custom roof rack material idea's

[Blackfell]

I have been looking at roof baskets and most of the ones I find are $250 or more. I have decided top make one myself. I am unable to weld and don't want to pay someone to build one. What material would you suggest for a custom basket? The only one I have came up with so far is copper tubing. Any advice would be great.

 

[DeadMoney44]

Mine will not be a basket, but I'm doing a rack for a roof top tent out of an aluminum ATV ramp. Not my idea. Found on here or expeditionportal.com

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

Copper tubing would not be a great idea, it will dent and bend very easily, and look like copper tubing. Your best, non welded, bet may be EMT from a hardware store. You can buy a manual bender for 40 bucks or so (then return it) and piece it together using elbows or connectors sold right there with the tubing. Anything that's not welded will flex though, the more joints or pieces, the more flex.

 

[ARC]

I have been looking at roof baskets and most of the ones I find are $250 or more. I have decided top make one myself. I am unable to weld and don't want to pay someone to build one. What material would you suggest for a custom basket? The only one I have came up with so far is copper tubing. Any advice would be great.

What are you planning to use it for?

 

[Blackfell]

Spare tire and camping gear. That's about it. The spare tire will only be up there until I get a rack for the back bumper.

 

[ARC]

Spare tire and camping gear. That's about it. The spare tire will only be up there until I get a rack for the back bumper.

I would say put the spare up there using the stock cargo rack and keep the camping gear inside. Copper is not going to work for you. I bet you would be better off making it out of PVC then copper, but wouldn't recommend either.