I see now that I didn't make a few things clear. 1. I'm not ONLY going to use those clamps to hold wood. I was using it as a proof of concept to show how versatile the rails were. You absolutely NEED to use straps as well when hauling stuff. 2. The metal is all coated, so "touching" metals of different kinds is not really a big deal. 3. Thread locker WILL be added to all of the set screws when it's finally assembled. I'm still in the process of adjusting rail placement, etc. 4. I didn't use the existing rack because the footprint is smaller than I wanted. I didn't remove it because I didn't want to introduce a potential roof leak. Lots of you have given really useful and helpful info, so thank you for that. (Also, a few of you are just trying to be provocative and mean. Be nice.)
Jakub Tucker theoretically the process is the same, save for differences in properties calling for different setups. In reality it takes a lot more finesse. Mild steel (meaning not a whole lot of carbon in it, making it relatively soft) is super easy to weld. Aluminum is more conductive than steel and also has a lower melting point. TL; DR, Theoretically, yes. In practice, no.
I Like To Make, I would recommend using the automatic fasteners to provide a more sturdy connection - you can really torque up the bolt and they don’t require any additional processing to the profile. You can also get a selection of end caps for finishing of the ends and there is also a selection of infill strip for filling in spare slots - this can also be brought in a rubberised variety, which would be perfect for you bed cross beams as would provide a grippier surface. Plus it is super easy to remove should you want to make use of them in the future. Also the t-slot nuts you used can be slotted in to the grooves in the profile without the need to disassemble.
I know you are probably not going to see this. But I’m a mech design engineer by trade and do a lot of work with aluminium profile. If you or anyone in the comment section should require some assistance with aluminium profile related projects, please feel free to drop me a line. Just my way of showing support for this awesome channel. Keep up the good work.
Here's one...I use a wheelchair and drive a 2009 Subaru Outback. I like this gen Outback because it is low enough to get in and out of yet offers enough ground clearance to get me into remote areas that I like to explore. For years I've been mulling over some sort of roof rack that would slide toward the driver's side part way and tilt down at an angle, allowing me to load the rack and then tip it up and slide it back over to the center of the car. I can reach the roof of the car ok, but I can't reach over it to put stuff on the existing rack or any of the commercial options. Years ago I considered fabricating something out of steel, but quickly realized it would get too heavy to be practical. 8020 or similar extrusions might work, however, especially after seeing this. Gonna have to browse the available parts and materials and then fire up Fusion360 and see if I can come up with something. But I'm open to ideas.
Steve Thompson sounds like an interesting project. When working with aluminium profile i always buy from “item24” as they have an excellent range of products/accessories. They also have a grate online catalog and every part has downloadable cad files, which is super handy. Will be interesting to see how you get on.
Hey! it sounds like you can help me :) i Want to mount 3 Solar Panels, each 1700mm x 1000 mm 18,5 KG on the Roof of my Mercedes Sprinter how thick of profile do i need to support that wheight? :) Thanks for your kindness!!
I really love how you point out the slight mistakes or something you would have changed in hindsight! Really shows your positive attitude towards your projects. One of my favourite channels
I'm probably never going to make a custom roof rack but, as usual, this is another one of your videos jam packed with ideas and advice. Loved it! Also, now I need to add a powdercoater to my shopping list!
That's the spirit! Most watchers aren't going to make the exact same thing, but they might take the idea and implement them into theirs. Bob is doing an awesome job.
jalal majid Yup, I agree. I'm just trying to drown out the negative trolls and let Bob know that I appreciate the content even if I am never going to make what he makes. There is inspiration and lessons to be learned every where if you are open to them.
When your drilling any type of metal, always start with a small drill like 5mm. Also if you drill with 5mm, drill with high speed. When your drilling with a thicker drill use low drill speed. That way you are way faster and also your drills will hold out longer.
The rack is fine for picking up a couple sheets of ply on blackstop but would fail miserably carrying all the gear you suggest on a trail. These alloy racks are built commercially and designed by engineers with knowledge of metal stresses and breaking points, working for big name companies and yet they still can fail. The section he used is very similar to a patio million you roll insect mesh into. Has slots instead of grooves. You can't beat welded steel for strength and durability. It beats light weight every time.
Love your video and the way you teach/explain/demonstrate what you are doing and how you make it all happen. Even an ole lady like myself can follow your instructions. You have talent Sir and I hope you continue helping out those of us less knowledgeable. Good Job, and God Bless. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for the mounting hardware solution. I'm going to be throwing some solar up on my imported German T1 camper and have been looking everywhere for a sensible way to create some mounting hardware that can tap into the existing rain gutter and avoid having to drill through the roof. This is a real life saver!
Maybe 3d print a “nose cone” for the leading edge on either side of the light bar to cut down on noise. It would also help keep the tracks free of gunk.
You've got that press brake setup in the press backwards. That piece bolted toward you is a back gauge. The idea is to set it as a stop for your bend position, so you rather than bending each piece to a line, you push the metal in to the stop. Not a big deal on this size metal, but you should also bend in the center of the press (directly under the ram) so it's straight and doesn't bind.
An arduino/fly-by-wire super soaker cannon would be a cool add on. Or a fold up/down mounted portable camp kitchen. Or mobile party system, speakers, disco ball, etc.
Awesome. I now now who I can send powder coating questions to. Fun isn't it? Om the spacers, I would just clean the powder off the bracket, weld the spacer to the bracket and re powder coat it. That way it would look integral and intentional.
I always like that you put your outtakes at the end of your video. Your brand is that anyone can do/build/make the things in your videos. Showing your human tenancy to err, at the end of your videos, solidifies that branding. Not everyone can make great youtube content, but you don't have to be perfect to try. Fall down 7 times, get up 8.
Heck yes. It’s 3am and I’ll never need to build a roof rack but I don’t even care I watch all your videos anyway 😂 I probably sound a bit crazy I’m sorry I am very sleep deprived
Cool idea with the 8020. I made 2 cross rails using unistrut and attach them to my factory rails (4th gen 4runner) with U bolts. I like the aluminum though, nice weight savings. I added eye bolts and use ratchet straps to hold everything down. I like how yours is made to be a pocket the sheets fit in, it helps with capturing the load to prevent sliding. The down side of my ratchet straps is I need to have enough height in the load to be captured by the straps (vs being shorter than the hooks and thus not having the straps tighten down well enough to prevent movement. The safer solution is to just get a utility trailer and then I can get what I want and not worry about a heavy load on the roof and subject to amplified angular momentum up there while driving around town. Also: I miss my pickup....
