Inexpensive roof rack

[Clark Collins]

I've had to do the mods on my Jeep on a budget and wanted a roof rack for hauling camping gear and other uses. I've been very pleased with the functionality of the rack that I chose. I bought a "Rage" roof rack from Discount Ramps. They have two sizes and I got the large one for $109 plus shipping $35. My Jeep is never going to be back to stock so I wasn't worried about drilling holes in it. I didn't take photos of the installation process, but the attached photos show how it looks installed. I drilled 8 holes in my hard top in the raised ribs on the top. You just need to measure the grid pattern on the rack base to determine where the holes should be in the ribs. The U bolt hardware that comes with the top is used upside down from its intended use (see photo). I spaced the rack above the roof with 1 3/4" X 1 1/2" X 1" rubber stoppers from Lowes. This 1" spacing leaves enough thread inside to use the thumb screws that come with the rack. I used 8 stoppers at the mounts and sealed the holes with silicone sealer. There are 6 - 1/4" bolts that fasten the upper rail to the lower platform. I drilled a 1/4" hole about 1/4" deep in the center of 6 more of the rubber stoppers and installed them under the rack platform where the bolts protrude below the rack. These supports are very near the outer edge of the top where there is lots of support. I installed the rack all the way toward the back of the top so the 2 supports in the back are just above the rear window where the top is very strong as well. With this installation the weight of the rack and load is well distributed on sturdy parts of the roof. I've carried a lot of weight on this rack with no problem. The rack did show some rust after about a year and a half, so I took it off and sprayed it with a couple of cans of bed liner. I would suggest that be done before the initial installation and the bed liner has held up really well. These instructions and the attached photos should be enough for other forum members to use this idea for their rig. The freedom panels can be removed easily.

 

[Mzone]

Well done! Looks like a great option for an inexpensive rack. I know most people are hesitant about drilling through their tops but if done correctly, as you've shown, it can be a leak-free experience. :thumb:

 

[HoosierWolf]

Thank you for the info. I'm giving this some serious consideration.

I'm a little concerned about the entrance height for my garage but once I assure myself I'll have have enough height (or a good set of blades for my saws all) I'm good to go :thumb:

 

[Clark Collins]

Thank you for the info. I'm giving this some serious consideration.

I'm a little concerned about the entrance height for my garage but once I assure myself I'll have have enough height (or a good set of blades for my saws all) I'm good to go :thumb:

If you have an 8' high garage door opening you will be fine. If it's only 7' high you could have a problem. The rack, installed as I did, adds just under 8" to the height of the jeep. I have an 8' door, but the total height is less than 7' with my set-up.