gravelRX Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Finally got around to building a roof rack for the wagon. 60.00 worth of steel and 6 hours later I'm sporting it on the car. Haven't gotten around to building the gutter rail clamps yet and need to get the correct length bolts for the hold downs. Next time I will use a thinner walled square tubing and clean it up a bit more before painting. I'm going to incorporate a place in the front for foglights and a spare tire mount on the next one too. Eh, not to bad for a first try I think. Comments, good or bad, are welcome. Regards, Jay Going to be building front brushguards and swingout spare tire carriers when I get into my new garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogsubie Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Nice job! I would never have guessed that was your first attempt. That looks like something you'd buy from a manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 beautiful!!! i want one !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMeatWagon Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 wow truely does look professional... nice one man. How much did it cost in materials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkx Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 thats pretty sharp! i have one small critique though. if youre going to add a light bar to it, i would move the front mounting bar closer to the front of the rack, to safeguard against vibration throwing your lightbeam all over creation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted September 15, 2004 Author Share Posted September 15, 2004 Thanks for the compliments. Cost was 60.00. The next one won't be as expensive as I have leftover steel from this go and I'm going with thinner walled tubing. Someone has made these before. Who was it? I'd like to copy the half surround for the spare tire but want to give credit for the idea. Next rack will have a 'Yakima like' flat angled front with notches for the lights so they don't protrude over the top of the rack. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XSNRG Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGodfada Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Yeah Man! Hey when you get that Rear Spare tire rack hammered out, drop me a line. I want the best but lack the skills:lol: . But all in all for a first attempt and doing all the fab work by yourself. Only one word to describe it...DAMN! Shaun...DaGodfada:brow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Good form sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75skunkaroo Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Thanks for the compliments. Cost was 60.00. The next one won't be as expensive as I have leftover steel from this go and I'm going with thinner walled tubing. Someone has made these before. Who was it? I'd like to copy the half surround for the spare tire but want to give credit for the idea. Jay soobme -mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwoens Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Hey Jay...looks awesome!! I think it will really come together once you get some lights up there also I just put yakimas up on top and built custom mounts for lights that mount to the yakimas. Then I used the ski/snow board holders for my fly rods while fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky_pete Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Looks good, nice work. One of these days I've got to get around to learning how to weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushbasher Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 it looks very good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swisscheese Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 How are you attaching it to the roof? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted September 15, 2004 Author Share Posted September 15, 2004 Right now it's bolted to the outermost roof rails. Not the best way but I wanted to get it home and out of the shop. I have designs on gutter rail holddowns but have yet to get the free time to build them. I wouldn't trust the current mounting for much weight but it's attached. Probably hold whatever the factory rails are rated, weight wise. I have a jig set up to duplicate this rack without too much problem and wouldn't mind building these for a bit of a profit, but shipping them would be the big deal killer. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Best looking rack I've seen in a long time:brow: It's inspirational! Nice Work!!! Glenn 82 SubaruHummer---custom rack 01 Forester---factory rack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykeys Toy Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 you could move west to accomodate your clients which would cut down on shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 That rack looks real good, and very sturdy. It looks pretty short, and you may not want to attatch lights directly to it. You might want to fabricate a light bar that you can adjust, that way your lights aren't restricted to the rack. Definatly a job well done! -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidv Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Nice work! anybody have any suggestions for a rack that would hold a 12' two person sea kayak for my girlfriends legacy sedan ? Dont own the kayak yet as she doesnt think the soobi could haul it...I say otherwise. I think this may be a ploy to upgrade to a s/w or worse - some kind of pick-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 Nks, I just reread your post and understand what your saying now, I agree. Brian, Wondering if the lights set that far back on the roof and that low would illuminate the road well? Sure would light up the top of the car. My thought was to put them on the lower crossbar of the next one I build. I really don't want them to stick up above the top of the rack, more integrated. thinking the next rack will be a -+foot longer to position the front of the rack about center of the front door. I like your idea of a light bar addition. I could wire it up to be removable too. Thanks for the compliments. Regards, Jay **Looking at the lift kits that are being built. It just doesn't seem that hard to do. The info on them seems to be quite proprietary, so I'll end up making mistakes that could be avoided if it was shared. Then again I haven't really asked anyone for advice either. Maybe I should. Hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykeys Toy Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 If/when you do the removable light bar. Think about little deflectors so that the lights dont illuminate your windshield as well. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelRX Posted September 16, 2004 Author Share Posted September 16, 2004 Don't think I've seen the light deflectors. Do you have a picture for reference? J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykeys Toy Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 It is more a less a plate for under the light just to keep it off the windshield. its a bigger prob. with Brats T-tops. It could give you a mounting point if you wanted to use a couple 1/4" round bar to deflect stubborn branches and whatnot. just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark7901 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Right now it's bolted to the outermost roof rails. Not the best way but I wanted to get it home and out of the shop. I have designs on gutter rail holddowns but have yet to get the free time to build them. I wouldn't trust the current mounting for much weight but it's attached. Probably hold whatever the factory rails are rated, weight wise. I have a jig set up to duplicate this rack without too much problem and wouldn't mind building these for a bit of a profit, but shipping them would be the big deal killer. Jay Id like to bolt something on like this..(more of a light bar). How/Where would you determine the best spot to bolt this to the roof of the car. Are there rails that are under the actual roof that I can blot right too? and how did you find them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobme Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Shiping is not as bad as U would think. (I ship 1-3 of them a week) But it can't be all 1 pice like that to ship it. Has to have some way of breaking down. I don't want to give away ALL of my trade secrets, but if U have ever seen 1 of mine U will see how to make it just as strong, but still break down. That's very similar to what I sell, but I don't recomend using the stock rail mounts any more. They like to start pulling out of the roof when U get a load on the rack, and they will not suport as much weight as the rain gutters will. And that is a NICE RACK Just had to get that in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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