Boiler's Roof Racks Production Recap Page 9 & Weld Xbar

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:20 pm

How much clearance is there under it to the roof at the lowest point? Looks killer in raw Al on the silver Jeep. Maybe I missed it but how much does it weigh?

Boiler · **Posted:** Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:13 pm

KJ in CO wrote:

WOWZA!!

that rack is the tops! I am puttin that thing up on the list.. are you making them upon request?

We're building them WITHOUT requests....well the 2nd one anyway. Yeah, we want to sell the heck out of them. We plan on shipping racks 1-3 weeks after payment is received. This is of course assuming we don't get 10 orders the first week.

That would be a good problem to have though. We haven't set up a website and all that yet. We decided to wait until we sell a couple and get an idea of how people receive us before spending the time on it. I'll probably do it once I get my rack coated, wired, and photographed.

JJsKJ wrote:

How much clearance is there under it to the roof at the lowest point? Looks killer in raw Al on the silver Jeep. Maybe I missed it but how much does it weigh?

Basically at the center of the rack, the two center tubes pass within about 1/2" or 5/8" of the roof forms. All tubes are 1-1/2" in diameter, and the sides are 3-1/2" taller than the bottom. In total, the tallest points of the rack should be about 5-5/8" taller than the tallest part of the Liberty. The side tubes look taller, because the Jeep is lower over by where they live. The side tubes are 7-8 inches above the feet. All of this is from memory. If you need these numbers more accurate than a total of about 1/4", let me know and I'll try to get it closer.

It weighed about 25 lbs before welding. I'm guessing between weld metal and holes put in it, its 25-28 lbs. I'll weigh it again when I remove it for powdercoating.

cluelessklewer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:51 pm

that is freaking AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! darn... where can i come up with $500 quick

Boiler · **Posted:** Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:54 am

Just an update on the removable front and rear crossbars. I tapped one knuckle, drilled the hinge, and put in some #10 machine screws. It works great and is solid as a rock. I've got to pick up some 3/32 adhesive back medium hard rubber strips, but that shouldn't be a problem as I've already got a vendor for them, just need to order.

Long story short, optional removable/movable front and rear crossbars are available at the expected price. I'll get some pictures once I powdercoat. I'm hoping to do it thursday, but it may be next week if they don't get my powder in in time. They work a 4 day work week there.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:19 am

that looks great boiler!

i was about to ask if you had an oven big enough to powder coat them

Very impressive!

totally makes me want to rip the rubbermaid off my roof :lol:

Boiler · **Posted:** Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:21 am

A local place that my company deals with for sheet metal work has a powdercoat division with an oven that will do 12" x 56" x 14'. Just right as the rack is roughly 8 x 45 x 58 (off the top of my head).

djui5 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:38 am **Posts:** 536

Nice rack

I'll be ordering one sometime this year for sure.

Ryan09 · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2009 3:38 am

That is one smart looking roof rack!
If it wasn't for the fact that I already have a Thule 690XT MOAB Basket with extension worth some $780.00, I might of chosen one of those!

Boiler · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 11:48 am

Thanks guys!

My powdercoat guy was supposed to get 5 lbs of sample material in to do my rack this week, but they only sent him 2.6 lbs...guess I'm stuck hoping enough comes in next week. Hopefully I'll have everything powdercoated next friday so I can show finished pictures and do the install. I have the relay / fuse panel done, wire ran from the battery, but still need to wire my accessory relay and the lights themselves.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2009 2:28 pm

Very nice

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 10:37 am

Looking great Boiler! Good forethought and planning.

Let us know when you're ready for some KK variety....... :wink:

Boiler · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 12:15 pm

Haven't forgotten about you kk guys. I do want to sell one or two of these to generate some cash for my next build. The wife and the credit card will not be happy with me if I invest much more with zero return

Once I finish my install and final write ups, I'm going to be starting some new designs anyway. They just cost my time. I've kind of taken a little break as we've been busy as heck for a couple solid months. I actually watched a couple movies that weren't rated "G" this week...

Mainly just working on my wiring kit. I actually thought I might offer it for sale too. I think there are a few people out there that might appreciate not having to locate fuse blocks, fuses, appropriate wire and connectors, relays etc. It also would allow you to skip making about 50 wiring connections, instead just driving one screw...

KJ in CO · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:06 pm **Posts:** 346

what is this wiring kit that you speak of?? sounds like it could make life a little easier, what kinda wiring kit we talkin about? for auxlary lighting and stuff?

