DIY: Ultra Low Profile Custom Rack / Crossbars for OEM TE Roof Rails

[Terrapod]

A little note about me and my background.

I am a 20+ year industrial design veteran. In my professional career I have designed everything from Olympics venues to POP displays for trade shows and retail. At home, I tend to take things even further as like to tinker in my basement shop.

I have built everything from custom Porsche race cars to custom parts to OR trailers. I love working with my hands and keeping my design mind fresh with new interesting ideas.

At first, I wanted to create a business designing custom off road micro campers, but...I simply have more fun making this stuff for myself and sharing it. Besides - there are far too many folks out there trying to get rich off of us. Why not do it for good karma?

cheers,
C

 

[Terrapod]

any concerns about corrosion? looks like you are mixing carbon steel, ss and aluminum. maybe just throw some anti-seize on

Some...but minor, IMO. You will need to treat/coat the steel to prevent rust and heavy corrosion (powder coat for the best results). The others should be a-ok in the elements. Reference - the trailer's rack has been awesome to date. I am very pleased with the results.

I also anticipate that a re-tightening of the bolts will be required after some hot/cold cycles have occurred.

C

 

[weiasian]

Really Nice trailer, Is the CVT trailer axle less?

 

[Terrapod]

Really Nice trailer, Is the CVT trailer axle less?

Sure is and thank you. Overall - the CVT is a really nice trailer. I scored a previously owned one and immediately got to work modifying it. IMO, I don't think I would ever buy one new. They are really pricey ($7800) new.

My one complaint is about the back gate. I have had to bust my ass coming up with a solution to seal up the many gaps from the elements. I think I got it solved.....but whoever came up with that design should be smacked with a tire iron. :tape2:

C

 

[KEVIN C.]

I was thinking the same thing just a couple of weeks ago while looking at alternatives for cross bars from Rago and LFD off-road. I don't want heavy steel bars and am glad to see someone run with this idea in aluminum extrusions. I eagerly look forward to the results. Subscribed.

 

[Terrapod]

I was thinking the same thing just a couple of weeks ago while looking at alternatives for cross bars from Rago and LFD off-road. I don't want heavy steel bars and am glad to see someone run with this idea in aluminum extrusions. I eagerly look forward to the results. Subscribed.

Me either. Not to mention the price they want for CNC cut / bent steel. :mmph:
It is crazy easy to make all that. Can you say ridiculous profit margin?

There is a lot of overcharging going on out there. So...why not offset it with some good mojo?

 

[TodiN]

Hello:

I am interested in this workup. If I recall from when I powdercoated my rails the stock side rails (front to rear orientation) are not parallel but start maybe an inch narrow and widen toward the rear of the vehicle. Something to bear in mind.

I thought I'm going crazy here when I bought my 4R, looking at my car's roof...

 

[TodiN]

Impressive! I am definitely subscribing to see where you go with this...

+1 - this is awesome :cheers:

 

[KP Texan]

Great work man! Subscribed to see where this project ends up! I've been looking at buying some factory crossbars, but may very well go this route.

Just out of curiosity, I put a laser on my factory rails a few minutes ago and the spacing ended up being 1021mm at the rear and 1022mm at the front, so pretty close to perfectly parallel.

 

[jahdai42]

tagged for the final result.... something I would like to attempt.

 

[HighTechAddict]

Very cool idea, and thanks for sharing.

I look forward to doing something along these lines myself. Would be nice to have a flat platform on the roof that is easily adaptable to multiple attachments. I don't need super heavy weight capacity at this point, and definitely can't justify the cost of an aftermarket rack. This sounds like a great alternative.

Subscribed!

 

[e60ral]

Very cool idea, and thanks for sharing.

I look forward to doing something along these lines myself. Would be nice to have a flat platform on the roof that is easily adaptable to multiple attachments. I don't need super heavy weight capacity at this point, and definitely can't justify the cost of an aftermarket rack. This sounds like a great alternative.

Subscribed!

