DIY Aluminium Roof Rack NO WELDING Ford Transit Conversion
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Ford Transit Van Build Australia | Vanlife Australia Episode 2
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This is the second build episode of the series where I build a CUSTOM ALUMINIUM ROOF RACK for the van for under $300. The greatest part about this is that it requires NO WELDING . I Still may decide to weld it together later as I do have access to a welder but from a proof of concept point of view it performs really well just pop riveted together.
Ford transit van build episode 1 ► • FLOOR INSULATION (and ...
Chile Van Build ► • Vanlife South America
NZ Van Tour here ► • VAN TOUR | DIY Stunnin...
Aluminum Cut list
Side rails mounted to the roof:
40mm x 40mm x 3mm square (3250m long) 2 pieces
Frame side members:
50mm x 25mm x 3mm (3250mm long) 2 pieces
Frame cross members:
32mm x 32mm x 3mm (1625mm) 8 pieces
90 Degree brackets to join framework together:
40mm x 40mm x 3mm (cut into 32mm wide pieces) 28 total
90 Degree brackets to attach roof rack to frame side members:
32mm x 50mm x 1.6mm (cut into 40mm wide pieces to) 16 total
PARTS USED
Here is the list of parts and items we have used on the van build is this episode and thus far. Some are affiliate links from amazon and others are where I could find it cheaper on other web sites such as Ebay. These are affiliate links for which I may be compensated if you purchase from the link.
THIS BUILD EPISODE
12v Exhaust Vent and fan amzn.to/3JJ7QsY
Hard plastic shims: tinyurl.com/y5...
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FROM THE REST OF THE BUILD
Electrical
Circuit breaker amzn.to/3ah2iWz
2000w Pure Sine Wave inverter amzn.to/2P231Dr
DCDC 50amp charger amzn.to/3vS6B3x
Battery Monitor amzn.to/3cbsfrR
Circuit breaker amzn.to/3ah2iWz
Double Pole GPO outlet ebay.us/PsH4Jf
12v Switch Panel amzn.to/31r1z3M
Isolator switch amzn.to/3v01Vr9
70 Amp Fuse amzn.to/32TOLnb
135Ah Lithium Battery ebay.us/jPiXow
Blade fuse box amzn.to/3xgz1Fo
Wire connector kit amzn.to/3EYDnU9
100m wire roll 12AWG ebay.us/VOijcB
Split loom wire protector amzn.to/3nUtbal
30Amp relay amzn.to/3tHIlQ8
In line fuse holder amzn.to/3syyISC
12v LED downlights amzn.to/3lH7NCh
Dc-Dc 12v To 5v convertor amzn.to/3yOtxRB
12v USB charging port amzn.to/3G0sQsR
Solar Setup
100w solar panel ebay.us/N3rl0G
Large panel solar panels ebay.us/sWUKuw
Solar Cable Entry Housing Mount amzn.to/2QrvliZ
Solar Inline fuse amzn.to/2SZB15t
Solar Cable Extension amzn.to/3gZFPQj
Water System
85L Freshwater tank bit.ly/3locE9W
43L Grey water tank ebay.us/BgNneX
Water filler port amzn.to/2Q29jDz
12V water pump amzn.to/3lDV0Rd
Gas hot water heater ebay.us/XbUpHq
Water level gauge ebay.us/2QFPmN
Toilet ebay.us/eeG6wD
Kitchen Unit
65L Fridge ebay.us/gPZTbs
3 Burner Stove and Oven ebay.us/mk1Xnb
Kitchen Drawer slides amzn.to/2RkdOJW
Draw Handles amzn.to/2QOPTT9
Kitchen Mixer Tap amzn.to/3zwxnPR
Sink amzn.to/3ePVKQ2
Insulation
Foil Board Insulation tinyurl.com/28...
Sound Deadener ebay.us/FJxrxG
Polyester Insulation tinyurl.com/yb...
Windows
Pop out window www.tinyurl.co...
Sliding window www.tinyurl.co...
