Home made roof rack without welding.

So I saw a few designs for roof racks on 'jeep' (will wash my mouth out later), forums and thought that it's worth a go, since I don't have £400+ to spend on an expedition style one.

I decided I would use 20mm conduit piping for the roof rack itself and sketched out a few designs, before settling on one which is similar to the brown church style disco roof racks.
I have a conduit bender which I decided I would use, although I opted for just a flat roof rack, as opposed to the safety devices ones, which follow the disco's contoured roof because my disco has its factory roof rails fitted, which means the rack would have had to be mounted higher to account for the kink in it, and also, I couldn't be arsed.

So I set to work. The rough dimensions of the rack being approx 1400mm x 2000mm.

First thing was to create two identical rectangles to create the outside of the 'basket'. The conduit came in 3mtr lengths, so I bent 2 into a C shape and added a 300mm spacer between them to creat one rectangle, and did the same to create the second rectangle.

I used 16mm bar which slid perfectly into the conduit, and bolted through it, to form the joint.




This is the first rectangle completed and bolted together.




Next step was to create the bottom of the basket, I added 5 crossmembers running accross the width of the rack and 3 running down the length. I also bolted through each intersection of conduit, to add more strength.



I then set to work, riveting 150mm sections along each edge, in order to be the braces holding the second rectangle on.




I alternated the braces, with one rivet at the top and two at the bottom, and on the next one along, I drilled two rivets at the top, and only one in the bottom.

I used 4 braces along the ends, and 6 along the sides
Then I riveted on the top rectangle, and this is the basket completed.


With regard to the legs, they are next on the agenda. There will be 3 on each side, and will bolt on with U bolts to the x-members. They should end up looking something like this:


Tommorow I will be grinding back any long bolts, and making sure all rivets are nice and tight, and then will give it a lick of zinc oxide primer, and them satin black hammerite. I'll also be fabricating the 6 legs, and hopefully giving it a trial fit.

I'm very surprised by the strength of the thing. Before making it, I said that as long as it can hold a couple of bikes, and maybe a few kit bags I'll be happy, but today I have had it supported at each corner, and cautiously walked from end to end a few times with minimal flexing, so I'm impressed by it.

Anyway, I will update as more is done, hope it is of some interest to somebody. Cheers.

Oh by the way; The cost so far has worked out as:
36Mtrs of 20mm Steel Conduit - 55 quid
3m of 16mm Bright Mild Steel Bar - 12 quid
3mm and 1.2mm sheet steel - Free 'cos my old man scrounged it off somebody he knows
5mm Rivets and Bolts - 5 to 10 quid.

Not bad considering it's a rough and ready version of the 400 quid + ones.

Looks good - a neat idea/solution if you don't have a welder

I think I would be more inclined to have 4 fasten points on each side - as this helps to distribute the weight on the gutter rail more - I have actually changed my own design so that I have 4 that fasten to the gutter, but also additional feet between these fasteners.

Also, for your fasteners, again I would be tempted to make these up as a continuous bar that goes from one gutter to the other, and the rack sits on top of them, again this would add more strength as you cannot weld on the brackets.

A way to stop flexing would be to look at some 'weld mesh' to fit on the bottom of the rack. This could easily be fastened via bolts, even cable ties, and this will nicely stengthen it up

Please don't think I am trying to put a damper on your work, as its a great job, just trying to give a few pointers from my own experience's making racks.

pity it isnt welded as i buy one looks better than the std galv ones

my only concern is conduit wall thickness, you could ask someone who does car body repairs to run a welder round it and paint the welds with galvafroid paint

jamesmartin said:

pity it isnt welded as i buy one looks better than the std galv ones

Click to expand...

but it can be posted out flat pack!

Cheers for your points stu. I'm making up the legs tonight and will try and give it a trial fit. If I don't feel like there's much strength in there, then I'll go back to the drawing board and try your method.

The conduit has a 3mm wall thickness which seems fairly sturdy.

As it happens I do have a welder. (Well, my old man does. Not sure whether Mig or Tig, both I think?) but I've only ever dabbled with them, and never done anything load bearing. Only ever made plant pot holders etc.

The reason I opted to not weld was down to speed. I didn't want to take weeks and weeks over this. My plan was, and still is, to see how sturdy it is with rivets and bolts, and if it's a bit rickety, then tear it apart, and weld it in the future.

