Roof rack w/ light bar

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

Hey everyone. I've been browsing google and a lot of the jeep forums lately trying to find a good DIY roof rack. I saw one done by a guy on a charokee forum made from EMT which I liked. Though here is what I'm thinking...

I like the modular-ness of the EMT and will be making a safari style rack for sure.I also want to put a wind deflector on it, but I would like to add some aux lights too. I didnt buy my jeep with the factory light bar and I'd really like to add that.

So what im thinking is this, instead of mounting the aux lights onto the rack, I could make an independent bar that attaches to the rack, but runs the light bar in front of my sunroof. I know you can buy T jointed pipe clamps and figure I could make it removable (you cant be off road everyday!). Just run the wires through the pipe with a disconnect. It would allow my lights to sit lower than the rack hopefully not making the wind deflector totally useless and if I needed to throw my kayak up there it would clear the lights. Anyhow, any input would be great. I have a lot of experience with fabrication, just never did anything custom to my jeep.

KJWildman · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:38 pm

Go for it! :BANANA:

Made mine out of EMT also. It's light and sturdy and haven't had any problems with it supporting the weight I put up there. I run with my spare on it and no flex at all. Had it thrashing off road and works real well. Check it out here . You can see where I had the same idea of getting the lights out in front of the sunroof and how I went about it. Good luck on the fabrication and keep us up to date on your progress!! :JEEPIN:

TAHOE · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:54 pm

Just be careful if you get the galvanized EMT and welding....make sure you grind away galvanizing as it can produce a poisonous gas when welded.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

I dont feel like welding. Ive worked with the galvanized stuff before and its really more hassle than its worth in my opinion. One thing Im having a really hard time finding is a Tee for that front light bar. I ran all over home depot and taylors do it center ( which sometimes has more misc parts) and I couldnt find anything. Anyone seen these things lately? they're the ones that come in two pieces and usually have 3 screw points to join the halves. I dont even know what theyre called...

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

KJWildman wrote:

Go for it! :BANANA:

Made mine out of EMT also. It's light and sturdy and haven't had any problems with it supporting the weight I put up there. I run with my spare on it and no flex at all. Had it thrashing off road and works real well. Check it out here . You can see where I had the same idea of getting the lights out in front of the sunroof and how I went about it. Good luck on the fabrication and keep us up to date on your progress!! :JEEPIN:

Thats basically what im looking at, I like that a lot! Have you put a wind deflector on the light bar at all? (Im not sure if that would make a difference) otherwise Im looking at for the bar to have a lower profile above the windshield.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

Started the base rack, I should be done with it tomorrow then Ill be starting the light bar portion. Heres a few pictures, and one of my jeep too. Sorry for the fuzz, they're from my phone.

KJWildman · **Posted:** Tue Mar 08, 2011 2:07 am

Good start! Basically how I started mine too, once I had it started like that tho' I decided to go ahead and start welding on it because I didn't like the thought of all those screws starting to vibrate loose over time. Go ahead and build it that way and see how it turns out and go from there!!

E.M.T. is not that expensive to play with. I think I have ... maybe $25 in mine!

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

KJWildman wrote:

Good start! Basically how I started mine too, once I had it started like that tho' I decided to go ahead and start welding on it because I didn't like the thought of all those screws starting to vibrate loose over time. Go ahead and build it that way and see how it turns out and go from there!!

E.M.T. is not that expensive to play with. I think I have ... maybe $25 in mine!

I have to agree with you on the welds, I was thinking the same thing just earlier today, but ill probably just do some study tacks. being patient with projects can be hard

Ill probably end up doing it after my move, Ill have some better tools at my disposal then.

501 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 08, 2011 1:02 pm

Just a thought, but what if you put some red loc-tite on the screws, that should hold them from coming loose.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

501 wrote:

Just a thought, but what if you put some red loc-tite on the screws, that should hold them from coming loose.

I used self tapping screws im not sure if loc tite would grab on. BTW Loc tite is the stuff that once denied air it creates the hold right?

501 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2011 1:53 am

TigerPaw wrote:

I used self tapping screws im not sure if loc tite would grab on. BTW Loc tite is the stuff that once denied air it creates the hold right?

Not sure how it works, but I know it works great on the bolts to the front suspension, Mudd cussed the whole time taking apart my suspension when we took off my Daystar lift I put on so we (he) could put on the OME lift!

SilverLakeKJ · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2011 7:00 pm

here is a pic of mine thats simular but is all welded.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

SilverLake, I Like that! I think Ill eventually tear out the floor and weld one in. Im really hating that part right now. Otherwise im hurting for a pipe bender for the light bar at the moment. Did some painting today and did the cross bars for mounting. I got a little behind since I really didnt feel like working yesterday. anyway hoping to be done tomorrow.

gtommec · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:49 am

TigerPaw, it looks like you have a great start, You just need an electrician friend to bend those 90s for ya. Then you wouldn't have to use the factory ells and you could lose over half of those couplings.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

tOnKaTrAcKeR wrote:

TigerPaw, it looks like you have a great start, You just need an electrician friend to bend those 90s for ya. Then you wouldn't have to use the factory ells and you could lose over half of those couplings.

Tell me about it, Ive been looking for a 1in conduit bender, Im pretty much done with the rack though. But I do need a bender to do the light bar. Ive been consumed by moving this weekend so its been slow. Ive also had a tough time finding a suitable piece of metal for the wind deflector. Being broke sucks ha.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

So I finally got around to getting the base rack done. It took me forever to find a piece of metal that I could use as a deflector. I ended up using one of those old light cases. I think it turned out okay, ill get around to the light bar when I get some more free time. I need one more can of bedliner and ill be ready to mount it to shape my light bar.

Unpainted

Painted

501 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:44 pm

Looks great Tigerpaw! How'd you hook your cross bars to the bottom?

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

501 wrote:

Looks great Tigerpaw! How'd you hook your cross bars to the bottom?

its screwed up into the 1in conduit. Ill end up welding them but I just need this thing off the ground so I can get on with the move. The screws are strong, I tried the loc tite like you suggested well see if it does anything.

TigerPaw · **Joined:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:19 pm **Posts:** 33

Got the rack up today. I think I did a pretty good job. Im going to put the light bar on hold so I can fab up some new steel rails instead of the factory ones. I also need to cut the rack a bit as it over laps some of the sunroof. But otherwise I like it

501 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:11 am

Turned out great!

Any strange wind noise from the rack? When I had uni-strut cross rails I would get a 'siren-like' noise from them unless I opened up my sunroof in the vent position.

Roof rack w/ light bar

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