Handy Tools
Rivnut Set amzn.to/3u92wqy
Contour Gauge amzn.to/3eaIbvj
Gas Soldering Iron amzn.to/2PGQkOK
Kreg Pocket hole jig amzn.to/3xUEcKA
Stainless Wire Brush ebay.us/UGNEg3
Brazing Rods ebay.us/rTSkSD
Mapp Gas Torch amzn.to/3xHEKDi
Silicone Finishing Gauges amzn.to/3sC8U9N
Sausage Gun amzn.to/2XAG9z5
Notched Trowel amzn.to/3nWgvja
Ventilation
Sirroco II fan amzn.to/3nIZt7r
Roof Top Deck
Led light bar ebay.us/fKrS9Z
Tie Down D rings amzn.to/3nFHy1q
End caps amzn.to/3wNTEYk
Here's a helpful tip. On the late model Transits (mine is a 2020) the height of your cross bars need to be a minimum of 60mm above the factory threaded roof inserts in order to clear the arch in the middle of the roof.
The inserts are M8 and you don't have to rip the whole waterproof plug out, you can just drill a small hole to let the m8 bolt through and then waterproof around the bolt depending on what fastening system you are using.
I work in the solar industry so I used solar panel alloy L brackets with a rubber pad on the bottom to prevent galvanic corrosion and the sikaflexed around that for added water tightness. Thanks
I found on mine the threaded insert didn't even line up with the rubber grommet. I ended up having to cut some of the roof out just to get the bolt in. Maybe that fixed that issue on the 2020 models
I'm looking to follow this approach on a 2015 jumbo sized transit. So are you suggesting to use an angle bracket instead of a plastic packer to elevate the cross member's above the roof crown ? If so I can't see why it wouldn't work ok and I wonder if you could dispense with the lengthwise rails alltogether and just have independent cross rails , what do you think ?
Another way would be to just have lengthwise rails and use a full span framed.solar panel with the panel aluminium frame attached directly to tje rails. The panel is strong enough on its own to act as a cross member.
Maybe you could just run horizontal bars and not have nose to tail ones too. In my case I wanted to be able to store more than just a solar panel on the roof so I built a whole custom roof rack.
The L brackets I used were similar to these:
m.alibaba.com/pla_detail.html?mark=google_shopping&biz=pla_wap&keyword=Solar+Bracket+L+Foot&product_id=62582515523&cid=100799&pcate=100799&language=en&pcy=au&device_type=wap&channelType=google¤cy=AUD&src=sem_ggl&from=sem_ggl&cmpgn=12128601587&adgrp=123632326544&fditm=&tgt=pla-298190246337&locintrst=&locphyscl=9071418&mtchtyp=&ntwrk=u&device=m&dvcmdl=&creative=493050466796&plcmnt=&plcmntcat=&p1=&p2=&aceid=&position=&localKeyword=&pla_prdid=62582515523&pla_country=AU&pla_lang=en&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpreJBhDvARIsAF1_BU0GRviudHleMRqmmdc7z6PrBa9i6Y4rRcna8QeieYR79bl4dmpJxZMaAvdtEALw_wcB
@@zackmack4712 Thanks Zack
Well done! One tip. Use a thread lock glue like Loctite. Comes in different tensile strengths. Those M8 bolts will never come loose! 😊
Great point!
I love the music blasting
You are super thrifty and talented! It’s real nice to have some Australian van builds to watch while converting my transit! Thanks for all the tips!!!
Thanks so much! 😊 Yes i thought it would be great to get some more Australian builders on YT to help the other fellow aussie builders!
The way you you use a big hole at the top and a smaller hole at the bottom is an ideal way to bolt two frames together like bed frames and slats using bolt and nut. Excellent ✅
Hey mate, love the video. Literally exactly what I had in mind for my mates van roof rack. The rubber and window blocks for the mounts are a wicked idea !!!
