30$ Rack Bars Done

Sport · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:36 am

tommudd wrote:

XC204 wrote:

It would be very close. I think about 1/2" clearance. Looks better with the bends it looks like it follows the roof lines better.

but why do you want it bent up in the middle? Roof baskets are flat, anything you haul is generally flat, mine are 1/2 inch from the roof and no problems and mine are lower than 99% out there.

Mine are by the way attached in the middle of the side rails, with 1/2 inch all thread running through gas pipe, very strong. Drilled a 1/2 inch hole right through the side rails and went from there. Have had 4 mounted Good years MTRs on Moabs up there and not one bend.

Not sure why everyone wants to complicate the whole process :shock:

Tom,

do you have a write up on your install or even a picture to get a better idea?

thanks

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:34 am

Sport wrote:

tommudd wrote:

XC204 wrote:

It would be very close. I think about 1/2" clearance. Looks better with the bends it looks like it follows the roof lines better.

but why do you want it bent up in the middle? Roof baskets are flat, anything you haul is generally flat, mine are 1/2 inch from the roof and no problems and mine are lower than 99% out there.

Mine are by the way attached in the middle of the side rails, with 1/2 inch all thread running through gas pipe, very strong. Drilled a 1/2 inch hole right through the side rails and went from there. Have had 4 mounted Good years MTRs on Moabs up there and not one bend.

Not sure why everyone wants to complicate the whole process :shock:

Tom,

do you have a write up on your install or even a picture to get a better idea?

thanks

I will take some pictures later today and post. I wanted mine real low and strong. So this is what I came up with. Have appointments all day so later this evening will post some

XC204 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:00 pm

Tom if you could read or look at pictures you would see that there is a slight bend at each end to give clearance for the curve of the roof this also sets the bars level with the stock side bars. Maybe if you did not post for every thing as the resident expert you would have time to read, look and measure.

Hood297 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:39 pm

xc, would you like to make me some? unpainted. I'll pay you, and pick up shipping.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:46 pm

XC204 wrote:

Tom if you could read or look at pictures you would see that there is a slight bend at each end to give clearance for the curve of the roof this also sets the bars level with the stock side bars. Maybe if you did not post for every thing as the resident expert you would have time to read, look and measure.

I was just pointing out (like everyone on here does every now and again) that you do not need to bend the bars as you would have enough room without bending them, plus if you bend them up in an arch then load it down heavy they may bend back down some and push the side rails outward some and make them weaker, I have made quite a few rack mounts and even the ones i have now WITH NO BENDS NEEDED .......... :shock:

oh well ....this is really not worth it to me anymore , ...........just trying to save someone from doing work they do not have to ...

carry on you are the boy of the hour

Tom
not helping anyone anymore, now I know why some good people have left or hardly post anymore :lol:

XC204 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:40 pm

Tom you have to look at my post closely I used 1 3/8 OD pipe this is the size of 1 1/4 fence top rail, larger pipe = less clearance to the roof so the reason for the slight bends at the end of the pipes 1/2" rise the forces in this setup are pretty much all down and the stock rack is also constrained by the clamps at the end of the tubes. The top of the bars mine and stock form a flat plane. The wiring for my BU light or front light setup can run hidden inside the bars.
The whole setup can be removed to return the rack to stock if one wants. Not the only way to do it for sure but it seemed to look and work well so I thought it might be be of interest so I posted it. I do not feel we should be critical of others efforts ideas need to flow and not be stifled.

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:23 am

XC204, Great write up and looks to be real sturdy. I got all my parts this weekend and went with the 1 inch rigid conduit. Lowe's had it on clearance for 10.89. I tried to avoid the bending but it looks like it will be too close for comfort even after shimming the bottom sides of pipe clamps to take up the slack. Maybe if I drill through clamp and pipe and go with the 1/4 inch bolts with tension in the upward direction while drilling through, it might be provide and additional 1/4 inch clearance. Neighbor can get his hands on the tubing bender but I and concerned that bending a 38" piece if 1 inch rigid conduit will be a little harder now since cut and leverage might be an issue. He said it shouldn't be a problem. Also by bending after cutting, I will lose a little bit of length but it should still be long enough. Did you replace the one long bolt in clamps with stainless bolt and what did you do with the outboard allen screws on clamps?

