Any DIY roof 'racks' to stand/sit on?

[brown dog]

So I want to put something on my roof so that I can stand or sit on top of the truck for photography/other purposes. I don't have the money for a fancy Gobi setup and I don't know how to weld. Does anyone have any cheap or DIY ideas for something sturdy to put on my roof so that I can stand/sit on it without worrying about damaging the car?

Bonus points for rear ladder (like the Gobi ladder) ideas because they would make climbing the car easier and also look cool. :thumb:

 

[jhguth]

cheap and easy - plywood

 

[RuskiE39]

I just purchased a cheap little $80 cargo basket from Walmart, the bars are too thin to support the weight of anybody standing on them so as mentioned above, a small, precisely cut piece of plywood should do the trick.

You'll also have to take into consideration the max weight of the cross bars. I believe the OEM cross bars warn not to exceed 125 lbs or something like that.. maybe that's just in motion?

 

[Akkording]

These would work well with boards, the redesigned models have slots now instead of drilled out holes.
LFD Off Road - Ruggedized Crossbar 5th Gen

 

[brown dog]

Not sure if I want to drive around with an ugly piece of plywood on top of my car...Akkording that bar system looks interesting, I'm gonna look into it.

 

[bane]

Not sure if I want to drive around with an ugly piece of plywood on top of my car...Akkording that bar system looks interesting, I'm gonna look into it.

If it's good enough for Ansel Adams, it's good enough for you.

 

[jhguth]

Not sure if I want to drive around with an ugly piece of plywood on top of my car...Akkording that bar system looks interesting, I'm gonna look into it.

I have the LFD bars, they are great and i highly recommend them, but to get on top of them you will need something to spread the weight between a few bars so they don't deflect. you could bolt a piece of plywood, extruded steel mesh, or even something like poultry/kennel floor that you can get online or at most farm supply stores

 

[Jetboy]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/252856-low-cost-80-20-t-slot-crossbar-diy.html

Put a piece of plywood on top or other flat material. Should easily handle 1 person's weight. I walk on the rails sometimes. Cost would be under $150 all in. If you buy 8020 brackets there's no custom parts to make. You'll need a wrench or two and that's all to install.

 

[backcountrymedic]

I’ve got an ‘06 Sport Edition with the tubular-style factory rack. I’ve removed the factory crossbars and have installed a Yakima Timberline tower system with Core bars. On top of that I have a Yakima Megawarrior basket. I’ve been pondering this very topic, and am thinking about cutting a piece of plywood to mount inside the basket. And then adding the Gobi ladder to the back for ease of access. Anyone ever try this method?

Cheers,
Jared