Camper Roof Rack

I figured it was about time I actually posted about one of my current undertakings. I'm a new member and most everything about me is on my new member thread, https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/long-time-looker-first-time-poster.541210/#post-17487313.

Anyhow, my current project is a roof rack. I have an extended cab and I couldn't find any racks that I was particularly crazy about so I thought about modifying a 4Runner rack or maybe an FJ rack and I still wasn't crazy about any of those ideas. Plus I didn't like the cost of those ideas. Then I took a job helping run the machine shop at my University and had the opportunity to build my own. I've been working on this project throughout the past semester, when I have time. I'm really busy between working, school, girlfriend, camping, shooting, kayaking, etc. and I just now made a TW account. Now that I have an account, I figure I should share what I've been up to.

My intended use is to carry my kayak, thus why I needed to put an airdam on the front, so the kayak won't hit the off road lights up front. I also added the rifle cases for some storage, just for bungie cords, ratchet straps, that sort of thing, or camping gear for when I go. They are attached by studs welded to the crossbars, so they can't be taken off unless the cases are opened. I put the light bar on the back since the reverse lights do kind of suck and I think it will help. I also went with square tubing so if I ever wanted to put tie downs, a high lift jack, shovel holder, etc. I would just have to drill and tap a hole, plus the square tubing was free, so that was the big plus that's allowed me to undertake this whole thing. I don't think I'll ever put a RTT on it because I don't know the actual load capacity of the shell. I opted for 200 lbs max weight and designed the rack to be about 80-90lbs, leaving me plenty of room for a kayak, but I just don't know about a RTT.

I'm at the painting point right now, I had been hoping to have it painted by tomorrow, but I had to do machine work for various people throughout the week that sucked up my time. Both the shell and the rack are going to be painted flat black. I picked up a gallon of matte black from Tractor Supply that is meant for tractors and I figure it will hold up better than bedliner, I was concerned the bedliner would peel with pressure washing, putting a kayak up, etc. I have the rack completed, beside sanding it down all the way and I have the shell prepped most of the way. There are a few holes I have to fill and a few spots I need to sand a bit more, but otherwise I should be good to paint it next weekend. I was originally just going to do the roof of the shell, but my Dad convinced me to just do the whole shell, while I'll never admit it to him, I think he's definitely right. After that just put it all together and wire it at some point.

I'm really excited about it and I think it'll be pretty badass!

 

Sweet, I plan on doing something like this to mine.

 

Great job! Any idea what it weighs vs the weight capacity of your camper shell?

 

It probably weighs about 80-100 pounds and like I said, I'm guessing 200 lbs load capacity. I wouldn't be surprised if it can take more, though. It's an "Innovation" shell and I haven't been able to find anything online about it.

 

Yep, Sorry, should of read through your entire post. I saw a pictures and went for those right away...
I'm going with a Yakima complete setup. I'd like to do something myself but I can't use the welder on my ship for anything not pertaining to work. All said and done its going to cost me about $800-$900!

 

Figured it was time for an update. I've prepped the shell for painting and i will be taping today and painting it tomorrow. Took a week to turn our "paint booth" into a paint booth, people had been using it to cut composites and there was a ton of dust that had to be cleaned out. I've also printed my conduit for the wires that are coming off the light. It's printed and in the bath now, hopefully I can have it installed for painting, but if I have to paint and install it later, I won't be heartbroken. It will be sandwiched with the fiberglass and then I'll run wires through it, to the inside, and silicon the crap out of it. Once the wires are in the shell, I'll stick a harness on it and run it through the same path as the wires for the brake light on the shell.

I don't have classes on Tuesday so i'm hoping to get the rack mostly painted then, as well as on Wednesday. Fingers crossed I can have this thing done by Friday.

 

Do you have any supports inside the topper to support the weight?

 

No I don't, when I test fitted it, it seemed to hold just fine. A friend and I even laid down on it and it was fine. If I ever get uncomfortable about it, I'll just make some supports that'll rest on the bed rail and arc up to the bolt on points.

 

Shell is all painted up! Probably put back on the pickup Tuesday morning, should be more than enough time to dry and harden, but a little extra time never hurt. Will start prepping the rack tomorrow and Tuesday and hopefully have at least a coat of primer on by Tuesday night. If all goes well, hopefully I can have this thing on by this time next week.

 

Finally got the shell on yesterday morning. It looks good, not the best in the world by any means, or probably even professional, but I'm still digging it. There's one run and a few spots where I didn't sand enough, that kind of show through, but for my first big paint job, I'll totally take it. As of right now, one coat of primer on the rack, hopefully coat number two tomorrow and then I'll spray it in Herculiner either Friday afternoon or next week. It's supposed to rain all weekend and the "paint booth" is hardly weatherproof, so I'd rather take longer and have decent weather.

 

Great build. Can't wait to see it finished. I painted a Snugtop Supersport last year. I am curious to see how a built looks vs. buying one.

 

I can honestly say the bought one is probably going to look a good bit better. I got lazy grinding down welds, so only the outside ones are ground, the rest are ugly. I also didn't put a ton of time into sanding it, I have finals in two weeks and I just can't spend all my time sanding... I think it'll look really good and the bedliner will hide most of my screwups, but to me, it's exactly what I had wanted and envisioned, and a bought rack just wasn't going to achieve that without some serious coin and modifications. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of the look to get more practicality and usability at a much lower price.

 

it is going to look just fine... explain the off road wheel chair in the background of the 7th picture.

 

Thank you!

Its my university's "Moonbugy". Here's more info, https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/competition/index.html. Honestly, it's kind of a difficult thing to explain haha. It's one of our senior design projects and I've been doing some machining and fabricating for them as well as some technical advising, even though I'm a sophomore. There are a few things they should have done and a few things they shouldn't have done, but overall, they've done quite well.

 

I need one of those

 

Totally get the struggle. I resort to Harbor Freight to make savings and spend extra quality parts instead of buying a tool I may use less often.

 

Two coats of primer and the first coat of black is on! It’s taking forever since I have to paint one side, let it dry, then flip it. There’s a few spots where the primer got dinged up and it’s showing through the paint but they’re in places nobody will see and with finals coming up, I just don’t have time to sand, clean and paint again. It’s supposed to pour all this weekend and the booth isn’t really weatherproof so I’m putting off the rest of the painting until Monday and Wednesday. I like to think I can have it on he camper by Wednesday.

 

Finally got everything painted with two coats and everything on, putting it on the shell tomorrow sometime. I’ll wire it in the summer when I’m not as busy, but I’m psyched with how it looks now. Hopefully it still looks great after mounting it tomorrow.

 

mmm, look nice.