Homemade roofrack for JLUR

[RubenZ]

Hey thats pretty darn good. I have a Lincoln 175T MIG welder and like you I like to make my own stuff but yours is so dang CLEAN compared to my stuff lol.

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[JimL]

Hey thats pretty darn good. I have a Lincoln 175T MIG welder and like you I like to make my own stuff but yours is so dang CLEAN compared to my stuff lol.

Thanks for your note. I have another tip for anyone building something that uses those forward, cowl-side mount points. Those short sections of body part (the curved over piece) are made of plastic with an aluminum insert bonded into the mount bolt holes. I had to use 8mm metric studs, grade 8.8, in order to maintain enough torque to keep the studs and spacers from fretting in the two holes. After a couple weeks driving, I started hearing a squeak sound on sharp bumps. I found it was coming from the plastic panel, and I fixed it by retorqueing those Acorn nuts you see in the photos.

This may become difficult for the aftermarket because there can be a lot of leverage on that sheet metal internal mount. If it happens again, I will have to open up and build some heavy bracing from other mount points, to stiffen the stud mount points. Right now, it is good....but this has made me rethink my idea to build Jerry can mounts like we used to do on our FJ40s back in the late 60s.

 

[JimL]

Right now, it is good....but this has made me rethink my idea to build Jerry can mounts like we used to do on our FJ40s back in the late 60s.[/QUOTE]

Here is a pic, deep on the White Rim Trail in the days before this was a park!

We used to drive back in there and set up camp on top of the "toadstool" rocks....you just drove right across the gaps!

 

[Kellerellek]

Looks super good man! I can appreciate all the hard work that goes I to something like that, well done!

 

[RussJeep1]

Jim: awesome work, and if anyone can appreciate it, it's me. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/diy-no-hole-roof-rails.10580/

I love your connections to the side of the hood and bumper. Your design prevented need like I did to tap into the door hinge bolts for vertical support.

 

[RussJeep1]

Jim: what's being shown in the last picture in your initial post?

 

[JimL]

Sorry for late reply.....not so good on internet stuff. You are lying on your back, on the ground, looking up at the right rear body mount with my 1/4" thick steel rack support plate held by the body bolt. This plate has several bends in it, and a dog -leg portion welded at the outer end to reach up and support the rear rack vertical post. If you unscrew the small plastic cover at the bottom of your rear wheel well (inside fender area) you will understand what must be done to support the rack INDEPENDANT of the frame. That small section of liner just has three 8mm head screws holding it.

It must not touch anything solid mounted to the frame or the noise in your dash/cowl will drive you crazy. That is really the most important picture in the entire rack build series. It was what I solved first, and everything else builds from that mount. After forming that plate, you must heat it and quench it several times to make it very, very stiff.

 

[Kenny]

Thanks for the replies, I don't like powdercoat on most of my projects because I often find a need to add features or make small mods. Powdercoat is to hard to get off when you want to weld stuff and it is pretty tough to match. Hammerite holds up well and can be softened with lacquer thinner even when it is old and sun baked.

There is no way I want to build more of these at my age! This took me over 6 days to build and it is really tiring. My "JD Squared" tubing bender is the hand power model and each of those radiused bends you see is 11 hard pulls on the ratchet bar. That main rail is made from only two pieces, so there are only two weld joints on it (I was working with 20 foot long tubing and having to pull it out and reset after each bend). Calculating the tubing draw, start points, and result width is a dfficult process when you dont want something made out of a bunch butt welds.

The key items to creating your own stuff is the large "welding blanket" to cover the car (a real one, that actually works), and an overhead electrc winch on a roller track (to help you take the project on and off .....many, many times). I encourage folks to take a good look at the JD Squared bender. You can buy your own bender and good MIG welder for less than you would pay for a serious rack.

When you finish your rack, you still own your tools.....and you didnt spend any more money!

I hope you find something useful in all this.

JimL

Actually a lot there - thanks

 

[Albertabackroad]

Hey just wondering what you used to make the bends in the tubing at the rear, near the taillights?

 

[Boutch76]

The rack looks good
How much does it weight?
And it doesn't rattle at all?
I am getting a roof cage rack (Gobi Style) custom made by a machining shop for my JL 2 doors.
What I like about it is that for cheap you can install mounts for your accessories. The other good thing is that the shop is 1 hour drive in case some little mods or adjustments need to be made.

Would you have any tips or suggestions?
Thank you
Yannick

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