It would make quite a good flat pack roof rack, although I can't see anyone paying decent money for the one I've knocked up, as it's not perfectly symmetrical (about 5-10mm out), and the braces haven't been filed back perfectly etc. In hindsight, it may have been easier to weld, but I expect it would have taken a good few evening's tuition off the old man, before I could have started on the rack.

Now that it is assembled, weld it at your leisure, even a bit at a time.

No probs, just trying to help you. As for welding, I would have thought that once you get used to the welder, it will be quicker than rivets

Okay so an update;

I've made the legs. Admittedly they were slightly rushed as I intended this to be done in a week, but it's now Saturday and I haven't even trial fitted, and painted it yet, so am getting a bit impatient. You know how it is, when you have other stuff to be getting on with. Having said that there really is no rush to finish this as I'm not going to be needing to carry anything on there any time in the immediate future. I just get engrossed in a project and like to finish it in good time.

Anyway,
The legs were made by bending two bars and having them spaced by two plates. One at the bottom of the legs, one along the top edge, which the rack will be U-Bolted to. In order to attach the plate which will clamp under the gutter, I used the leftover 16mm bar, cut to a diamter of 10mm at each end, and then mounted between each of the legs, so that it can pivot freely.





I then cheated on this next bit... I welded a nut to the plates which will clamp underneath the gutter, and length of 6mm thread which ran from the plate, up the legs, and through a hole in the 16mm bar.



I then U-Bolted the legs to the roof rack loosly, in roughly the right place, with the intention of test fitting it, and then bolting the the U-bolts tight when they were in the correct place.

However, I ran into a problem. My own stupid fault really. I used 1mm (maybe 1.2mm), steel sheet, to U-Bolt the Basket to the legs through. It's far too weak and it just bent even under the force of me tightening the U-bolts up. So, it currently looks like this:



But tomorrow, I will whip off the 1.2mm sheet, put some 3mm stainless flat bar in place, which will definitely be strong enough. I will update with pics as I progress.

Once that's done, it's a coat of primer, and satin black, and Hopefully it'll be done. Fingers crossed.

Okay boys, (and girls), the racks done and has been on the car now for a few days.
After it was completed, and the feet were made, I test fitted it, painted it with black paint over about 3 days and on it went.

Pics;





I'm happy with it. It's not the best job in the world. There's the odd wonky upright, but as an amateur, and my first time doing something of this kind I'm happy enough. It's not been tested yet, as haven't had a chance to, and waiting for the paint to cure for a week or so. I think it looks okay although that doesn't mean too much. After everything it probably set me back just shy of 100 quid. I think that's reasonable. Before I painted it, with the feet on, I stood on it, and it was strong enough to take my wait walking from one end to the other. When I put it on the car, it was raining hard, I walked along it, but given the weather, and the height, I used my hands to support me, and it only bent slightly in the middle. I'm happy enough with that. Will now be looking to buy a rear door ladder, if one comes up second hand on ebay, and maybe in time, some bonnet chequer plate, to save walking across the rack too much when loading up the front end. I've heard mixed things about standing on a discos bonnet though?

Anyway for now, it's okay. Glad it's finished though

As it happens I've just won a ladder on ebay so that's hopefully sorted.

That's a tidy looking job you have done ... congrats.

Should have just used black enamel conduit

I like that, might even give it a go one day myself, being a sparky and having a few km's of 20mm conduit and a bender kicking about

That's an excellent job

Cheers guys. It seems to be holding up okay. Once the ladder arrives, I'll fit it, by then the paint should have cured sufficiently, so I'll hop up on there and bounce around a bit to see how sturdy it is. I'll keep you posted.

If anyone decides they're going to have a stab at this, let me know and I'll give you the dimensions I used, and the amount of material you'l need. In hindsight I probably would have made it about 200mm longer just because when it's on the roof, there is a bit of a gap where the rack doesn't quite reach the back of the car.

I'm on the look out for cheap spots at the moment. What are the normal size for mounting to roof racks? Presumably I want 9" spots?

Also, rear worklamps are fairly cheap, so will probably get one of them and pop it on either the rack, or on a CB gutter mount. Which is the better mount for it?