An example of why you should watch the whole video before passing judgment/commenting/etc. At the beginning of the video I was thinking "meh..." But then you slid the plywood on the rack and it clicked for me. I've wanted to add a rack to my Mazda 3 to "haul" stuff like this but for something that you can fit a sheet of plywood on they are super expensive (if they exist at all). Thanks for another great video.
If you're worried about the expense of a pre-made rack, the aluminum extrusion direction might not be a big improvement. As far as i can tell, the stuff he used in the video was a dollar an inch on 8020.net - but maybe he found something that was half that. So two 8 foot and one 4 foot section means 120 dollars for $0.50 per inch - then more for the cross pieces, which would be a bit cheaper per inch. Then you'd add the clamps and other details - looks to me like this would be well over $200 at the cheapest. If you really want to make something cheap that can do it, just frame something up with 2x4s. Mine has slots that allow it to drop down onto the existing cross members of the roof rack so it won't slide around, and uses heavy duty duct clamps to keep it in place. You could still use toggle clamps for the lumber you're carting around if you wanted, but i just cut some slots to run ratcheting tie-down straps through. Those straps also go through the existing roof rails for just that extra security - i'm paranoid about those things coming off, but it's very secure.
T Slot extrusions are ubiquitous in the industrial world. We have an entire room dedicated to just the slot accessories, from nuts to handles and hinges. Looks great, good job Bob! The only thing I'd add would be some plastic caps so you don't get creepie crawlies living in your tubing.
I love this channel so much I’m 14 years old and this channel just really gives me inspiration to fix up my house for my mom since she I sick and and can’t get around and since my dad isn’t always around because he is working everyday even I go to work with him but anyways I want to do the best to take care of my home and the channel makes my day keep on making these awesome videos !!!
Nice solution. I made some mounts for Solar Panels and Antenna mounts with 1.5" AL tubing before, but it was very vehicle specific. I just got a new F250 with a Leer topper. Heh... here we go again. It took me a few days to see if "anyone has gone there" with the extruded AL, and I found your video. Thanks for confirming!
I think that thing flexes more than I would feel comfortable with. Plywood in fact adds to its strength (because it structurally acts like a membrane) and is misleading. Any odd shaped heavy object (like a kayak) might create a problem. Anyway, it looks very cool as always, good job!
The straps just need good anchor points. You can place them on the sides as well as front and back as needed. Two straps front to back and two or three side to side should hold a couple more sheets in place.
you stole my concept - love it. 80/20 and homemade gutter clamps. I had further idea to have additional flatbar to join the clamps side to side to make rack carry more weight. Great job.
Thomas Sanladerer I think primarily because of the limited weight of the factory cargo racks. Plus also not needing overly complicated brackets to then get out to the full 4ft width of the sheet goods.
Yes. the built on racks max at 100 lbs but also the footprint of the rack would be considerably smaller and the main goal of this is to carry a full sheet of plywood.
Nice idea Bob but gutter mount racks decrease max weight a huge deal, and even less if you are offroad, my set of gutter mounts are only good for 30kg max offroad where roof tracks would bump it up to 75kg, have a quick search of roof rack manufacturers and you should see there, full length cages like yours are also 4 to 5 mounts a side on a wagon like that too, I wouldn't be surprised if the rated weight you have would be tiny
Rain gutter mounting is stronger, however, you have the right idea wither the mounts, but they need to be "beefed up" with maybe ribs down the sides and a bit heavier material.
This project just hit home with me. This summer at my work, I put together a testing frame utilizing this exact type of aluminum extrusion. We are hoping to put it into production this week. The lab is seriously considering replacing all of our current steel frame test stations with these extrusions. They are, as you said, extremely versatile and strong. Excellent use of material and well designed. Many happy travels with it.
Hi Bob at You Like To Make Stuff. I met you at Maker Central earlier this year (bald guy with a goatee sitting in a wheelchair. I was involved in vehicle engineering in my working life before retiring with health problems. May I urge you, please, make some rubber feet/pads to fit where the mountings meet the vehicle roof gutter, maybe cutting tire inner tube to fit. Both your rack and the vehicle body will flex, over time this will cause the paint in those areas to break down and allow corrosion to start eating away the metal. The rubber will isolate the metal components from the roof gutters.
Be careful with the dissimilar metals you have on this project. The steel brackets connecting to the aluminum rails via stainless steel bolts is asking for galvanic corrosion, especially in wet and salt conditions on the road. You were smart to powder coat but the stuff usually wears off from the tightening of bolts and nuts, leaving bare metal exposed. Love the project, the truck, and the modularity of the rack :)
I did aluminium on steel brackets for a roof rack .. however I painted the steel, and put rubber in-between as a sort of anti vibration aid. I didn't think of galvanic corrosion (I'm ignorant), but I feel like it's not going to happen anyway fortunately. However there are stainless bolts through the aluminium...
This is a great idea! I have an old '50-'51 Studebaker that I'm turning into a street rod... but I can't make myself be impractical for some reason... but I digress... using 80/20 extrusions is ingenious! This could allow me to grab that "emergency" sheet of plywood without using a trailer. Thanks for the inspiration!
Really cool project! I like how you can customize this the way you want with the T-track system. Maybe you could make a Star Wars themed rooftop cargo box to attach to this? Great work!
Gotta say I love the scientific method you used to evaluate the holding capacity of the clamps. About the same method I would have used. Great project.
Love the Land Cruiser. I work on machinery in which the guards are usually made out of the extrusions you are using. One thing I can tell you is that they never stay together. The vibration will loosen the connectors over time. If you plan on mounting it permanently then I would have it welded down the road.
You requested ideas for things to add to the roof rack... How about solar PV panels? I tow a Casita travel trailer with 1) does not have much space for PV panels, and 2) I usually would prefer to park it in the shade. By mounting the PVs on top of the tow vehicle, I can position the tow vehicle in the sun, and I can make the panels tiltable. While I am driving and towing, I can hook them up so I am charging minimizing the electrical load I put on the tow vehicle.
Why not attach it to the rails? The rain gutter doesn’t look like a good idea. Also, why aren’t you heating the metal before bending it? Wouldn’t that lessen the stress and make the bend stronger?
A tip for your press brake. When doing multiple parts at any angle make one as a pattern (as you did). Then put it in the press brake with a stopper in the vee-block. This will make all the bends the same. You may have to shave a little off the stopper to account for spring-back of the parts. If the twists you should use a stopper on each side to prevent the twist. Nice job on the rack!
