i have the stock sport roof rails... and with my current setup, i can not get my support bars that hold my black widow roof basket, to not chip from bugs hitting them or stay tightened on the stock rails... here is a pic of my setup...

(oh and btw, the clearance lights didn't work out, so they are no longer up there)
so ho can i make it to where the bars will stay tight (i have split washers and regular washers) and how can i get them to not chip from bugs hitting the bars while driving on the highways and my taking my rak on and off it scratches off the rustoleum paint as well...?

paint scratches and bug guts eat through paint not much you can do there. As far as the rack I have 1/2 inch all thread running from side to side to hold may basket. Yes its strong enough to hold this fat boy up there! I installed heater hose over top of the all thread so no metal to metal contact you may try something like that ? May try and install some rubber tubing or something between the rails and your clamps as well to keep them tight

Why didnt the lights work out?

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

could not figure out the wiring... i think they were not grounded correcty, so everytime i flipped the switch it blew out a fuse!

almost any paint you put on them will chip, especially with hig veloctiy bug gut splatter.

aqs far as not staying tight, you are using clamps for a purpose that they were not intended to be used for. those conduit hangers are not ment to be used on a moving/vibrating load. they are not intended to be used for "Securing" and preventing the movement of the conduit. They are designed to hold the conduit to a hanger (your cross memebr) and to prevent is from falling off a wall or beam.

The loads you are putting them under make them constantly move and open. As you tighten them then drive around, they vibrate and work their way open. Not what i would have used in the first place.

IF you insist on usig the conduit hanger and want it black look around for the rubber coated version. Maybe an electrical supply will have it. VERY expensive, so I woul looke at an actuall rack instead of the Home Depot special. If the ones are the type i think they are, Rustoleum would never stick to them anyway.

Great idea just not the right materials.

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'07 Ltd 3.7L, Black, OME HD's, OME shocks, Mopar Skids, AEV Bridgers w/ TPMS, Kumho KL78's, ARB Bumper, KC 130 Watters, Warn M8000 Winch, Rock Lizard Gecko Roof Basket KC 150 watters, Cobra 75WSX, 3 ft FireFly, RL Super Step Skinks

what about this...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JV0ZK0/ref=wl_it_dp/102-0611387-2583318?ie=UTF8&coliid=I6FHLQZQCQ2YM&colid=11DAHTDEBCR90

They are designed to do what you want to do. wonder if you can drill them for your lights?

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'07 Ltd 3.7L, Black, OME HD's, OME shocks, Mopar Skids, AEV Bridgers w/ TPMS, Kumho KL78's, ARB Bumper, KC 130 Watters, Warn M8000 Winch, Rock Lizard Gecko Roof Basket KC 150 watters, Cobra 75WSX, 3 ft FireFly, RL Super Step Skinks

i could just buy something to attach to the rack for my lights

yes u could. But i am tempted to say what my father used to say. "You get what youpay for"

meanning thet there is a reason why some of the things we all want to put on our KJ's cost so much. it is because of the company's design and testing cost that go into making a product that in most cases (not chryslers) work very well for the "INTENDED" application. Looks is also a big part of it. I know we all want to "individualize" our rigs, but when it is at the cost of functionality, safety and looks, you do get what you pay for.

save your money, buy a good rack, add your lights and enjoy something that works with out having to grab a socket wrench everytime you get out of the car.

If you are a master craftsman like rock lizzard apears to be, then experiment with off the shelf things and have fun, but I wil be willing to bet that his designs are not made out of items intended to hold electrical conduit.

I love the idea and the initiative, but that set-up right now just looks under thought and way under engineered. And apparently it is by your own accounts.

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'07 Ltd 3.7L, Black, OME HD's, OME shocks, Mopar Skids, AEV Bridgers w/ TPMS, Kumho KL78's, ARB Bumper, KC 130 Watters, Warn M8000 Winch, Rock Lizard Gecko Roof Basket KC 150 watters, Cobra 75WSX, 3 ft FireFly, RL Super Step Skinks

AS far as making them stay tight try using a 2nd nut threaded on and tightened against the first one,always works for me.

For the chipping paint,allow the paint to fully cure first,Rustoluem ussaully is 7 days until fully cured.Also surface prep is key to,remove all grease and wax,rust and them apply a good acid etch primer(self etching) then apply the paint.But sometimes there is just no way around chipping paint that is subjected to high speed hits from bugs and rocks.

These look pretty good has someone tried them? They are inexpensive hardly worth the trouble at that price. If you are dead set on your own Fab job there is a product called Dip-IT. You put the handle on your tools to give a rubberized grip or try one of the bed liner paints. Some times when one gets the fabrication bug we will spend twice as much just to have the pride of saying I did it myself.

instead of paint, try using some of the spray-on rubberized truck bed liner. that stuff won't chip. as far as the fasteners, have you tried using a lock nut with a nylon insert and/or using some type of loc-tite. after further review, based off of the pictures, looks like you need to put a steel spacer in between the 2 pieces of the clamp (in your second pic, the spacer needs to be under the stock roof bar, between the 2 clamps pieces.) you have soft joint right now and your fasteners can't hold the torque.

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Sold the Audi, bought an '05 Sport
OME rear and front hybrid lift
245/70-16 Destination AT

This has been working for me for a couple years now. Not fancy but very strong. I've carried 2x6s and all sorts of other building supplies up there many times.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... +roof+rack

Second post down. I just took U-bolts, slid fuel line over them, and capped them with lock nuts. In between the stock rail and the crossbar I have rubber pads that I glued to the crossbar.

So far I've only repainted them once after giving them a quick sanding. I just use a rattle can.

Have you tried using nylon lock nuts (steel nuts with the nylon inserts)?

what about this...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JV ... AHTDEBCR90
DO NOT GET THIS!!!
so i guess i was the guine pig... i bough them, they came the next day, and they are not rails, but clamps for the westin sport rack. i called the compny on the packing slip, and they said "yes, we have had several calls about this product, and how it is listed on amazon.com. they said they were sorry for the mess up and will give a full refund." so don't buy that unless you are installing your westin sport rack!