Boiler · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2009 1:32 pm

Basically to do my wiring I formed a piece of sheet metal that gets mounted on the little rail on the inside of the piece that folds down under the steering wheel. One side of it has a lip that catches the front of that rail, and in the back I have one tek screw holding it in place. On the formed piece I have 6 relays, two fuse blocks, and all of the wiring. I can wire all the fuses and relays (and my switches, they're mounted on the fold down piece) at my work bench, instead of laying on my front seat floor.

I also located and bought adhesive heat shrink bullet connectors to make pigtails at the lights, and adhesive shrink tubings, 60 amp fuses, 6 ga welding cable, cross linked automotive wire in multiple colors, etc. A lot of this stuff you have to buy more than you need for one set up, plus people usually buy the garbage they sell at auto parts stores.

I figured some people may like getting a whole kit thats 80% pre-wired, instead of getting the junk they get in lighting kits and still have to mount and connect everything. With my kit, all you'd have to do is run the included wires from the lights to the open terminals on the relays, run the included battery fuse and cable to the fuse panel, and bring a ground in.

I liked doing my wiring, but it could be daunting for some, and this should simplify it. There would be an AutoCAD schematic AND wiring diagram included. I'm actually redoing my wiring tonight, as this punk kid I know showed me a good deal on optilux hella's on ebay ($30 for 2, free ship) last night, so I bought some and need to add a couple relays. Once I'm done, have my rack back, run its wires, etc, I'll give a full write up.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=330306143086

Boiler · **Posted:** Thu May 07, 2009 3:57 pm

Finally my rack is getting powdercoated, its actually probably in the oven right now. I'm picking it up tomorrow and will spend the weekend finishing my install. Sometime next week I should have the finished write up.

Kugellager · **Posted:** Fri May 08, 2009 12:40 pm

Will you be putting 2 sets on your rack? I see they come with 100W light Bulbs...nice.

John
];')

Boiler · **Posted:** Fri May 08, 2009 1:49 pm

Well, kinda. I decided to use my Hella FF50's instead. I'll probably do a bulb swap, I'm not sure. I'm going to need slightly (1/4") longer light tabs to accomodate the shock mounts on the Optilux lights, and I'll have to redrill the hole. Problem is I already had sent it to the powdercoater when I figured this out. I decided to go with the low profile / no more drilling lights that I picked before.

On that note, I'm going to tweak the light tabs on future racks to be slightly longer.

Also, if anyone wants four Optilux 1900 driving lights...$60 shipped or $50 pick up.

EDIT: I forgot! I got it back from the powdercoater...I think it looks freakin' sweet. No pictures til its fully installed and lights are functional though :twisted:

evil libby · **Joined:** Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:41 am **Posts:** 296

is it $435 if I come and pick it up form you looks great I was going to make one just like this and glade to see the rack be made with the idea in mind that it is going to used not looked at and is it able to hold a spare tire? and would that be a oppsion ?

Boiler · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2009 2:08 pm

Correct, the base model rack is $435 + shipping, or just $435 if you come get it. If you come get it, we'll help you install it & make adjustments to fit it to your roof, if any. Really it's not hard to do at all. I installed and removed mine by hand by myself this weekend.

As far as the load it can take, the rack itself can handle about anything you throw at it. What you choose to bolt to your roof should be a different story. I designed it to have a considerable safety factor with 300 pounds capacity. Its been a while since I did the analysis but I designed it so you could put a 300 lb load on one crossbar (a big guy standing on one leg...) and still have a safety factor of 3:1. Then I simulated 600 lbs destributed across 2 bars (there are 6 on the bottom) to simulate a 300 lb load strapped down in a minimally distributed pattern, with a 2G dynamic load.

Either way, yeah, you can put a tire up there. I have nothing designed to hold one in place however. I would also recommend that whenever you put considerable amounts of load up there that you compensate for the extra weight with driving speed reductions. Also wind can be more tricky carrying items that can act as a sail.

Shoot me a PM with any questions you have and I'd be happy to answer. I check the website a few times a day.

Boiler · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2009 9:39 pm

Not so great of an update here, more like a word of warning.

When mounting something to your roof using nutserts, DON'T put rubber between that something and the roof. It compresses at the nutsert, more and more, putting on more and more tension until the nutserts start to draw up to whatever you're mounting....and then they start turning. Eventually they'll rip out. Luckily I learned that lesson before I shipped any racks with the seemingly harmless little pieces of rubber included.

Boiler's Roof Racks Production Recap Page 9 & Weld Xbar

Who is online