Also just an idea man,
for the end of ya square tubing, where it’s open and you can see down the square tube. Go to the bunnings metal fencing isle and they have plastic fence capping (little square/rectangle black plastic plugs) that will fit perfect into the square tubing
And also electrical isle at bunnings have blank cap grommets for the holes ya made with step drill bit to get socket into to do up bolt ! To stop it filling up with water!
Subscribed & liked mate, wicked video
Yes i did actually put those plug on in anther video, you can see them that here ua-cam.com/video/pyBfaQYczW8/v-deo.html they work and look mint, also now that the rack is painted black.
I have had some experience with pop rivets. I strongly suggest you take them to a buddy that can weld aluminum. Eventually, with use and some flexing and rough road, those will loosen and wear in a bit.
Yes i probably will in the end. This was really a proof of concept and i'm really happy that is turned out well. The same method could also be replaced with riv-nuts which would negate the need to be welded. Pop riveting it together really allowed me to build the whole thing in my yard then it will be. much quicker and simpler process when i want to weld it up as its already constructed.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Yacht masts typically use pop rivets for attaching fittings however we use monel or stainless steel rivets not aluminium, they are pricey but very strong and they wont corrode or work loose. If you use an appropriate size and number for the expected load then the joint will maintain its integrity forever. Rivets allow some degree of flex in a joint which can sometimes be an advantage, aeroplanes are full of them :-) .
@@SALTYVANVENTURES You could just "braze" the joints to complement the riveting. Plenty strong enough. Check this out: ua-cam.com/video/fKIKsDfRAcs/v-deo.html
you mean like this? ua-cam.com/video/XxKxdj4gZPk/v-deo.html
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Ah, so that's what you mean by "welding". I thought you were gonna whip out a tig machine or something. Yep, anyone worried about the rivets not being strong enough can just run a bead of that solder along the seams. Your deck planks are holding everything together so I doubt it's necessary in your case.
This video together with the description is so useful and has so much value. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome idea using an angled piece of aluminum for brackets. Great work around for welding. Definitely going to try this myself. Nice job man
Glad to help!
@@SALTYVANVENTURES hi, are you located in sydney?
Great idea for Truck bed topper
I’m definitely going to try this also! Thanks heaps!
Well done job! Out of all the videos we've watched on building our own roof rack yours has been the best. tysm for the video!
Wow, thanks! its always awesome to get feedback like this! Glad you got some use out of it
Good job bro, looks like you checked the box on a lot of items. Easy to do, inexpensive material, and professional finish.
Thank you, glad you got some use out of it. I will eventually create a part 2 to this video when I manufacture the ladder and install the solar panels and rooftop decking
So good mate! Nice to see a quality van build content from Australia.
Thanks mate, there is more to come!
Beautifully done. Will certainly be going in the same direction
Please do!
Very nice and well maid, I will make it in the same style for my truck. Thanks for the tutorial video!!!
Hope yours turns out well too!
@@SALTYVANVENTURES I did it two weeks ago, all with Pop rivets, but I also welded it because I’m a carpenter and it’s going to get lots supplies abuse.
Very cool. I was a little skeptical of the pop rivets at first, but the beauty of your design is that by securing the 2 rails to the roof you've taken just about all of the load off of the rivets. I have a 07 econoline and since the body has been discontinued, I am having some trouble finding roof rack options. I may go this route. Thanks for the ideas!
hope it works out for you!
On your video everything looks so easy like you have done it 100s of time. 👍
Brilliant! This was exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you for this excellent video, I was going to buy a roof rack but after seeing this video I will be making one as well. Keep up the good work.
Glad it was helpful!
Did a aluminium shop the other day and was quite surprised how cheap it was.. kinda thought maybe I can make a roof rack for my Transit? UA-cam'd "make your own roof rack for Ford Transit" and bam! Super inspirational definitely doing this up.. thanks man!
That is awesome! Hope yours turns out great too!
Building a roof rack on my ford transit tomorrow and you resolved the curvature issue for me - thank you!!
Glad I could be of assistance! I will create another video shortly of installing the deck and solar panels too if it will help you out.