XC204 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:12 pm

Definitely do the bend it will give the right clearance and it looks cool. Should be no problem bending it scrink back is so slight that it wont make much diff. Just drill your holes after the bends are done.I did use SS bolts for the clamp and other bolts left the set screws in to snug the fit they have a touch of rust now but you could spray them if it bothered you.

liberty2.8 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:32 pm

Quote:

Definitely do the bend it will give the right clearance and it looks cool. Should be no problem bending it scrink back is so slight that it wont make much diff.

Neighbor only has a 1" EMT bender and not a rigid conduit bender. Is there any such thing as a 1" rigid conduit bender? I may have to try a muffler shop or an electrical shop.

XC204 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:32 am

Its a bender refered to as a Chicago bender its on wheels and is hand powered. A small electrical contracton that does comercial work will have one. I was hoping no one would get stuck with no access to one. Call around just ask if they can bend 1" rigid.

ObiHann · **Posted:** Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:25 pm

Silly question, but why 10ft of pipe? My roof rails are not near 5ft apart... Is it because once you bend the ends you loose some length?

HoppedUpOnGoofballs · **Joined:** Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:36 pm **Posts:** 203

ObiHann wrote:

Silly question, but why 10ft of pipe? My roof rails are not near 5ft apart... Is it because once you bend the ends you loose some length?

..The pipe only comes in 10-ft lengths, I believe.

ga_repoman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:08 pm

Now i have to go with TOM on this one

I got hold of some of that 1 3/8" top fence post and some T joints

Cut the 10 footer down to the right sizes and installed WITHOUT the bends

the rack now sits really low and almost right on top of the factory roof rack

looks goooooooddd

Had I bent the middle of the pipe the roof rack would not have sit flush on the

cross bars...Just my 2 cents

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:12 pm

ga_repoman wrote:

Now i have to go with TOM on this one

I got hold of some of that 1 3/8" top fence post and some T joints

Cut the 10 footer down to the right sizes and installed WITHOUT the bends

the rack now sits really low and almost right on top of the factory roof rack

looks goooooooddd

Had I bent the middle of the pipe the roof rack would not have sit flush on the

cross bars...Just my 2 cents

be very very careful going with me on this one, :lol:

but it's worked for me for over 3 years and had a ton of stuff on top with zero problems but what do I know :lol:

ga_repoman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:15 pm

ha ha ha ha :lol:

a: it's the truth
b: iF it works, it works
c: thought you could use someone in your corner on this one

XC204 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:49 pm

You do not bend the center of the bar that would be dumb you do the ends as in the instructions . Toms smaller dia pipe has clearance because of that fact.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:23 pm

XC204 wrote:

You do not bend the center of the bar that would be dumb you do the ends as in the instructions . Toms smaller dia pipe has clearance because of that fact.

Not sure why you want to continue this but who says my pipe is that much smaller than what you purpose, the pipe I used is over 1 inch diameter gas pipe VERY STRONG
Everytime someone post about this you have to come back, just let it go as two different ways of obtaining about the same results. End of discussion
Thank you :wink:

XC204 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:38 pm

Simply because we both have a differnt way of doing this same function (Roof Bars) You will notice I did not say your way was wrong I just said why I did it the way I did. Do not knock what you do not understand.

ga_repoman · **Posted:** Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:54 pm

i did it my way because i dont have access too or want to buy a bender

I think to each is there own

And if you look back i commented that i thought the bars matching the roof curve
are very cool and custom looking

I just wanted to sit my basket as low as possible
had it fit between the rails i would have mounted it there without bars at all but i had to mount it on cross bars
so i went that route...

:arrow:

I have a black widow basket :twisted:

merry christmas to all ho ho ho

ObiHann · **Posted:** Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:23 pm

2 questions...

1) Will any pipe bender work, or does it "have" to be the Chicago bender?
2) If you mounted the light to sit below the bar instead of on top of the bar, would it be still as effective?

30$ Rack Bars Done

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