Mobile Ham Radio antenna mast, is one thing. Now that the base is constructed, add plywood and this becomes a base for a tent. I really Love the ability to carry sheet goods. Every one has seen or struggled with transporting sheet goods on the family car... lol.. I also see a platform for a telescope or camera tripod, as some shoreline shots are impossible with a fence around the perimeter. I always climbed on top of my car roof with my tripod to take pics over a fence. Anyhow, great video.
If you are going camping having a motorized LED light mounted on your system and a remote unit inside to control it will be excellent. Sometimes at night it is handy to be able to move the light without actually getting out. Also gopro camera gear can be fitted more securely. Everyone that ever drove in real outdoor situations know that sometimes cameras just get lose. With this that will not easily happen. Having a Go pro on the motorized LED can be a great addition as it will record everything the lights sees Especially handy while filming at night while inside the motor vehicle
Maarten Sneep those rain gutter mounts look a bit flimsy for my taste. If you stood on the plywood and started shifting left and right you can see if they are ridged enough so they don’t fold. I’d put a flange on the edges. Look at the Thule gutter mounts. Just my thoughts. Nice rack design.
Agreed, with the racks we used (on a Renault 4, way back…) the attachment points were from U-profiles, much more rigid.I also think that the feet had a bit of play to allow them to rotate to the profile of the gutter (front to back), and the clamps had little ramps (or rather the struts had those), to pull the clamps up in addition to in to hold even better. In any case look in the owners manual of your car to see what the maximum mass is that you can put on the roof. It may be far less than you think.
Nice job on the rack! I'm sure you'll never see this comment, but a tip for bending metal in the vise. Use a combination Mapp/propane torch to heat the part up where you're going to bend it before taking the hammer to it. That torch will be plenty hot enough for 1/8" and slightly thicker.
My Legacy sedan has the same rain gutter system and frame-less windows. So I have to use a clamp style roof rack and crossbars from Yakima! I've been wanting to make a low profile roof rack without the need for roof rails. This idea is perfect, and I can't wait to get started on planning it out! Cheers!
Re: "the wrong hammer" It must be exhausting having to preface things you're doing because you know some smart alec in the comments will weigh in. They ruin everything! Love your stuff, wrong hammer or not! 😉🥪
Awesome project Bob! I've built a lot of projects using 80/20, but I never thought of something like this! Just a bit of advice though... I recommend using some thread lock or lock washers because the 80/20 fasteners tend to come loose, and with vibrations of driving down the road you might run into some issues of things coming loose. Keep up the great videos!
I specifically watch aluminum extrusion build videos as a Mechanical Designer to get ideas. It makes me think of the entire process. Designing is only part of the battle. Sometimes the assembly portion is forgotten about which makes the assembler’s job difficult or impossible I too recommend some kind of thread locker
You might want to reinforce the brackets that go from roof rack to rain gutter. That single bend will buckle. Cut another flat piece brace. Add it in like a “T”. Cool vid. Keep it up
Only concern I have for you is if you're on the highway would those pieces of ply catch some wind and threaten to break free. Personally, I'd get some flat stock maybe 3 or 4 inches wide, and as long as the rack is wide, and bolt it to the underside, to prevent the wind hitting your windshield from blowing the ply like playing cards from underneath, and then maybe fashion another piece of flat stock on a piano hinge to top side to act as a spoiler on the top of the ply, maybe add a single adjustable nylon strap and buckle from the front of the rack around to the back for that extra insurance of piece of mind. Only reason I say this is because I've been on the highway with mdf on a steel work rack and you can feel it act like a parachute and always felt a little unnerving. That said, get video again
When I was a teen, I went to the junk yard and bought a second windshield washer pump system... added it in the trunk and attached the sprayer to the bumper (facing upwards). I'd spray anyone who started tailgating me. Which did result in some guy punching me in the face once... but it was worth it.
I'm planning on making a custom roof rack too. I was going to add a flood light for each door when opened, rear backup/flood lights, a hi lift, and maybe another spare tire. Water and fuel jugs would b cool too.
I'm not sure if you have ever mentioned, but what headphones are those? I assume they double as hearing protection while you work? EDIT: Nevermind. If I'd taken the second to check your equipment link I'd have found them. :P
I've really been enjoying your videos. You show each step and concisely explain what your doing. What's also nice is you make your projects look nice and not just functional.
And Bobtimus knocks a Grand Slam out of the park! Love the Tron Shirt, by the way!! You're giving me ideas for my upcoming Teardrop Camper build! Thanks as always guys, Great Job!!! Especially liked the Toggle Clamps, very clever!! Oh, and when the light bar appeared, I was about to go 'hey....' when you mentioned it! LOL
Love your idea...I like how the material you used is so universal. You have inspired me to build my own roof rack rather than spend $1100 on a big name. Here in Canada, the Prinsu roof rack is around $1100. Thanks,
Aside of the regular Mini-gun mount, anti-zombie cannon, or goose control grenade launcher, I think you could have some fishing pole hangers on the outside of the rack, above the rain gutters. My dad used a length of 4"pvc with a threaded female and plug on one end, but I feel like something akin to a broom hanger or strap based fire extinguisher hanger would be cool, if a little exposed. Great idea and execution as always!
I'm looking at making a small van camper. This idea would be great for mounting the solar panels on, with a tilt mechanism on the panels so I could angle them to the sun. The good thing is I would still be able to keep it quite stealth with the panels sitting between the larger side and end members.
I would add reinforcement to the gutter mounting because it looked wobbly if you want to carry more weight, and you could add loops for straps it would occupy less place at the top and if you go off roading it is less likely to be caught in branches and other stuff.
That's freaking awesome! I get plywood all the time and I don't have a truck. To keep costs down, I usually get my plywood cut down at Home Depot to fit in a similar size car like yours. Unfortunately, Home Depot, with their best efforts, can't always get perfect cuts. A rack system such as yours that you built is pretty slick. Now smaller cars can load plywood that would normally require a truck. I'd totally buy a model like yours if I could.
FYI Carriage bolts work really nice in 80/20 slots. The square on the carriage bolt locks it in place so you don't have to hold them with a vise grip to tighten them.
Something to check out Bob. Look at closing/weather sealing the extrusion on the ends and bolt holes. Stainless hardware + aluminum (even anodized) will potentially have galvanic corrosion happening. There's a lot of 'it depends' on this, but thought I'd give a heads up. Neoprene washers or some RTV on the bolts would be fine I'd imagine. Unsure of how to seal the ends of the extrusion though.