Top job! Lite, strong, cheap. And very big!!
The only difference I'll be adding when I do my Coaster roof rack is, instead of pop rivets, which do eventually corrode, I'm intending to use stainless self tapping screws to hold everything together. This also helps if anything needs disassembly at some later time, for further innovations and/or fit-outs.
Very inspiring. Thanks again for sharing, Mate.
Thanks! I wouldn't say the rivets will corrode. Aluminium will oxide but not to any detrimental condition. But they are not as strong as stainless rivets. Having said that if use stainless and aluminium together you will get galvanic corrosion and the aluminium will start to corrode.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES I've seen old aluminium ladders with the pop rivets falling out because of corrosion. So it can happen. Simple to replace though.
That looks awesome, thanks for sharing! We really liked how you explained each step 😊 we’re thinking about doing something similar for our promaster build!!! 😁
Your very welcome. Yes you will save quite a bit from not buying a commercial version!
I have a Doblo, looking to make some think like this, very low roof rack, reason, to put some king of sound insulation on roof, to stop most of the rain noise, I know it sounds silly, but, make frame, fill with expending foam, trim off when set, cover with some kind of water proof (ish) covering, then screw/bolt on roof, money is really tight, I have to make sure there is a gap between roof and rack, I have turned it into a camper van type veh, I hate the sound of rain on roof,
Hey Mate, Love your work! We are wanting to make a double-decker roof rack, level one for surfboards, and +- 20cm above that a second layer with a solar panel. Would you have any suggestions on how to joint/go up to the second level with the aluminum structure? Cheers
Glad you’re reunited again! Curious, how the noise of wind the roof rake makes while driving? Great videos, very informative, we,d love to do a van conversion one day.
Thank you. The noise is really non existent. I've taken it full steam on the highway and barely noticed any difference.
G’day. I just saw your build and as a fitter and turner that I am I must say you have done a bloody great job. Do be careful loading up any rivets running horizontally, there’s only so much load they can take, if you already have do keep an eye on them please. Safe travels buddy don’t over do the payload on any builds you do. Stay safe and live happy. Cheers from Mario.
Thanks mate, appreciate it. Yeah I made sure to engineer it so that there are no vertical loads on the pop rivets as the cross members rest on the side members. I will still endeavor to check the condition of the rivets over time for any play.
Looks really good! Thank you for including the price - I was wondering about that.
Happy to help!
Mate you have some awesome skills, great job
Thank you very much!
Nice build well done for going for it and making it yourself.
Thank you! Cheers!
I am a new follower of your channel Greetings from Türkiye 😊
Welcome!!
Nicely done. This will serve as a great stating point. Thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful!
Amazing job, looks so good
Thank you! Cheers!
well done mate...cheers!!!!!
Thanks 👍
I'd love to get more info about the vent installation process, as well as the brand.
Hi i bought a TRA 12 VOLT CARAVAN RV ROOF HATCH which has been amazing so far. Bought it on Ebay.
Great info. Cheers 🍻
Glad it was helpful!
Best quick and easy design yet. Thanks for the video.
Glad you like it! Your welcome
I know it’s been a while, but I wonder if you had to do something in the middle line to support the weight, as the cross bars are only attached to the sides, thanks.
As a fabricator welder I would advise that if its strong enough as it is i would not weld it it will pull and twist and warp in all directions with the heat required.
So I made my previous comment before I had watched the whole video. First of all great job! You will not need to weld this. I would not even weld a broken section I would simply drill out any rivets (with the same size drill as originally used) holding in the broken section and replace the necessary parts. Then redo any rivets.
Thanks for sharing! Nice vid and useful, thorough description. I'm gonna do the same but I might cut out some triangles for corner and joint bracing and rivet them on too, for added peace of mind.
Thank you! Its been over a year now and we are still very happy with the result!
Clever stuff - well done! 👍👏
Thank you! Cheers!
Nice Job. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
What about height issues for bridges etc.
