DIY "Gobi Style" Roof Rack Build
- Thread starter jakerunner
- Start date
jakerunner
New member
By the time I add up materials, hardware, and paint, it looks as though my build cost about $300. And I had most of the tools I needed, so I was able to avoid any major costs there. It was probably about 50 hours of labor altogether. Though I won't be ordering a rack from Gobi, I can understand why they charge what they do. They also work hard to protect their patent, which means lots of legal $
jakerunner
New member
Rack looks really good. Very encouraging. I bet if you did a few you would cut the hours way down. When are you going to start taking orders
jakerunner
New member
Rack looks really good. Very encouraging. I bet if you did a few you would cut the hours way down. When are you going to start taking orders
For sure, I imagine the next one would take more like 25 or 30 hours.
In order to stay off of Gobi's turf, I better not offer to sell these to anyone, but there might be something reimagined in the near future. :biggrin2:
ehcanadian
New member
looks awesome! Whats the weight approximately around if you had to guess?
Open source your build file
Curious if you would share your file(s). As you mentioned, the price of a gobi is steep compared to material cost alone. I know not all members have the tools to complete this on their own, but an open sourced build with community feedback would be awesome.
Gotta love a little drive and elbow grease! Love it
TRev
Curious if you would share your file(s). As you mentioned, the price of a gobi is steep compared to material cost alone. I know not all members have the tools to complete this on their own, but an open sourced build with community feedback would be awesome.
Gotta love a little drive and elbow grease! Love it
TRev
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jakerunner
New member
If I had to guess, probably 80 pounds including brackets and the sunroof insert.
ToyRunner4Me
New member
looks almost like WMW except for the ladder. nice job .. it's to know how to weld ..
ehcanadian
New member
Awesome thank you! I'm in the process of making one out of aluminum pipe/ expanded, but weighing (no pun intended) my options for a steel build
[MENTION=150728]jakerunner[/MENTION]- next time around (or maybe you still have) can you capture a Bom with links to sources, cut list, special notes.
Eventually we can get down into the nitty gritty with welding parameters specifics.
And others chime in with their experience, tips, tricks, tribulations.
Thanks again for the files
Eventually we can get down into the nitty gritty with welding parameters specifics.
And others chime in with their experience, tips, tricks, tribulations.
Thanks again for the files
jakerunner
New member
Very cool!
The reason I chose steel over aluminum was
a. I don't like welding aluminum
b. I've had difficulties getting paint to stick to aluminum in the past
c. It would have been more expensive for me
If you get it built, I would love to see! Next time I take my rack off for retouching paint, I will weigh it, I'd love to get a weight comparison.
Best of luck
This is incredible man! I've been dreaming for years of doing this for my 3rd gen after buying a cheap welder for my sliders and messing around in Creo at work. Your tube bending method is ingenious, not wanting to buy a tube bender was one of my holdups. How much force does it take to actually bend the tubing once you have it in your jig?
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Apex Overland
New member
Nice work!!! gonna have to steal the wood bending jig idea for some projects ive got coming up....
jakerunner
New member
It takes a decent amount of force to get the bend started, but then it gets easier (doesn't take more than one person at any point). It was EXTREMELY important that the bending bucks were mounted to a piece of plywood, as it gives good leverage. If you have a solid, immovable table that the plywood can get clamped to, even better.
jakerunner
New member
Go ahead, please steal! I'm very jealous of your rig, honored to contribute :fro:
I drew up that shape in Fusion 360, then sliced it into 1/8" pieces which I laser cut out of birch plywood, with 1/4" bolts going through. Mine are 6 inch radius, I made some 3 inch radius too, which are WAY too tight to bend without kinking.
I will be experimenting with tighter radius, it may necessitate the whole sand-packing method to prevent kinking (which I'm not looking forward to, at all).
jakerunner
New member
An update,
I apologize, I had to pull my design files. After some research, I have realized just how thorough Gobi has been in their intellectual property procurement process (they're maniacal, clearly) and based on how far reaching their patents are, I don't understand how ANY company can build a roof rack of any kind without getting sued by them. Frankly, I think their patents are unacceptably broad, but I'm not the USPTO.
I am a college student, and do not have the time nor money to fight them should they decide I'm hurting their business, and it could be argued that by providing design files, I am. :ybrick:
I still want to put together an open-source roof rack project. For it to be done right, it needs a legal foothold though, to keep contributors safe. If anyone has the resources or knows a lawyer who could help us create something that doesn't infringe on Gobi's patent, and actually get it official "open-source" status to protect it, please get in touch with me.
I am happy to continue to provide info on my build, short of providing drawings or design files. No matter what, more info to come.
Cheers
I apologize, I had to pull my design files. After some research, I have realized just how thorough Gobi has been in their intellectual property procurement process (they're maniacal, clearly) and based on how far reaching their patents are, I don't understand how ANY company can build a roof rack of any kind without getting sued by them. Frankly, I think their patents are unacceptably broad, but I'm not the USPTO.
I am a college student, and do not have the time nor money to fight them should they decide I'm hurting their business, and it could be argued that by providing design files, I am. :ybrick:
I still want to put together an open-source roof rack project. For it to be done right, it needs a legal foothold though, to keep contributors safe. If anyone has the resources or knows a lawyer who could help us create something that doesn't infringe on Gobi's patent, and actually get it official "open-source" status to protect it, please get in touch with me.
I am happy to continue to provide info on my build, short of providing drawings or design files. No matter what, more info to come.
Cheers
pmostaghim
New member
oh boy. this is awesome. thanks so much for the write-up!
super jealous of the DIY-power ya got :llama:
super jealous of the DIY-power ya got :llama:
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