Extrusions parallel to the rain-gutters would make for a much more rigid construction since the clamps made for that would be a lot shorter with no flex, and using short pieces of extrusion as uprights to connect the gutter extrusion to the rack would make it a lot stronger and stiffer than the long pieces of 1/8 flat-stock, it would also make it a lot more modular(using more uprights to increase the weight you could carry) and ad a lot of sideways stability/rigidity, and you could print some end-caps to make the gutter rails blend quit well with the roof of the car...
Next time you make the mounting brackets weld a nut to the back side. One less piece of hardware to lose and you don't need to hold a wrench while you use the ratchet/socket. (Protect the threads from powdercoat by partially screwing down an old bolt.)
Bob...you are the man! You need to post this on ih8mud. If you are a member there, you will quickly become my favorite person! Also, LOVE the 80, but time to step it up to a 100 series! Once you get that sweet ride with the IFS, and the extra power from V8, you will quickly love owning one! Then you can make drawers and stuff for that so I can copy off of you! Huge fan, and the fact you drive a Land Cruiser makes you so much cooler than the other makers out there...including Diresta and Picciuto! 😜
Thanks Aaron! I am actually a member over there, but probably won't post it (but feel free to). I get yelled at enough on UA-cam, so I'm not super interested in posting it in another place for people to tell me what all I'm doing wrong :) Thanks for the kind words though, I seriously do appreciate it!!
Great work Bob. Love the versatility of the design. Boring suggestions but what about an annex or folding roof off to the side for camping. Or reversing camera and lights on the back.
I put a 4x8’ sheet of plywood on top of my GTI’s VW roof rack and strapped it down (yes, I have a photo). Great for local hauling. I’d love to have something with a front guard, side rails, and a tailgate for hauling gypsum board.
Great effort and the use of the extruded aluminum is brilliant. One suggestion for others or if you decide to revamp the attachments (apologies if this is in another comment, and thus, repetitive). I installed an ARB rack on an 84 FJ60 a while back. Their attachment legs had the ability to adjust to the height and the curve to allow for adapting them to the roof line. The main leg had vertical slots to allow for the height differences and the clamps had one standard hole and one curved hole to allow for the rotation. Also you may consider installing some rubber pads (thick inner tube would work) between the clamps and the body. There will always be some movement and this will help prevent scratching of the paint and future rusting. Again, great job on this and thanks for sharing!
Tip or trick I use is a bolt through washer on one side, then through a big magnet, then washer on other side of magnet. Then I separated the ground holding clamp and take the wire going to the clamp and use that between the washers on magnet. BEST grounding clamp EVER
I grew up in apartments so constructions like this is such a foreign concept to me. But man, this channel is so awesome! I’m learning a lot ;) thank you so much!
you could weld the nuts in the back side and then powder coat so you need only one wrench. also you can grind the middle support to level with the roof and be more stable instead of putting washers. i would also use some lockite so it the screws don't come loose with the vibration.
quick tip for your break: Put a piece of masking tape on the vertical C channel. when making a bunch of identical pieces mark the first and stop the ram at the same mark and all the pieces will be exactly the same.
This is good idea! This should also allow the rack to extend light weight 4 ft PVC pipes both sides so you can add plastic sheets as sun shades for your rest area camping around your SUV.
great work! one suggestion is to use the T-nuts that are made to be used with the extrusions that way you dont have to hold the bolt just turn it down into the nut.
An idea to help with the bend of the gutter on any vehicle. Keep the side clamps straighter and cut an oval hole which would allow the adjustment of the rack up and down.
How 1980s for the rain gutters mount. I had a Volkswagen Passat station wagon in Europe during the 80s. Served me well for years camping and skiing in Austria, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Mounts never loosened and were rockstars at holding loads.
Cool idea! I might hit each of the bolts with a dab of lock-tite to reduce loosening from vibration. Maybe I'm just too paranoid. Looks great and lots of opportunities for add-ons!
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I see now that I didn't make a few things clear.
1. I'm not ONLY going to use those clamps to hold wood. I was using it as a proof of concept to show how versatile the rails were. You absolutely NEED to use straps as well when hauling stuff.
2. The metal is all coated, so "touching" metals of different kinds is not really a big deal.
3. Thread locker WILL be added to all of the set screws when it's finally assembled. I'm still in the process of adjusting rail placement, etc.
4. I didn't use the existing rack because the footprint is smaller than I wanted. I didn't remove it because I didn't want to introduce a potential roof leak.
Lots of you have given really useful and helpful info, so thank you for that. (Also, a few of you are just trying to be provocative and mean. Be nice.)
I Like To Make Stuff What's the difference between welding Aluminium and Steel? Shouldn't the processes be virtually identical?
Jakub Tucker theoretically the process is the same, save for differences in properties calling for different setups. In reality it takes a lot more finesse. Mild steel (meaning not a whole lot of carbon in it, making it relatively soft) is super easy to weld. Aluminum is more conductive than steel and also has a lower melting point.
TL; DR, Theoretically, yes. In practice, no.
I Like To Make, I would recommend using the automatic fasteners to provide a more sturdy connection - you can really torque up the bolt and they don’t require any additional processing to the profile.
You can also get a selection of end caps for finishing of the ends and there is also a selection of infill strip for filling in spare slots - this can also be brought in a rubberised variety, which would be perfect for you bed cross beams as would provide a grippier surface. Plus it is super easy to remove should you want to make use of them in the future.
Also the t-slot nuts you used can be slotted in to the grooves in the profile without the need to disassemble.
Jakub Tucker lol, aluminium welding is a whole different ball game!
That is a big hamburger!
I know you are probably not going to see this. But I’m a mech design engineer by trade and do a lot of work with aluminium profile. If you or anyone in the comment section should require some assistance with aluminium profile related projects, please feel free to drop me a line. Just my way of showing support for this awesome channel. Keep up the good work.
Here's one...I use a wheelchair and drive a 2009 Subaru Outback. I like this gen Outback because it is low enough to get in and out of yet offers enough ground clearance to get me into remote areas that I like to explore. For years I've been mulling over some sort of roof rack that would slide toward the driver's side part way and tilt down at an angle, allowing me to load the rack and then tip it up and slide it back over to the center of the car. I can reach the roof of the car ok, but I can't reach over it to put stuff on the existing rack or any of the commercial options.
Years ago I considered fabricating something out of steel, but quickly realized it would get too heavy to be practical. 8020 or similar extrusions might work, however, especially after seeing this. Gonna have to browse the available parts and materials and then fire up Fusion360 and see if I can come up with something. But I'm open to ideas.
