I'm sure this has probably been beaten to a bloody pulp but here goes anyways. I'm wanting an "olympian" style rack in the rear of the jeep. But 300$ is to rich for me. Any ideas on a solution? I'd have to bolt it together since I don't own a welder.

 

 

Can you post a bigger picture and show what you did with the brackets to make the legs?

 

 

I made this (while I was learning how to use my new welder/plasma cutter/chop saw toothed blade) to use as both a hitch mounted carrier, and inside as a rack like you want, or even as a roof rack if desired. I never did actually use it inside or on the roof tho....not yet anyway.

It allows me to open the back hatch even with a cooler on the rack, and it doesn't kill ground clearance. The Z-bar is removable form the basket for storage and interior use. it is also kinda heavy, all steel, probably in the 40 lb range.

I did have to refab the Z-bar, as in that pic, it was a 1 1/4" insert, which broke on me.....replaced it with a 2" thickwall insert, and no more breakage........but, the weight of it being so far out behind the jeep did help crack the rear frame on the inner lower corner on both sides for about 6". I stopped using it on that jeep, but do sometimes still use it on my 96.

Plans are to install some support boxes inside the stock frame rails when I replace the rear bumper, and that should prevent the cracking issue I had.