I apologize ahead of time for no pics right now as I'm just in the designing stage right now. I will put pics up and do a write-up while I'm building it. Right now it's being put off being built until I get a new R/C Helicopter and front Coil spacers as my Jeep is leaning forward right now. I'm going to get a friend to draw it up in CAD and ill post pics of that when I get it.

So far my design is going to be made of 1" square steel tubing. The base is going to be 71" x 50". The side will be 5" tall with 3" inbetween the top and bottom. towards the front I am going to have it come up 2 inches and have a little overhang which I will mount 4 lights to upside down. I also want to mount 2 lights on the backside as well. The rack will be mounted using the gutter and as low as possible. I will be putting in a spot for a spare tire to go up there, shovel, axe, high lift jack, standard stuff. I'm also probably going to be putting in a piece of sheet metal to make the bottom a whole surface instead of just have bars going across.

Will appreciate any comments or suggestions.

 

Here is my quick drawing of it. once i get the CAD drawing done, it should look a lot better. I might have my friend make a really bad cherokee in cad and put the rack on it just to see what it's like

 

Looks good. Just a question, but why the sheet metal bottom? How about using some kind of steel mesh instead? I'd be worried about it holding water, etc., with the sheetmetal floor.

 

well i dont even know if i will do that yet, and if i did i sould probably drill holes in it at some places. i had already thought of that after i posted. i will probably start this project once i get my tax return, and after installing the coil spacers

 

Got the CAD picture. will upload today when i get home. He messed up on my design on the front. but he's fixing that and I think I'll be making some changes on the front anyway to try and save some weight since this will be made of steel. I'm ordering my muffler and coil spacers now, and then the build of the rack can start.

 

Ordering JCR gutter mounts (6) now, can't wait

 

Yeah I would use expanded metal for the 'floor'.... its cheap and strong and well let your tools and stuff dry out instead of sitting up there in water.
I'm interested in the build...I'm thinking of doing a similar one.
Good luck!

 

Yeah, I don't think I'm going to use sheet metal anymore. I'm probably just going to leave it how it is with about 1 foot spacing towards the back (will put spare tire there eventually) and then about 6" towards the front for storage. the CAD picture shows what it'll look like a lot better than my crappy drawings. If you want I can send you the designs for it so you can use it/modify it to your liking. I think when I'm done and if all turns out good I might start making these and selling them if people like it.

 

True.
Sounds like a plan!

 

Here is the CAD version 1 of my roof rack. edits that will be made include
-elimination of a bar in the front (going across) they were in the way of lights (mistake of my friend
-elimination of some of the bottom bars so it's 1 foot spacing about in between the bars
-changing the front side so it doesn't have many bars/so complicated (to save weight) but may add them back in. i don't know.

 

Ordering a new muffler tomorrow, then I need to fix my four wheeler, then the build begins.

 

got my tax return, ordering jcr gutter mounts tomorrow, and now to find the best price on steel, and find out exactly how much i need and i can start building. should be done in less than 2 weeks

 

Update!

got all the cross beams. tonight going to figure out exact lengths of stuff for the rest and get the rest tomorrow! should be done by next weekend

 

This build consists of
71" - 2 pieces
60" - 2 pieces
48" - 10 pieces
18" - 2 (cutting to fit, its the angled piece) see pictures
12" - 2 (cutting to fit, other angled piece, thats shorter) see pictures
6" - 2 pieces
5" - 2 pieces
4" - 1 piece
3" - 16 pieces

Will take pics of it, and build process.

 

will post pics of all the pieces after I get them. maybe a quick mock up too