Its already a super high van but there are no bridges with low clearance that are that low I'm pretty sure. And if there were the stock standard van would have trouble. I have only added about 15cm of height to the roof so very minor. The only problem we have is with underground car parks. But we would have never fit regardless of the additional height added.
I’m dropping my van around to you ASAP!
What time is good for you🤣
haha i may be available soon!
Very good video.
Cheers
We’ve just bought a FT 2016 410L bus, it’s got a wheelchair lift and one passenger seat in the back which will be removed next week. I’m not too sure if there’s airbags all along the sides of the cargo section as it would have been intended as a 12 seater bus originally. There’s a badge above both front seats indicating airbags above the doors so am worried we can’t put in an extended storage shelf which I’ve seen in many conversations. Any words of advise are welcome. For now we will play around with plans and do some weekend test runs with removable gear, mattresses, esky, gasmate etc
This is rad! Great work
Thank you! Cheers!
Great job mate love the no weld aspect of it means anyone can make it cheers
Yes thats the idea! i think it has helped a lot of people with no welders!
Thanks for posting a very informative video!
Glad it was helpful!
The way u held that rivet gun i suspect youve clamped fingers before
Great, helpful video thanks :) Can I ask, how much you cut off the shim? Im trying to work out the correct angle. Thank you
I wouldn’t be able to tell you the exact amount as I just measured it up there. If you put two shins on either side on the roof and then lay a flat bar across the two, you will see the gap, this is the inverse of what you need to cut off.
Great job! Just add more rivets and it will be just fine. IMO
Looking good mate. Keep it up 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Haha that's it! Thank you!
Thanks for the support!
Love your work! 💪🏻 Copying this! Thanks for posting 😎
Awesome! Thank you!
stay tuned shortly where ill be posting a video for the roof top side access ladder i have just recently built too.
Awesome! Going to make my own soon as well but extendable so I can have extra solar panels :)
Interesting. Where you you make
It extendable? Front or sides?
This is so awesome! I've been trying to figure out a solid solar option for my truck camper. How big is your rack overall? How have the rivets held up over time? Great work and and thanks for sharing mate!
Thanks! from memory i think the rack is 3.3m long and 1.6m wide. Rivets are holding up perfect, no issues at all.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Sweet thanks. Cheers!
I am SO glad I found this video! I just scored a 2018 Transit 250 medium roof with 34,600 miles that is crazy clean. We have a like teardrop 6x8 camper we will continue to tow as our very very comfy bedroom. We will not be going full-time in a van - we have a lovely home here in southern Indiana - but long camping filming trips are fun - especially to Utah and Colorado. I am going to add a MaxxAir fan and and a MaxxAir passive vent to the Transit. I did the same to our fiberglass Runaway Camper. I want to make a standing platform out of heavy duty wire pallet wire sections. I saw a fellow make a nice photography platform that way. I think this rack would work for this? Thoughts? Also, I have not yet begun the build or the extensive van-build series for my channel, but will in September - any regrets to anything you did to the Transit? Or tips to make something better that you show in the videos. Thanks.
Hi there! Are you thinking bout attaching the wire pallet over the top of some roof racks for a platform for standing on the roof? I'm not sure how heavy duty they are but weight might become a concern. Make something out of aluminium if possible, as also it won't rust! I'd say the pallets may or may not be painted which may chip from standing on it over time rusting and the dripping rusty water on the van, staining the paint.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES I am now going with the heavy duty, but fairly light, plastic pallets. They will be in between the MaxxAir Fan in the front and the MaxxAir passive vent in the back - so the platform will not span the entire roof. The area would be the roof width east/west and about 42-45 inches north/south. So no metal to flake off. The metal and plastic panels have rather heavy weight bearing limits.
So much i could learn. . . But he's so easy on the eyes
Very cool! Might have to do something similar on our build :)
You should! Would save you tonne of cash
@@SALTYVANVENTURES where did you get your aluminium from?
