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my take on a nice cheap rack

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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 01:23 PM
  #1  
brookhart63's Avatar
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From: cedar rapids
Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4 ohh
Default my take on a nice cheap rack

Hello everyone. I built this rack out of 3/4 14 gauge square steel tube. The mounts are made of 3/16 inch flat steel. This isn't some dinky rack made of crappy emt. I'm an electrician and I don't trust that stuff to have any structural integrity or to support a load
Emt would be good for looks..... if your looking at it far enough away. Anyways this thing has held 500 pounds so far. And yes I'm going to sand blast and paint it. Comments or insults are welcome.





Last edited by brookhart63; Jul 7, 2011 at 01:28 PM.
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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 07:40 PM
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94 cherokee country's Avatar
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From: indiana
Year: 94
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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looks good just need paint how did you make the mounts for the roof
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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 07:45 PM
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Year: 1992
Model: Comanche
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Looks like crap..Oh wait that's my own rack I'm looking at, not yours! hahaha Add some lights and paint it and it'll look much better.
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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 08:59 PM
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From: cedar rapids
Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
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Originally Posted by Zacks98
Looks like crap..Oh wait that's my own rack I'm looking at, not yours! hahaha Add some lights and paint it and it'll look much better.
Haha no offence friend. But it needs paint bad.
As for the mounts I will post some pictures of a jig I made on my welding table
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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 09:25 PM
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From: Winsted ct.
Year: 97
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Mmmm.... I mad a crapy emt rack and threw a s**t load of camping gear on it this weekend and had no problems.my 2 cents being a electrtcian i understand you work with it BUT when you make 16" or so runs and WELD it together its pretty strong.... Again my 2 cents keep home brewing guys.

Last edited by Cujo; Jul 7, 2011 at 09:44 PM.
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Old Jul 7, 2011 | 09:28 PM
  #6  
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From: Winsted ct.
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
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Also it looks like its 4'x6' give or take and only 4 mounts ?
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Old Jul 8, 2011 | 08:10 AM
  #7  
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From: Dallas PA
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: il 6
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Originally Posted by Cujo
Mmmm.... I mad a crapy emt rack and threw a s**t load of camping gear on it this weekend and had no problems.my 2 cents being a electrtcian i understand you work with it BUT when you make 16" or so runs and WELD it together its pretty strong.... Again my 2 cents keep home brewing guys.
agree i made mine out of 3/4" emt had bout 650lbs of ppl and a 29" tire on it for the fire works held up fine and its attached to my luggage racks granted no movement on the xjs behalf but thats still a lot of weight

but back on track thats a nice rack you got there
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Old Jul 8, 2011 | 08:46 AM
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Year: 95
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Nicce job! looks familiar! If you put some expanded metal in you can walk around on it. Very strong design!




Last edited by Richliveshots; Jul 8, 2011 at 09:03 AM.
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 01:44 PM
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From: cedar rapids
Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4 ohh
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Well since there are some doubts on the strengh of this thing:

^15 65 pound landscape blocks=975 lbs.+ me (250)=1225 lbs

^Plus spare...

Side picture of blocks.


I let my work speak for itself.
Now if i see an EMT rack do that I would be impressed. I have a video to upload later of another tourture test.
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 03:55 PM
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From: Lake Orion MI
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 l 6
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looks great! i say hirculine it and call it a day
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 06:41 PM
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Year: 1992
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Haha I'm not ever going to put 1225+ lbs on my rack let alone 250 lbs..so I'm good with my jank EMT rack, but Props to you sir

But I'm surprised your rain rails didn't like rip off
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 06:59 PM
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From: Gobles Michigan
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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I am also a sparky and I did build my rack out of emt. I don't plan on driving around with landscape blocks on to of my jeep (that what a trailer is for) I use it for camping stuff and have no complaints about it. I have had a lot of people ask where I bought it just to be suprised when they hear that I made it. So if you feel that you need a rack that is that strong, thats great but don't dis people for building stuff the way they want it. Not everyone needs rackzilla on their jeeps. Yours looks very strong and will work well for you I'm sure. Keep on building.
nice color jeep by the way.
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 08:52 PM
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From: Eastern NC
Year: 93
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2
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I felt the same way about emt racks. I'm planning on building a rack out of some 3/4" rigid conduit. 4'x4' since I chopped my xj. It ought to be stronger than an emt rack and I can still bend it with a conduit bender.
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Old Jul 10, 2011 | 09:13 PM
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From: cedar rapids
Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4 ohh
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Thanks everyone for the comments/compliments. My GF painted it today while i rotated my tires and stuff. looks much better now. Pics to come later..
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Old Jul 13, 2011 | 07:19 PM
  #15  
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From: cedar rapids
Year: 99
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4 ohh
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Originally Posted by rollingstone
I felt the same way about emt racks. I'm planning on building a rack out of some 3/4" rigid conduit. 4'x4' since I chopped my xj. It ought to be stronger than an emt rack and I can still bend it with a conduit bender.
I must have missed your post. Are you talking about schedule 40 galvanized steel?
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