are very strong, the fittings not so much. I would recommend having the perimeter tig welded together
 

Eric K

Observer
Well that's a bummer, everyone is pretty much in agreement that the fittings are going to let me down. Any suggestions on a roof rack? I really don't plan on using it much, like I said, standing on it occasionally for photos and maybe a roof top tent for a couple tips a year. I'm sure the front runners, K9's, etc are great racks, but do I really need to spend a thousand bucks for occasional usage?
 
didn't want to start a new thread, but has anyone had experience with the specific product linked in #1 post?

seems black would be a nice alternative to 80-20 clear.
 

billiebob

Well-known member
Look at Thule and Yakima. I use the Landing Pads, Towers and Cross Bars. I bought it all over 20 years ago and it is on my third Wrangler. A fabulous system. And it come off or on in less than a minute.

DSC_0002.jpg
 

outback97

Adventurer

Huge thread on this subject, maybe there’s something in there that’d work for you.

I’m a fan of strut channel crossbars myself, you can bolt most anything to that stuff.
 

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