Looks great. Thanks. A few questions, please…
1) I looked up “plastic window shims” on Amazon and couldn’t find anything that looked like what you used as the bases for the roof racks. Can you think of another search term I could use to find those?
2) Did you cit the L angle brackets out of a long piece of L angle material? Or did you buy them as individual pieces of L angles?
3) Are the pop rivets aluminum, steel, or stainless steel?
4) Has the rack and the ladder held up?
5) Is the paint still adhering to the metal?
Thanks.🤙🏼
Try searching Plastic SHIM Packing Plates. Yes just but the L brackets from a long piece. Pop rivets are aluminium to prevent galvanic corrosion. Ladder is still rockslide solid as is the paint job.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Thanks for replying, man!
Lovely video, so informative! Can I ask you how big the pop rivet nuts where?
I can't remember exactly but from memory they must have been around 7mm long and and 3mm thick
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Thank you! ♥
That looks great.
thanks!
Nice one mate. Shame I can't upload some photos of my alloy transit roof rack on the comments. Im using m6 stainless bolts with spring washers and nylock nuts instead of rivets to connect my pieces together
Awesome! Send me a DM on instagram. Id like to see how you did it. @salty_vanventures
@@SALTYVANVENTURES lol I quit all social media this year except you tube to allow more time off the phone and enjoying my camper conversion! I kept FB messenger though. Send me a msg there if you want: Isaac Mack from Australia. Cheers.
Genius👍
Thanks!
Did you end up capping the ends with something? Looked like it when I saw it over the weekend. Also did you use etch primer and black spray paint?
Awesome, great way to save money and get a roof rack. You could spray it black for sleekness too. I assume this is from before you brought your van in for repair at the ford dealer !
Thank you. Yes I will eventually paint it black for sure. I just wanted to get it up for now to see how it looks. I might even consider getting in powder coated. Yes this was prior to my feud with the Ford Dealership. And after all that i still haven't got the van back yet!
@@SALTYVANVENTURES lol feud. Powder coated for sure!
Awesome job bro do u mind sharing the full list of materials you used and sizes pls i have a 170” wheelbase sprinter, also the name of screw to. Attach the aluminum together ty sir
Hi, the full cut list for materials is in the video description. As for what i used to join, I believe it was 4mm diameter pop rivets, 7mm long.
Iva also got a 170 sprinter, how did you find attaching the ‘rail’ section to the roof?
Great job. How did you figure out the angle for the shim?
I believe I layed the shims down flat where they would go, then placed the flat aluminum over from one side to the other and measured the gap between the shim and the alloy they cut triangle out.
Magic mate Love ya work... Easy to follow and listen to also... We are at the van purchasing stage-pretty exciting....... Q how much do you have to leave to account for the flex of the rack before it hits the roof (when your standing on it)? Cheers
If i were to build it again i may have left extra gap. That can either be done by increasing the height of the plastic shims or making the long side rails taller using a different variation of tubing. I would probably leave about an inch or so
Have any of the roof rack pop rivets come loose with the lateral flex of the van?
Does it whistle at highway speed with the cross members being so close to the roof?
This looks like a very nice alternative to buying a rack.
Nope, Nothing has come loose at all. I was checking them the other day after having it installed for 3 months now. No whistling at all when on the highway
i love your videos! Thanks heaps for what you do.. are you going to do one on the battery set up for the transit? Can't seem to find any info anywhere (especially australia) on whether I need to get someone to dismantle the whole dual battery set up or if I can connect my lithium to that set up via the charge controller! What have you done?
This is fantastic. Seriously. Do you have any updated pictures of it with the deck? Also, have you been able to drive it and test for and rattling?
Thanks, No not yet, it's on the list of things to do. I first want to weld up an aluminium access ladder before i finish the rooftop deck.
Great! Using plastic window shims as the base is genius! Please tell me how high they need to lift the bar to clear the roof. I'm doing the same thing here. Thanks!
I think the ones i used were 20mm (the thickest I could find). But that was still not enough so i used the 6mm rubber matting to get that extra clearance.
