Custom Roof Rack Build
 

I'm looking to eventually make my own rack, somewhat similar to this one, a full roof length rack that I will either have mount to the luggage bars or to the gutter rails.

Anybody have any recommendations on materials to use?
What's the difficulty looking like? I may have access to a tube bender, so I may even do a tube styled one. Either way, just wanting to see what you guys out there that have done this before have to say.

Any helpful tips would be appreciated!

It'd be a little more basic, kind of like this. Just a basic rectangular rack, the add ons that I will be fabricating for it will be easy and make it much more unique, but I just want to make the rack itself pretty simple.

Here are 2 of my roof rack.

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That looks great! That's the idea I'm going for. I really like the mesh sort of style bottom opposed to just bars. What was the labor like to do that rack?

I used 1/2" square tubing for the frame and expanded metal for the base and a piece of angle iron for the light bar. As long as you sorta know how to weld and are able to make accurate measurements and cuts you should be fine. It took me about 10 hours or so to weld, cut and grind.

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Nice looking rack you built, very nice. I would have a small problem if it were on my Jeep where I 4wheel at lots of trees and some low hanging branches. I kept mine at the bottom of my rack with tabs welded on they were roll bar tabs. Put the tabs on the rear also for backup/work lights nice to have them.

Time wise on the rack using the smaller tubing and a hand bender about 6 1/2 hrs. not including paint or roof rail base support. It came from a friend who gave it to me as he had destroyed his rack on a low hanging tree limb going to fast. I had to do some straitening on it also.

A rack is one of those things that you do to please yourself and what you like. One thing to remember though try to keep anything heavy off of them as it makes your XJ even more top heavy and easier to turn over. Tires are very heavy like mine3 33x12:50x15's on steel wheels, my spare is mounted on the rear bumper along with my Hi-Lift.

There are many lightweight items that will fit up there to free up room in the cargo area, I'm sure that you can think of a lot to put up there I always do.

If you can do tube, I'd do it. They tend to look better IMO. That being said, I fabed one out of square tubing. Click on the link in my sig to see it.

Those look great guys! With mine, I plan on only really having my spare and maybe a spot to secure and lock a jerry can in place. I have a rack on there now with lights and a spare but I want something with more room and that will make it a little more unique. I plan on maybe having the lights staggered, two up higher in the middle, one down lower on each side, sort of a rally look. My hi-lift is mounted to my rear bumper, don't have to worry about that, and I'm only running 30" x 9.5"s right now with steel wheels, not too bad on weight. I will also be building a housing for the rear back-up/work lights instead of just tabs, make it a little different.

I have a lot more confidence in making this happen now! Thanks guys!