Carrying Cargo While wheeling...need some info

[budbeater]

My brother and I just spent the weekend in Southern Utah doing some fire road driving and putting his 2001 2wd 6.0 HD into places it really shouldn't have gone. It was a blast, but constantly dealing with cargo issues got me thinking....

I want to have a cargo rack for my truck, but nobody seems to make waht I have in mind. Jeeps and SUVs have their roof racks, but I can't find any good stuff for my truck. I want something that runs the length of my be and also comes over my cab (like a contractor rack) so that I can mount lights on the front of the rack. I want the floor of the rack permantent over the cab (I like the construction style of the ORD Defender baskets), but I want the option of removing the part over the bed in case I have tall cargo. I want mounting brackets for hi-lift, shovel, ax, cooler, water jug, gas cans, pull pal (all these should be lockable so that I don't have to move everything if I want to leave the vehicle out of my sight). I would combine this with a lockable toolbox for the smaller stuff. With the rack and the toolbox I could carry an ATV without a trailer.

Any ideas? Make my own and everyone else wants one? Have you made one? Problems?

Budbeater

[1976K5CHALET]

I would say thats going to be a one off custom. I live in grand junction but i can't recommend a shop to build what you are after. The only person i know who does quality fab work is in glendale arizona.

Do you live near or in southern utah. Eventually i want to run some trails in southern utah besides Moab as i run the blazer down there twice a year. I hear the spaniards came thru utah a couple hundred years back....

Doug W.

[Captkaos]

I know that Yakima made something, but can't find it. Here is a write-up on one for a Blazer: http://www.coloradok5.com/yakimareview.shtml

[budbeater]

I have done some pretty significant searching now and I can say that what I want doesn't exist on a mass produced scale. I have drawn up some schemes and I have a pretty good design going. It should take all my fab skills and make me earn some new ones, but it should be awesome when done. I am combining elements of Moab Jeep style racks with light weight tube chassis/ pre-runner strength and construction design, ie. strong everywhere and light where possible. I should be able to secure a Hi-lift jack, two 35" spares, two 5 gal water jugs, cooler, two jerry cans, pull-pal, shovel, ax, and a box for chain, tow strap, hi-lift accessories, tools, spare parts. This is all in addition to my tool box where I house a compressor, co2 tank and generator.

I priced out the steel this afternoon and the initial estimate should be about $300. I have revised the design based on what I found avaliable at the steel distributor and I would guess that I will be closer to $350 but the extra cost should save me alot of fabrication hours.

I have a hookup with a really good powdercoater, and I have access to a great chrome shop. I can also paint like crazy. This is a little premature but what do you think would look the best, powdercoat that matches my paintjob, black powder coat, the same options in paint, chrome, or a mix of chrome and color (I am thinking chrome uprights and do the basket in color.

Time to break out the mig.

Budbeater

[bowtier]

Sounds really cool man. I have thought about making something like you're talking about but just never had the ambition to do it. I'd go with the powdercoat rather than paint just for durability JMHO. I got black powdercoated rims last year & they still look like new even after all the salt & slush this winter.

Make sure to throw some pics up when you're done.

[Kiss My SS]

Been there, done that. Well, I did it for my Jimmy. I made it for my senior project and of course go an A. I not only built the rack, I also made the bending die. The rack if made of 1/8" wall 1" square steel tubing. I wanted it to be able to handle all the things you wanted and also be able to hang my Jimmy's top from the ceiling with it. I had ideas to put an epanded steel floor on it so I could put a lawn chair up there for outdoor events. I haven't mounted it yet as life has not allowed me the time, but I am buying a house soon so I will have a place to be able to complete my various projects.

[Kiss My SS]

here are a couple of finished pics. I put bondo on all the welds to make them look good and painted it with a rattle can. I did let it cure in the heated paint booth at school so the paint turned out ok. I had to mount it on my exploder to get it home from college. It would actually look pretty good up there..... if the explorer had about 8 inches of lift and some 38's. I weighed it when I was finished and it cam in just under 100lbs and I think a tank could drive over it without it bending

[Prerunner1982]

just remember, the more weight you put up higher, the more you increase the risk of rolling. Though i like your ideas.. We used roof racks in the military on our 2.5s and my wrecker. They always came in handy..

[budbeater]

Excellent!!!

Budbeater