Landrover soft top roof rack project

Legscrane · Feb 4, 2016

Hi all, been thinking about making a roof/expedition rack for my S2 with full tilt. It seems there's very little available to buy - i guess its a limited market and also difficult to mount with no 'proper' roof. Anyway i made a start last week and i thought I'd post some pictures in case anyone was thinking of doing it themselves.

First of all I've re-made the rear most hoop as i will connect to this for the structure.

Then i made a front hoop to connect the rack to the bulkhead windscreen fixing points. I figured there would be some for and aft movement so this will be stopped by connecting to the rear hoop which is in turn connected to the roll bar.

Then the base of the rack, offered up flat on the floor with front hoop. I'll make another one to sit on top with 3 - 4 inch spacers so the rack will have sides.

Front hoop cut down and everthing offered up on the vehicle.....

To be continued.

neilly · Feb 4, 2016

I keep thinking about a similar project, but then I start to wonder how difficult it will be to remove and put on the tilt / bikini top.

going to be interesting watching the progress.

Cheers

Legscrane · Feb 4, 2016

neilly said:
I keep thinking about a similar project, but then I start to wonder how difficult it will be to remove and put on the tilt / bikini top.

going to be interesting watching the progress.

Cheers

Yer, definitely will be more difficult but hopefully with enough space between the rack and top it won't be a mission!

I'll get some more pics up later when I've made the upper section.

Legscrane · Feb 10, 2016

I've made the mounts for the roof rack to rear hoop, they need cutting down a little still but as you can see from the pics it doesn't interfere with the tilt at all.

neilly · Feb 10, 2016

Is that a brand new tilt?

A neat solution to the problem.

Cheers

Legscrane · Feb 10, 2016

Hello neilly,

Nah, the tilt's about 7 years old. Bought it when we used the Land Rover for our wedding.

Yer, it's the only way i can think of picking up structural points without messing around with the tilt.

Ta

neilly · Feb 10, 2016

Wow,

That looks clean for a 7 year old tilt, I take it that it has shrunk if it is going to then.

Cheers

Legscrane · Feb 10, 2016

Yer they always shrink but if you tie them on really tight before they get wet they normally are fine.

Ta

flat · Feb 11, 2016

Awesome, that's a neat idea.

Slightly off topic, but your CB mount - what sort of SWR do you get there?

I am using a magmount on a steel plate bolted to the wing (army tuaam mount) but my swr is around 2.5.

Your mount is neat

Legscrane · Feb 11, 2016

Hi flat, 2.5 sounds high?! I take it you've checked the earth and you have the insulator on the aerial stud and obvious stuff like that? I've literally just checked mine and the swr reading is 1.5 on channel 1 and goes up to 1.7 on channel 40, so i guess i could take 5mm of the whip to balance out but I'm quite happy with that.

Just out of interest was is 2.5 at channel 1 and 40?

Legscrane · Feb 26, 2016

Hi, just thought I'd put up some more pics of the roof rack build. This is the framework that makes the base; probably have a chequer plate bottom. I've incorporated a small hoop at the front to mount spotlights.

flat · Feb 26, 2016

Legscrane said:
Hi flat, 2.5 sounds high?! I take it you've checked the earth and you have the insulator on the aerial stud and obvious stuff like that? I've literally just checked mine and the swr reading is 1.5 on channel 1 and goes up to 1.7 on channel 40, so i guess i could take 5mm of the whip to balance out but I'm quite happy with that.

Just out of interest was is 2.5 at channel 1 and 40?

Yeah it was, I am waiting on a new mount to arrive and am going to run an extra earth

tomhop · Feb 28, 2016

where did you buy your tilt and sticks from? i have been looking at the exmoor one but the frame work seems very chunky and i think it will look odd with the tilt off. (if we ever get a summer up here!)

Legscrane · Mar 2, 2016

Hi tomhop,

I bought the sticks about 20 years ago when i first got the land rover. The tilt came from Allwheeltrim.co.uk; really well made and brilliant price and they do loads of different options.

Cheers

Legscrane · Mar 2, 2016

Hi just a quick update on the roof rack. Got the LED spot lights fitted and will be tacking the rack all together today. Will post more pics tomorrow.

Ben Jordan · Mar 7, 2016

Very nice, looks like you really know what you're doing - very neat job so far!

purplemk · Mar 10, 2016

Nice job, thanks for the photos, I may have a go at something similar

Legscrane · Mar 12, 2016

Thanks Ben and purplemk for the comments.

I finally got some spare time to tack it all together and make the side rails! I've attached some pics again. Not quite sure what I'm going to do for the base; just rails across or a complete floor ie. Chequer plate or something similar, thoughts anyone?

Jam1 · Mar 12, 2016

Looking good

definitely wouldn't go for chequer plate on the base personally I'd have rails with the space filled with expanded mesh.

Jam1 · Mar 12, 2016

This stuff

Landrover soft top roof rack project

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