Look at the LFD Ruggedized crossbars

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Terrapod]

Look at the LFD Ruggedized crossbars

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Looked at those carefully. Since you mentioned them, allow for my unbiased professional critique:


- Design: Functional, but the raised portion versus the side rails is a design miss. Not diggin it... But as they say "...beauty is in the eye...". Slim and trim would be the way to go here. Now...if there was a nice bevel at the end of the crossbar down to the rail...cool. The straight sides with the 1" raised portion does not make me smile. But I also understand why they did it. (Rago's)

- Material: Steel....because it's easy. Looks like 1/8" to 3/16" sheet steel CNC cut and then bent. Cost of materials = cheap, time to produce = cheap.

- Weight: Curious on the total weight of 4 cross bars.

- Cost: $80 per bar? Why not a set?


Lastly...just curious. Is that your grey 4runner on the home page of their site?

I'm not selling anything. I simply make stuff to help folks. When someone offers up a properly made piece with a reasonable profit margin of 30-40%...then I'll not give them a hard time.

C

 

[TodiN]

Thanks for the material list and web links. I've been looking for 10x20 (30) cheap HW accessories for a long time now but could not find good prices.
Thanks again for this thread

 

[Terrapod]

Thanks for the material list and web links. I've been looking for 10x20 (30) cheap HW accessories for a long time now but could not find good prices.
Thanks again for this thread

You bet. Stay tuned. I should be receiving the parts in the next couple days. I do not expect the assembly to take a ton of time. (Although...now that I think about it, the drilling of the plates might.) :suspicious:

Stay tuned.

 

[honda250xtitan]

Awesome rack, and awesome'er trailer. I was thinking the other day i'm going to build a Prinsu'ish rack on my trailer so it matches my 4runner Prinsu rack....and you already have done so lol. I think i've seen your trailer build on Expedition Portal or Ih8mud

Makes me actually wanna start on the trailer, i have the frame mapped out on my garage floor with tape lol.

 

[e60ral]

Looked at those carefully. Since you mentioned them, allow for my unbiased professional critique:


- Design: Functional, but the raised portion versus the side rails is a design miss. Not diggin it... But as they say "...beauty is in the eye...". Slim and trim would be the way to go here. Now...if there was a nice bevel at the end of the crossbar down to the rail...cool. The straight sides with the 1" raised portion does not make me smile. But I also understand why they did it. (Rago's)

- Material: Steel....because it's easy. Looks like 1/8" to 3/16" sheet steel CNC cut and then bent. Cost of materials = cheap, time to produce = cheap.

- Weight: Curious on the total weight of 4 cross bars.

- Cost: $80 per bar? Why not a set?


Lastly...just curious. Is that your grey 4runner on the home page of their site?

I'm not selling anything. I simply make stuff to help folks. When someone offers up a properly made piece with a reasonable profit margin of 30-40%...then I'll not give them a hard time.

C

well i was responding to the person i quoted who was asking for features the LFD bars offered, no reason for you to be offended

the raised portion that you don't like is important if you ever want to carry something wider than the rack (sheet goods for example). having the bars sit higher also allows you to easily get tools under the bar or pass straps under them, this is difficult to do with the stock bars (and will be even harder with your bars that will sit lower than the factory bars)

you can buy them in a set, and you get to pick what size set you want

 

[Terrapod]

well i was responding to the person i quoted who was asking for features the LFD bars offered, no reason for you to be offended

the raised portion that you don't like is important if you ever want to carry something wider than the rack (sheet goods for example). having the bars sit higher also allows you to easily get tools under the bar or pass straps under them, this is difficult to do with the stock bars (and will be even harder with your bars that will sit lower than the factory bars)

you can buy them in a set, and you get to pick what size set you want

Quite the contrary...not offended at all. Each to their own.
My preference is simple. Clean, sleek, well-thought-out design.

:cheers:

 

[Terrapod]

Awesome rack, and awesome'er trailer. I was thinking the other day i'm going to build a Prinsu'ish rack on my trailer so it matches my 4runner Prinsu rack....and you already have done so lol. I think i've seen your trailer build on Expedition Portal or Ih8mud

Makes me actually wanna start on the trailer, i have the frame mapped out on my garage floor with tape lol.

Thanks. :thumb:
I am tempted to sell it and build a truck bed. We'll see.

C

 

[Terrapod]

Brown Santa arrived. Hardware is here.

C