Steve Thompson sounds like an interesting project. When working with aluminium profile i always buy from “item24” as they have an excellent range of products/accessories. They also have a grate online catalog and every part has downloadable cad files, which is super handy. Will be interesting to see how you get on.
Daniel L'estrange thanks! Having the CAD files is a game changer.
Hey! it sounds like you can help me :)
i Want to mount 3 Solar Panels, each 1700mm x 1000 mm 18,5 KG on the Roof of my Mercedes Sprinter
how thick of profile do i need to support that wheight? :)
Thanks for your kindness!!
How much weight do you think this roof rack will sustain?
This was awesome! No ones asking my opinion, but I think the versatility of this is the best part. Great work
Jason H I agree with your opinion
Jason H every opinion counts!
Jason H: I didn't ask for your opinion (chuckle chuckle). Just teasing you bro :)
I really love how you point out the slight mistakes or something you would have changed in hindsight! Really shows your positive attitude towards your projects. One of my favourite channels
I'm probably never going to make a custom roof rack but, as usual, this is another one of your videos jam packed with ideas and advice. Loved it! Also, now I need to add a powdercoater to my shopping list!
That's the spirit! Most watchers aren't going to make the exact same thing, but they might take the idea and implement them into theirs. Bob is doing an awesome job.
jalal majid Yup, I agree. I'm just trying to drown out the negative trolls and let Bob know that I appreciate the content even if I am never going to make what he makes. There is inspiration and lessons to be learned every where if you are open to them.
When your drilling any type of metal, always start with a small drill like 5mm. Also if you drill with 5mm, drill with high speed. When your drilling with a thicker drill use low drill speed. That way you are way faster and also your drills will hold out longer.
Just use a step-bit and avoid all of that.
Suggestion Ideas:
1-Roll out awning.
2-Solar Heated Shower & Tank.
3-Yak Rak.
4-A Roof Top Tent.
5-Bike Rack for MTBs.
The rack is fine for picking up a couple sheets of ply on blackstop but would fail miserably carrying all the gear you suggest on a trail. These alloy racks are built commercially and designed by engineers with knowledge of metal stresses and breaking points, working for big name companies and yet they still can fail. The section he used is very similar to a patio million you roll insect mesh into. Has slots instead of grooves. You can't beat welded steel for strength and durability. It beats light weight every time.
Love your video and the way you teach/explain/demonstrate what you are doing and how you make it all happen. Even an ole lady like myself can follow your instructions. You have talent Sir and I hope you continue helping out those of us less knowledgeable. Good Job, and God Bless. Thank you so much for sharing.
Weather proof CNC that goes on the top and operating while you drive. You just have to attach a gantry to it.
No
Was thinking the same thing! Then you don't have to worry about dust collection at all
Rofl.
Adds a whole new meaning to Custom Parts Delivery.
Thanks for the mounting hardware solution. I'm going to be throwing some solar up on my imported German T1 camper and have been looking everywhere for a sensible way to create some mounting hardware that can tap into the existing rain gutter and avoid having to drill through the roof. This is a real life saver!
Maybe 3d print a “nose cone” for the leading edge on either side of the light bar to cut down on noise. It would also help keep the tracks free of gunk.
You've got that press brake setup in the press backwards. That piece bolted toward you is a back gauge. The idea is to set it as a stop for your bend position, so you rather than bending each piece to a line, you push the metal in to the stop. Not a big deal on this size metal, but you should also bend in the center of the press (directly under the ram) so it's straight and doesn't bind.
An arduino/fly-by-wire super soaker cannon would be a cool add on. Or a fold up/down mounted portable camp kitchen. Or mobile party system, speakers, disco ball, etc.
All are excellent ideas :)
80/20 is great for a lot of stuff. For the most part, you’re limited by your imagination
Great work
Awesome. I now now who I can send powder coating questions to. Fun isn't it? Om the spacers, I would just clean the powder off the bracket, weld the spacer to the bracket and re powder coat it. That way it would look integral and intentional.
Good call! We'll probably have some questions for you in the near future :)
I Like To Make Stuff I’ll be seeing you in the near future. Unless you mean the nearer future.
When powder coating, instead of twisting a wire through a hole in the piece, use a small metal hook, so it doesn't get in the way as much.
Mr Man you’re the man! 😁
I always like that you put your outtakes at the end of your video. Your brand is that anyone can do/build/make the things in your videos. Showing your human tenancy to err, at the end of your videos, solidifies that branding. Not everyone can make great youtube content, but you don't have to be perfect to try. Fall down 7 times, get up 8.
Heck yes. It’s 3am and I’ll never need to build a roof rack but I don’t even care I watch all your videos anyway 😂 I probably sound a bit crazy I’m sorry I am very sleep deprived
It´s going to be 4am ;-) but I hope to build a roof rack sooner or later... and also I hope to get some sleep soner, not later!
Cool idea with the 8020. I made 2 cross rails using unistrut and attach them to my factory rails (4th gen 4runner) with U bolts. I like the aluminum though, nice weight savings. I added eye bolts and use ratchet straps to hold everything down. I like how yours is made to be a pocket the sheets fit in, it helps with capturing the load to prevent sliding. The down side of my ratchet straps is I need to have enough height in the load to be captured by the straps (vs being shorter than the hooks and thus not having the straps tighten down well enough to prevent movement. The safer solution is to just get a utility trailer and then I can get what I want and not worry about a heavy load on the roof and subject to amplified angular momentum up there while driving around town. Also: I miss my pickup....
An example of why you should watch the whole video before passing judgment/commenting/etc. At the beginning of the video I was thinking "meh..." But then you slid the plywood on the rack and it clicked for me. I've wanted to add a rack to my Mazda 3 to "haul" stuff like this but for something that you can fit a sheet of plywood on they are super expensive (if they exist at all). Thanks for another great video.
If you're worried about the expense of a pre-made rack, the aluminum extrusion direction might not be a big improvement. As far as i can tell, the stuff he used in the video was a dollar an inch on 8020.net - but maybe he found something that was half that. So two 8 foot and one 4 foot section means 120 dollars for $0.50 per inch - then more for the cross pieces, which would be a bit cheaper per inch. Then you'd add the clamps and other details - looks to me like this would be well over $200 at the cheapest.