Great job💪👍
Thanks ✌
How about putting insulation between solar and roof? After watching so many videos, I don’t think roof insulation is that necessary in all places. The gas heater is quite strong for a small space. Summer time the heat will be trapped
I wouldn’t recommend against it.
Nice job. Curious how you capped off the holes in the ends of the aluminum?
I haven't yet but you can buy these black plastic end caps that fit perfect.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
At 1:48, you show a 3D model of the van. What software did you use for this? Would you recommend it as helpful?
The software is called sketchup. It's a free 3d design software and is invaluable when designing and building something like this so you can get a real good idea what it will look like and any issues you might encounter.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Thanks. I've experimented with it in the past (deck design), so I guess it's time to get back to it. :-)
This is genius.. it looks great, is lightweight and customisable. You also made it look so easy! how has it held up with the deck and the solar panels after 12 months?
It's good, haven't had a problem. Just like new!
@@SALTYVANVENTURES awesome! I'm gonna try to do the same thing on my Iveco. Thanks for the vid 👍
My guy, is there a reason you used rectangle instead of square tube for the rails? Just about to order materials for mine! Love your work g 🙏🙏
I wanted a small lip for the solar panels to rest up against. Plus it didn't need to be as wide as the cross members
I seen you sellin solar panels...c.mon...Iknow its you!..lol.
I didn’t get paid enough for that ad🤦♂️ 😂
This is awesome. We weren't going to have a roof rack due to cost, but you've sold us on this idea. Did you end up welding it?
Awesome. No haven’t ended up welding it.
Planning on building a van early next year in NZ. Yours are the most helpful videos I've watched on UA-cam.
At 2:28 are you glueing the wooden frame in place ready for the roof vent to be screwed into?
Thank you!. Yes that is exactly what I was doing!
That's dope! I've been looking forever for a good roof rack build. Did you make the deck yet? No problem with multiple people standing on top of it? Also how did you find cheap aluminum like that? The only price I'm able to hit it 500-700 bucks for the tubing. Good job!
Thanks! No I haven't done the decking on yet, that is on a long list of things still to do. I have walked up on the aluminum cross members and there is a lot of strength in them. I have no doubt the deck can seat at least 2-3 people. I purchased my aluminum from Edcon steel in Sydney. Prices are on their website if you make an account. I found they were way cheaper than other metal shops.
Do the self tapping screws creat moisture access points in the floor? What about driving in rain or creeks, etc? Just wondering!
No I really don’t think so
Hey! We love this idea for roof racks! Where did you purchase the rubber sheeting and window shims from? Thanks so much!
Thanks. The rubber was from clark rubber and the shims were from Bunnings.
Bro, just an observation you make aluminum sound like the metal of Wolverines claws Aliminium
thats how we say it in the land down under haha!
That's how most of the world pronounces Al. It fits with the rest of the metal members of the Boron group on the periodic table (Aluminium, Gallium, Indium, Thallium, Nihomium).
I ordering aluminum now. You used 2.5 cm for the rails and 1.5 for the rack.?
Aluminium is a soft metal. Having used the same idea when fitting racks etc to the Motorbike for touring, and as it is a soft metal..the vibration over time, will cause the rivets to open up the holes For additional strength , get the small right angles and place them on the corners and joins, and do the simple aluminium blazing and rods are sold in Bunnings..blow torch, very easy and youtube is your friend...basically like soldering...but will help for strength..!.
I have actually used these braising rods about 14 years ago before youtube tutorials was a thing. I was using too much heat and just melting the alloy. I was going to give it another go but I do actually have access to a aluminium MIG welder. I want to drive it around for a while and see how it goes as a proof of concept and see how it holds up. Then I will most likely weld it up. I agree that aluminium is soft and all but they build alloy boats by just pop riveting them and they do take a beating on the water so it will be interesting to see how it holds up.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES good...keep it going...lucky yr not down here in Victoria...!..
Airstreams have been put together with aluminum and rivets for over 70 years and many of them are still going strong. Trailers endure much more vibrations and shocks than modern vehicles.
