Build Thread: Roof Rack For a JK Wrangler

[Lim@]

cool cheers. so if you look at it now, is the angle between the verticals and the top horizontal piece what you would do if you were to do it again? i would like to do similar but with a mbrp style internal support so i would like the vertical to be as close to the side of the fibreglass as possible.

[Thommoed]

Hi guys
I have also custom made a roof rack for my jku.
I originally made a style which is similar to this one, but I found the brackets under the hardtop made it squeak- a lot. Have you noticed this at all? A quick fix is grease, works wonders.

I have changed it all now. I have built a frame that sits on the inside of the hardtop and bolts to the rear tub from the rear to the front the result was pretty good but it took some doing to get the countours right. Then the rack sits over the top, bolting through the hard top to the frame. It also has a awning mount and a roof basket too. The frame on the inside doubles as a place to mount things too like my shovel and fire extinguisher.

Made it from aircraft grade alloy hollow tubing and alloy flat bar for the rack, the frame is made from square alloy stock approx 20x20.

Rubber bushing between the top and contacting metal items stops the squeaks and leaks. I used 316 stainless steel 8mm Allen cap head bolts, ad spring,flat washers and nuts to secure.

The result is pretty strong, it holds my weight easily as I walk around up top.

Would like to add a ladder at some point but not high on the list now.

Cheers

[Lim@]

sounds good. but useless w/o pics! alloy would be nice. definitely be a lot harder to do as i then couldnt weld it myself. plus would probably cost way more for the tube to be bent, but would love to see what you did.

maybe in your own thread though so it doesnt annoy the OP

Originally Posted by Thommoed

Hi guys
I have also custom made a roof rack for my jku.
I originally made a style which is similar to this one, but I found the brackets under the hardtop made it squeak- a lot. Have you noticed this at all? A quick fix is grease, works wonders.

I have changed it all now. I have built a frame that sits on the inside of the hardtop and bolts to the rear tub from the rear to the front the result was pretty good but it took some doing to get the countours right. Then the rack sits over the top, bolting through the hard top to the frame. It also has a awning mount and a roof basket too. The frame on the inside doubles as a place to mount things too like my shovel and fire extinguisher.

Made it from aircraft grade alloy hollow tubing and alloy flat bar for the rack, the frame is made from square alloy stock approx 20x20.

Rubber bushing between the top and contacting metal items stops the squeaks and leaks. I used 316 stainless steel 8mm Allen cap head bolts, ad spring,flat washers and nuts to secure.

The result is pretty strong, it holds my weight easily as I walk around up top.

Would like to add a ladder at some point but not high on the list now.

Cheers

[S.Bartfast]

Originally Posted by Lim@

Looks really good mate. I know I said I was going to make one not long ago but I think I'll start in about a month. Is it possible for you to repost that first measurement sketch you had but with the shorter lengths to keep it close to the roof like you did.

Here is a diagram of the "rear hoop" with the shorter legs:


And here's the "front hoop" with the shorter legs:

(I also rounded the lengths to the nearest 5mm)

Note that shortening the legs causes the length of the gap between the two 'curls' at the bottom of the 'hoop' to reduce from 1580mm to 1565mm. Clearly the Jeep is still 1580mm wide so this meant the final curl at the bottom of the "hoop" had to be cut short, i.e. the curl doesn't quite make it all the way round to horizontal but rather is cut off while it is still pointing 'down' a little. Do you follow what I mean? This has actually ended up being a good thing as the legs kind of stuck out the sides a little more than was necisary and lobbing off that last curl before it made it to horizontal helped bring the 'wings' in a little.

Originally Posted by Lim@

so if you look at it now, is the angle between the verticals and the top horizontal piece what you would do if you were to do it again?

Those sides are really pretty hard to get right. As they stand I'm pleased enough with them:




If you were being picky you could say the front hoop pokes out more than is necisary at the bottom.
It also gets a little uncomfortably close at the top, particularly on the left-hand side, but you really have to be looking for faults to notice it:


If I were to do it again, yeah I would probably use the same plans (well the 50mm shorter plans). You're never going to be able to get that bend perfect from plans anyhow, but you can always do a little 'backyard finenessing' to get it perfect it you feel the inclination

[jeep for sale]

Great work wish I had skills like this!