If you really want to make something cheap that can do it, just frame something up with 2x4s. Mine has slots that allow it to drop down onto the existing cross members of the roof rack so it won't slide around, and uses heavy duty duct clamps to keep it in place. You could still use toggle clamps for the lumber you're carting around if you wanted, but i just cut some slots to run ratcheting tie-down straps through. Those straps also go through the existing roof rails for just that extra security - i'm paranoid about those things coming off, but it's very secure.
T Slot extrusions are ubiquitous in the industrial world. We have an entire room dedicated to just the slot accessories, from nuts to handles and hinges.
Looks great, good job Bob! The only thing I'd add would be some plastic caps so you don't get creepie crawlies living in your tubing.
Liked for DIY powder coating! Going to look into that...
I love this channel so much I’m 14 years old and this channel just really gives me inspiration to fix up my house for my mom since she I sick and and can’t get around and since my dad isn’t always around because he is working everyday even I go to work with him but anyways I want to do the best to take care of my home and the channel makes my day keep on making these awesome videos !!!
Massive respect for your work bob always fantastic to watch
Nice solution. I made some mounts for Solar Panels and Antenna mounts with 1.5" AL tubing before, but it was very vehicle specific. I just got a new F250 with a Leer topper. Heh... here we go again. It took me a few days to see if "anyone has gone there" with the extruded AL, and I found your video. Thanks for confirming!
2 mln subscribers soon
❤❤❤❤
I think that thing flexes more than I would feel comfortable with. Plywood in fact adds to its strength (because it structurally acts like a membrane) and is misleading. Any odd shaped heavy object (like a kayak) might create a problem. Anyway, it looks very cool as always, good job!
Put eye hooks on the side so you can use ratchet straps instead of clamps
Yeah, I plan on putting some on the outsides and top edge for hooking straps to 👍🏼
I Like To Make Stuff hell you could you drawer handle s
^ This is good info and worth listening to.
The straps just need good anchor points. You can place them on the sides as well as front and back as needed. Two straps front to back and two or three side to side should hold a couple more sheets in place.
You could also do loops on the bottom to clamp down the load to the frame itself.
you stole my concept - love it. 80/20 and homemade gutter clamps. I had further idea to have additional flatbar to join the clamps side to side to make rack carry more weight. Great job.
What's the reasoning behind clamping to the rain gutter instead of the roof rails?
Thomas Sanladerer I think primarily because of the limited weight of the factory cargo racks. Plus also not needing overly complicated brackets to then get out to the full 4ft width of the sheet goods.
Yes. the built on racks max at 100 lbs but also the footprint of the rack would be considerably smaller and the main goal of this is to carry a full sheet of plywood.
Nice idea Bob but gutter mount racks decrease max weight a huge deal, and even less if you are offroad, my set of gutter mounts are only good for 30kg max offroad where roof tracks would bump it up to 75kg, have a quick search of roof rack manufacturers and you should see there, full length cages like yours are also 4 to 5 mounts a side on a wagon like that too, I wouldn't be surprised if the rated weight you have would be tiny
Rain gutter mounting is stronger, however, you have the right idea wither the mounts, but they need to be "beefed up" with maybe ribs down the sides and a bit heavier material.
This project just hit home with me. This summer at my work, I put together a testing frame utilizing this exact type of aluminum extrusion. We are hoping to put it into production this week. The lab is seriously considering replacing all of our current steel frame test stations with these extrusions. They are, as you said, extremely versatile and strong. Excellent use of material and well designed. Many happy travels with it.
Awesome job, looks great! One question though: how much load can you safely put on those rain gutters?
Hi Bob at You Like To Make Stuff. I met you at Maker Central earlier this year (bald guy with a goatee sitting in a wheelchair. I was involved in vehicle engineering in my working life before retiring with health problems. May I urge you, please, make some rubber feet/pads to fit where the mountings meet the vehicle roof gutter, maybe cutting tire inner tube to fit. Both your rack and the vehicle body will flex, over time this will cause the paint in those areas to break down and allow corrosion to start eating away the metal. The rubber will isolate the metal components from the roof gutters.
Be careful with the dissimilar metals you have on this project. The steel brackets connecting to the aluminum rails via stainless steel bolts is asking for galvanic corrosion, especially in wet and salt conditions on the road. You were smart to powder coat but the stuff usually wears off from the tightening of bolts and nuts, leaving bare metal exposed. Love the project, the truck, and the modularity of the rack :)
I did aluminium on steel brackets for a roof rack .. however I painted the steel, and put rubber in-between as a sort of anti vibration aid. I didn't think of galvanic corrosion (I'm ignorant), but I feel like it's not going to happen anyway fortunately. However there are stainless bolts through the aluminium...
This is a great idea! I have an old '50-'51 Studebaker that I'm turning into a street rod... but I can't make myself be impractical for some reason... but I digress... using 80/20 extrusions is ingenious! This could allow me to grab that "emergency" sheet of plywood without using a trailer. Thanks for the inspiration!
Really cool project! I like how you can customize this the way you want with the T-track system.
Maybe you could make a Star Wars themed rooftop cargo box to attach to this? Great work!
Gotta say I love the scientific method you used to evaluate the holding capacity of the clamps. About the same method I would have used. Great project.
You should make a double kayak rack as an add-on to the platform.
Love the Land Cruiser. I work on machinery in which the guards are usually made out of the extrusions you are using. One thing I can tell you is that they never stay together. The vibration will loosen the connectors over time. If you plan on mounting it permanently then I would have it welded down the road.
i would make an flamethrower attachment!
Bob, you should defenitely do this.
Somebody get Colin Furze on the line - I need this collab in my life!
Oh, I so want to send this to Adam Savage on twitter... Somebody please get Adam Savage the blanket invitation to add a ridiculous attachment to this.
Someone just watched a Furze video today.
how do you now
You requested ideas for things to add to the roof rack... How about solar PV panels? I tow a Casita travel trailer with 1) does not have much space for PV panels, and 2) I usually would prefer to park it in the shade. By mounting the PVs on top of the tow vehicle, I can position the tow vehicle in the sun, and I can make the panels tiltable. While I am driving and towing, I can hook them up so I am charging minimizing the electrical load I put on the tow vehicle.
Why not attach it to the rails? The rain gutter doesn’t look like a good idea.
Also, why aren’t you heating the metal before bending it? Wouldn’t that lessen the stress and make the bend stronger?
A tip for your press brake.
When doing multiple parts at any angle make one as a pattern (as you did). Then put it in the press brake with a stopper in the vee-block. This will make all the bends the same. You may have to shave a little off the stopper to account for spring-back of the parts. If the twists you should use a stopper on each side to prevent the twist.
