02-wht-sc

Hey everyone! So I'm going to build a roof rack over my New Years break and wanted some input. I want it to be a little different, but simple. I was thinking 1/8" x 1" flat stock for the mounting assembly and 1" square tubing for the base. Then possibly triangle or octagonal stock for the top rail to add a little style. It'll sit pretty low and I'm working on doing some sketches right now. Any tips or ideas to make this project go a little faster or suit my truck better?

02-wht-sc

Here's the sketch for my square rack, not to scale. I apologize for the crappy drawing it's just a sketch anyways.

Red-Ford

I'm no structural expert, but what kind of loads are you going to put on it? As much as you can? An ice chest when the bed it full? Just some offroad lights and a tire?

02-wht-sc

Probably just my lightbar, maybe a couple more lights. Probably not a tire. My axe on the side. A small cooler when I go camping. Nothing too huge I suppose

02-wht-sc

Here's a side view possibility. It'll sit pretty low I hope. Not much taller than 5-6 inches high so that I can still get in the parking garage when I go downtown. It's tight as it is!

02-wht-sc

Might look like this when done?

redknight1

lights are always good

Tackle

Make it heavy enough for roughly a 200 pound goat. You never know when you'll need to put one up there, best be ready.

02-wht-sc

This is pretty close to scale, I traced the lightbar and this is roughly about how tall I want it. Should be pretty Saturday and with my welding I know it'll be strong. First picture

How I'll be mounting it to my roof. Second picture

Still unsure about whether or not I want to build a square frame underneath my roof to support it from four sides or not. Third picture.

02-wht-sc

It should be a couple inches wider than my lightbar, maybe just extending past my weather channels on the roof. Using my existing holes from the front and probably four holes in the back. Grade 8 bolts and nylock nuts with some lictors just to make triple sure it's not going anywhere. And I'll probably get a weatherproof fitting to run my power to the lightbar from my cab through my firewall instead of how it's ran now.