BlackWorksInc
New member
Taking some of the tubing to welding lab tonight to bend and cut for the back end. Will try and take pictures later tonight.
Roof Rack Design Input
- Thread starter BlackWorksInc
- Start date
Taking some of the tubing to welding lab tonight to bend and cut for the back end. Will try and take pictures later tonight.
BlackWorksInc
New member
Anyone have a tube bending chart for 1.5" tubing? I cant find one anywhere!
Djrashonal
New member
Looks like there is a 1.5" dia on this chart:
Bend Tooling's Mandrel and Wiper Charts for Tube Bending Tools
This has a bunch of info to, though it might not be what you're lookin for:
http://www.hinesbending.com/BASICTUBEBENDINGGUIDE.pdf
Maybe this too?:
Tooling Chart
FRT
New member
I've had an idea floating around in my head about lights on the rack lately, mainly because with a rack/lights, I can't fit into garages anymore, and it will be even more so once the lift is on. So here is VERY rough and quick drawing (with paint) of my idea.
Using a linear actuator to raise & lower the lights when needed. Lowered to enter the garage, or while on the highway to reduce wind noise, improve mpg, up for off-roading, showing off, etc.
Whatcha think?
Using a linear actuator to raise & lower the lights when needed. Lowered to enter the garage, or while on the highway to reduce wind noise, improve mpg, up for off-roading, showing off, etc.
Whatcha think?
Attachments
FRT
New member
Thanks =)
The linear actuators are actually pretty powerful, so... so long as the "hinge" portion along with the lamp bar are sturdy enough, you'd only need an actuator on one side, or in the middle (less wiring, less weight, fewer things to go wrong). I've used some with 12" travel to build vertical lift gates for our driveway (last house on the left had everyone turning around in our driveway.. no more tearing up our asphalt). Those are rated at about 200lbs each. The shorter travel ones are about the same, which would be more than enough to push/pull a light bar.
The windows switch idea is exactly what I had in mind. Optionally, the actuators have adjustable built-in limit/travel switches, so you can also just have an up/down with a control kit they sell. THIS is what I used to control my gates/actuators.
The same guy sells 2", 4", 8", 10" and 12" travel actuators...
You can also have a contact switch auto turn on the lights when the reach a certain point as the lights move up, and turn off when moving down.
The only problem I see with mounting the actuators pointing forward as opposed to how I have them in the drawing, is that the angle of force would be wrong on the leverage bar. You'd have to have one end the actuator mounted to the top side of the lights for that to work.... I think... I'm by no means a mechanical engineer lol. Granted that drawing sucks too...
darkie3495
Moderator
When I was designing my roof rack, I had the same idea.
Here was my inspiration (Lucrum Industries):
Lucrum Light System on Vimeo
Lucrum Lighting System Prototype Demo - YouTube
Lucrum Light System - YouTube
Other than the coolness factor, there is no application that I could think of that would require me to be able to move the lights either stationary or while driving so I scrapped it. If height is an issue, you could just run an LED light bar.
Don't get me wrong, I think the idea is bada$$ but I couldn't justify the dev time for minimal gain on my part.
Here was my inspiration (Lucrum Industries):
Lucrum Light System on Vimeo
Lucrum Lighting System Prototype Demo - YouTube
Lucrum Light System - YouTube
Other than the coolness factor, there is no application that I could think of that would require me to be able to move the lights either stationary or while driving so I scrapped it. If height is an issue, you could just run an LED light bar.
Don't get me wrong, I think the idea is bada$$ but I couldn't justify the dev time for minimal gain on my part.
BlackWorksInc
New member
Nifty idea, I like the Lucrum idea.
My idea for actuating the lights was to adjust the outer lights forward and angle.
My idea for actuating the lights was to adjust the outer lights forward and angle.
FRT
New member
The Lucrum setup is wicked, but I think it's a bit much though for my purposes =P
I'm planning on doing the covert light setup once I get the gobi/baja full length rack. What I have envisioned is something which could easily attach to most any rack with just a few mounting points. Main Light Bar on Hinged Mounting Bar, and bottom Actuator mount. So maybe just 3 main mounting points... we shall see. =)
Back to the main topic (sorry for the hijack Black), how's the rack build coming? :biggrin2:
I'm planning on doing the covert light setup once I get the gobi/baja full length rack. What I have envisioned is something which could easily attach to most any rack with just a few mounting points. Main Light Bar on Hinged Mounting Bar, and bottom Actuator mount. So maybe just 3 main mounting points... we shall see. =)
Back to the main topic (sorry for the hijack Black), how's the rack build coming? :biggrin2:
darkie3495
Moderator
This was another inspiration thread from the blue room: Articulating Roof Mounted Light System
theelectrician
New member
If you are still trying to figure out how to bend here is a good article to read:
Pirate4x4.Com
An even easier way is to get a program call Bend Tech
Pirate4x4.Com
An even easier way is to get a program call Bend Tech
BlackWorksInc
New member
For those of you who are keeping track of this project, I have some unfortunate news.
The project is currently on hold, our welding lab at the college was remodeled and they still have not unloaded everything from storage. This unfortunately includes the dies for the hydraulic bender that we have, so with no tube bender I can't finish the project. I will check in next semester if the dies get unloaded, but for now the roof rack is on hiatus.
Sorry guys...
The project is currently on hold, our welding lab at the college was remodeled and they still have not unloaded everything from storage. This unfortunately includes the dies for the hydraulic bender that we have, so with no tube bender I can't finish the project. I will check in next semester if the dies get unloaded, but for now the roof rack is on hiatus.
Sorry guys...