Nice job on the rack!
I cool project would be to make a foldable camping tent, and put it on the roof rack.
roof tent definitly :)
I thought the same :D
Do it!
Yes it would be a cool project
@@baderalhazmi4340 Yep
Mobile Ham Radio antenna mast, is one thing. Now that the base is constructed, add plywood and this becomes a base for a tent. I really Love the ability to carry sheet goods. Every one has seen or struggled with transporting sheet goods on the family car... lol.. I also see a platform for a telescope or camera tripod, as some shoreline shots are impossible with a fence around the perimeter. I always climbed on top of my car roof with my tripod to take pics over a fence. Anyhow, great video.
There is no wrong type of hammer! There are only too small hammers!
Blue Eye Woodworking stop! Hammertime!
To quote a certain podcast, "everything is a hammer."
Aaron Schmidt
Even my mobile😂
Dino Lino been there done that 😜
My pool noodle hammer doesn't seem to work, i think it's broken.
If you are going camping having a motorized LED light mounted on your system and a remote unit inside to control it will be excellent. Sometimes at night it is handy to be able to move the light without actually getting out. Also gopro camera gear can be fitted more securely. Everyone that ever drove in real outdoor situations know that sometimes cameras just get lose. With this that will not easily happen. Having a Go pro on the motorized LED can be a great addition as it will record everything the lights sees Especially handy while filming at night while inside the motor vehicle
Be sure to put some rubber wrappers around those feet to avoid scratching your car.
Maarten Sneep those rain gutter mounts look a bit flimsy for my taste. If you stood on the plywood and started shifting left and right you can see if they are ridged enough so they don’t fold. I’d put a flange on the edges. Look at the Thule gutter mounts.
Just my thoughts. Nice rack design.
Agreed, with the racks we used (on a Renault 4, way back…) the attachment points were from U-profiles, much more rigid.I also think that the feet had a bit of play to allow them to rotate to the profile of the gutter (front to back), and the clamps had little ramps (or rather the struts had those), to pull the clamps up in addition to in to hold even better.
In any case look in the owners manual of your car to see what the maximum mass is that you can put on the roof. It may be far less than you think.
Maarten Sneep yes agree. Some of the cars I’ve had had a 160 lb limit in the factory roof rack.
Nice job on the rack! I'm sure you'll never see this comment, but a tip for bending metal in the vise. Use a combination Mapp/propane torch to heat the part up where you're going to bend it before taking the hammer to it. That torch will be plenty hot enough for 1/8" and slightly thicker.
Hello! I would like to see where you passed the wiring of the LED bar. Thank you very much and keep it up!
I was thinking electrical unistrut material are thin walled emt conduit tubing but yours is SO MUCH NEATER, CLEANER AND JUST AWESOMELY VERSATILE!!
How much did this ending up costing? Need to make one for my FJ
Way easier just to buy one, not only that will work better, it will look better!
roof top tent with a deck to stand on at events.
Your channel and projects show that you can make the world your own, one step at a time, project by project. That is an amazing thing to realise! :D
Gatling gun enough said.
Dustin Hughes wow
Dustin Hughes: LMBO!!
My Legacy sedan has the same rain gutter system and frame-less windows. So I have to use a clamp style roof rack and crossbars from Yakima! I've been wanting to make a low profile roof rack without the need for roof rails. This idea is perfect, and I can't wait to get started on planning it out!
Cheers!
Re: "the wrong hammer"
It must be exhausting having to preface things you're doing because you know some smart alec in the comments will weigh in. They ruin everything! Love your stuff, wrong hammer or not! 😉🥪
One day AI will be able to detect smartarse comments and delete them immediately. Then vloggers won’t have to preface with apologies.
I know someone that collects hammers the last I heard he had over 500 different types
Awesome project Bob! I've built a lot of projects using 80/20, but I never thought of something like this! Just a bit of advice though... I recommend using some thread lock or lock washers because the 80/20 fasteners tend to come loose, and with vibrations of driving down the road you might run into some issues of things coming loose. Keep up the great videos!
I specifically watch aluminum extrusion build videos as a Mechanical Designer to get ideas. It makes me think of the entire process. Designing is only part of the battle. Sometimes the assembly portion is forgotten about which makes the assembler’s job difficult or impossible
I too recommend some kind of thread locker
A Gatling gun probably.
You might want to reinforce the brackets that go from roof rack to rain gutter. That single bend will buckle. Cut another flat piece brace. Add it in like a “T”. Cool vid. Keep it up
Surely I would make some attachment loops to use a rope to tight up all the goods!😉
This is EXACTLY what I want for my VW Camper van.
Nice bulky appearance but light weight.
Only concern I have for you is if you're on the highway would those pieces of ply catch some wind and threaten to break free. Personally, I'd get some flat stock maybe 3 or 4 inches wide, and as long as the rack is wide, and bolt it to the underside, to prevent the wind hitting your windshield from blowing the ply like playing cards from underneath, and then maybe fashion another piece of flat stock on a piano hinge to top side to act as a spoiler on the top of the ply, maybe add a single adjustable nylon strap and buckle from the front of the rack around to the back for that extra insurance of piece of mind. Only reason I say this is because I've been on the highway with mdf on a steel work rack and you can feel it act like a parachute and always felt a little unnerving.
That said, get video again
I know in the past you've been critical of your own welding technique but your welds look great Sir.
You need to add a mounted water balloon cannon.
YES!
When I was a teen, I went to the junk yard and bought a second windshield washer pump system... added it in the trunk and attached the sprayer to the bumper (facing upwards). I'd spray anyone who started tailgating me. Which did result in some guy punching me in the face once... but it was worth it.
Plus a large water gun like E&K...basically just make a Batmobile
I'm planning on making a custom roof rack too. I was going to add a flood light for each door when opened, rear backup/flood lights, a hi lift, and maybe another spare tire. Water and fuel jugs would b cool too.
I'm not sure if you have ever mentioned, but what headphones are those? I assume they double as hearing protection while you work?
EDIT:
Nevermind. If I'd taken the second to check your equipment link I'd have found them. :P
I would fit an awning, that would make a good shelter for camping or a good maker tent for out door events, top job Bob
You could have saved a lot of time and effort just strapping a bed frame to your factory luggage rack.
I've really been enjoying your videos. You show each step and concisely explain what your doing.
What's also nice is you make your projects look nice and not just functional.