Just I found your video today. It's really great and helpful. If your van has a gutter, Would you do the same things or different ideas?
The great thing about this van is that it has treaded inserts in the roof. If your van has gutters I would probably use roof racks and build on top of them
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Thanks for your reply. Ya My van is coaster and has a rounded ricky roof shape so i should use roof rail gutter bracket and copy your idea. Thanks for sharing your idea and talents.
Awesome work! What size rivets did you use for this? Are they aluminum as well or did you use stainless for strength?
From memory they were 4.2mm rivets. I used aluminium although this has been over engineered so the aluminium rivets are more than enough.
I used an aluminum fence panel from the orange big box store.$125.00.
Great idea!
Mate, you need to replace those pop rivets with #12 sheet metal screws.
Why would you use sheet metal screws on aluminium?
Agreed, Stainless Steel screws are structural. Rivets aren't as strong.
@@JohnDoe-pw5cs the “sheet metal screw” refers to the thread type, not material it threads into.
Looks great! What was the reason you went for different size side members to the cross members?
I wanted a small lip for the solar panels to rest up against. Plus it didn't need to be as wide as the cross members
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Do you think it would be strong enough to build something like this with? The guys in this other video did theirs with 80/20 and I’m thinking regular aluminium tubing would be way cheaper ua-cam.com/video/wRHdZ2CregM/v-deo.html
What was the point of the additional aluminium rails (not the main framing you made) could you not just put the main frame straight onto the roof, using bigger spacers to compensate for the curve?
It was due to the extra width I get doing it this way. I gain an extra 35 cm from the overhang which is what I needed to fit all the stuff I want to load on the roof.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES ah makes sense!
if you put the main frame directly on the spacers it would be the pop rivets alone carrying the weight upon the cross members. by cantilevering the frame there is no issue.
what an amazing job!!! i've watched all the videos, inspired me to buy a transit. where did you buy the aluminium from?
I bought all my aluminium in from
Edcon steel. My local metal supplier.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES thank you LEGEND
do you have video installing the airfan?
Can I ask a dumb question. Why didn't you place your cross bars so that they sat on top of the mounting points for the longitudinal 50mm sections so that you could use longer bolts to bolt these cross bars through longitudinal sections and into the roof mounting points. Then there wouldn't be a failure point with the rivets. Hope that makes sense :-)
Good questions, for which i don't have an answer. I basically placed the cross members even spaced and then work around the roof vent. It may be possible to do it that way for sure
About to copy you! What did you use to cover the holes in the aluminum mounting channels? And what did you use with the M8 bolts to make them water tight? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Thank you!
At the moment it is just some take until i find a plastic cap that fits nicely. You can add some sikaflex around the washer of the bolts to keep them water out. The rubber sheet keeps the water out from the inside.
Hey there! We are building just the same rack as you guys did! Thank you for the inspiration! 😊 could you tell us the length of the m8 screws for mounting the rack to the van?
Hi there, I cant remember 100% although i think it was 50mm or 40mm.
@@SALTYVANVENTURES Great, thanks! :-)
Hey guys! We are super happy with the rack although we have the feeling that the fuel we Need increased as of the Lack of aerodynamic. How high is your fuel consumption? :-)
BTW...I see you on the roof doing the vent, the roof is flexing and I hope you didn't break the seal of those plugs in the roof which are only sealed with paint. If so.............little silicone to reseal? Finding water while driving in the rain may indicate this event.
Thats probably a fair point. Thanks for that i didn't pick up on that
Hello nice video! Thank you! But is there enough space under your aluminium bar to walk on it?
Yes, just. If you are standing on just one of the cross members, yes it will touch the roof. But with the weight distributed it doesn't. If I were to make it again though I would use slightly thicker plastic spacer.
Great idea! How much weight did the rack add to your van?
I estimate about 15kg
Can you put a link in the description for those plastic shims. I have never seen a shim so big before.
Yes, I have added it now for you