And Bobtimus knocks a Grand Slam out of the park! Love the Tron Shirt, by the way!! You're giving me ideas for my upcoming Teardrop Camper build! Thanks as always guys, Great Job!!! Especially liked the Toggle Clamps, very clever!! Oh, and when the light bar appeared, I was about to go 'hey....' when you mentioned it! LOL
Love your idea...I like how the material you used is so universal. You have inspired me to build my own roof rack rather than spend $1100 on a big name. Here in Canada, the Prinsu roof rack is around $1100. Thanks,
Slide-in side rail height extensions for camping gear and such! Awesome video. Thanks, Bob!
Very cool Idea. I love the blank canvas of possibilities that the slots on the sides of the extrusions offer.
Love your 80 series Land Cruiser. It's a beast!
Aside of the regular Mini-gun mount, anti-zombie cannon, or goose control grenade launcher, I think you could have some fishing pole hangers on the outside of the rack, above the rain gutters. My dad used a length of 4"pvc with a threaded female and plug on one end, but I feel like something akin to a broom hanger or strap based fire extinguisher hanger would be cool, if a little exposed. Great idea and execution as always!
I'm looking at making a small van camper. This idea would be great for mounting the solar panels on, with a tilt mechanism on the panels so I could angle them to the sun. The good thing is I would still be able to keep it quite stealth with the panels sitting between the larger side and end members.
Clever rack. Those toggle clamps are genius.
I would add reinforcement to the gutter mounting because it looked wobbly if you want to carry more weight, and you could add loops for straps it would occupy less place at the top and if you go off roading it is less likely to be caught in branches and other stuff.
That's freaking awesome! I get plywood all the time and I don't have a truck. To keep costs down, I usually get my plywood cut down at Home Depot to fit in a similar size car like yours. Unfortunately, Home Depot, with their best efforts, can't always get perfect cuts. A rack system such as yours that you built is pretty slick. Now smaller cars can load plywood that would normally require a truck. I'd totally buy a model like yours if I could.
FYI Carriage bolts work really nice in 80/20 slots. The square on the carriage bolt locks it in place so you don't have to hold them with a vise grip to tighten them.
Something to check out Bob. Look at closing/weather sealing the extrusion on the ends and bolt holes. Stainless hardware + aluminum (even anodized) will potentially have galvanic corrosion happening. There's a lot of 'it depends' on this, but thought I'd give a heads up. Neoprene washers or some RTV on the bolts would be fine I'd imagine. Unsure of how to seal the ends of the extrusion though.
Love 80/20! Very popular in DIY van builds too... Works super well.
Extrusions parallel to the rain-gutters would make for a much more rigid construction since the clamps made for that would be a lot shorter with no flex, and using short pieces of extrusion as uprights to connect the gutter extrusion to the rack would make it a lot stronger and stiffer than the long pieces of 1/8 flat-stock, it would also make it a lot more modular(using more uprights to increase the weight you could carry) and ad a lot of sideways stability/rigidity, and you could print some end-caps to make the gutter rails blend quit well with the roof of the car...
Next time you make the mounting brackets weld a nut to the back side. One less piece of hardware to lose and you don't need to hold a wrench while you use the ratchet/socket. (Protect the threads from powdercoat by partially screwing down an old bolt.)
Bob...you are the man! You need to post this on ih8mud. If you are a member there, you will quickly become my favorite person! Also, LOVE the 80, but time to step it up to a 100 series! Once you get that sweet ride with the IFS, and the extra power from V8, you will quickly love owning one! Then you can make drawers and stuff for that so I can copy off of you! Huge fan, and the fact you drive a Land Cruiser makes you so much cooler than the other makers out there...including Diresta and Picciuto! 😜
Thanks Aaron! I am actually a member over there, but probably won't post it (but feel free to). I get yelled at enough on UA-cam, so I'm not super interested in posting it in another place for people to tell me what all I'm doing wrong :)
Thanks for the kind words though, I seriously do appreciate it!!
Great work Bob. Love the versatility of the design. Boring suggestions but what about an annex or folding roof off to the side for camping. Or reversing camera and lights on the back.
I put a 4x8’ sheet of plywood on top of my GTI’s VW roof rack and strapped it down (yes, I have a photo). Great for local hauling. I’d love to have something with a front guard, side rails, and a tailgate for hauling gypsum board.
Great effort and the use of the extruded aluminum is brilliant.
One suggestion for others or if you decide to revamp the attachments (apologies if this is in another comment, and thus, repetitive). I installed an ARB rack on an 84 FJ60 a while back. Their attachment legs had the ability to adjust to the height and the curve to allow for adapting them to the roof line. The main leg had vertical slots to allow for the height differences and the clamps had one standard hole and one curved hole to allow for the rotation.
Also you may consider installing some rubber pads (thick inner tube would work) between the clamps and the body. There will always be some movement and this will help prevent scratching of the paint and future rusting.
Again, great job on this and thanks for sharing!
Tip or trick I use is a bolt through washer on one side, then through a big magnet, then washer on other side of magnet. Then I separated the ground holding clamp and take the wire going to the clamp and use that between the washers on magnet. BEST grounding clamp EVER
I grew up in apartments so constructions like this is such a foreign concept to me. But man, this channel is so awesome! I’m learning a lot ;) thank you so much!
you could weld the nuts in the back side and then powder coat so you need only one wrench.
also you can grind the middle support to level with the roof and be more stable instead of putting washers.
i would also use some lockite so it the screws don't come loose with the vibration.
quick tip for your break: Put a piece of masking tape on the vertical C channel. when making a bunch of identical pieces mark the first and stop the ram at the same mark and all the pieces will be exactly the same.
This is good idea! This should also allow the rack to extend light weight 4 ft PVC pipes both sides so you can add plastic sheets as sun shades for your rest area camping around your SUV.
great work! one suggestion is to use the T-nuts that are made to be used with the extrusions that way you dont have to hold the bolt just turn it down into the nut.
An idea to help with the bend of the gutter on any vehicle. Keep the side clamps straighter and cut an oval hole which would allow the adjustment of the rack up and down.
80/20 inc is in the town I just moved from. They are awesome. I pick up parts from the home office all the time.
How 1980s for the rain gutters mount. I had a Volkswagen Passat station wagon in Europe during the 80s. Served me well for years camping and skiing in Austria, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Mounts never loosened and were rockstars at holding loads.
Cool idea! I might hit each of the bolts with a dab of lock-tite to reduce loosening from vibration. Maybe I'm just too paranoid. Looks great and lots of opportunities for add-ons!
Aluminum Lego Rack 😁. Very Nice built. Wish we have this kind of material easily acessible here in Brazil