My Home made Roof Rack Detail. On my KA

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:58 pm

Ok, I have had a couple of requests for more Pics of the rack I made and how it connects to the roof.
So here are some of the details.
You might be able to adapt it to a KK, Or al least get a few ideas!

First I removed the cap nuts that hold the Factory rails down. Then I made 1” spacers from ¾” Aluminum bar, Tapped them threw with a 6mm tap.

Then I attached the spacers to the bolts that hold down the factory rails.

(Note, on the front rail bolts, I had to add a washer to hold down the factory rail.)
Next, I made flat bars to attach to the spacers.

You can see a third spacer on the flat bars near the center. They are just that, a spacer to help distribute the weight. (with a rubber gasket between the spacer and the rail.

I attached the flat bars to the spacers, and then attached the Rack brackets to the flat bars using rubber gaskets made from an old inner tube.

The front rack brackets are connected directly to the spacers, with a piece of foam to cover the hole left by removing the plastic bolt cover.

I also put in a top view for the overall design.
The front bar, center bar, and back bar, are parallel for carrying long flat items on top.

and detail of the antenna placement.

The Nitro has 5 bolts on the roof rails. Here are the locations.

Here is a pic with the lights.

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:09 pm

Sweet Scar0! Thanks.

You did an excellent job. Good info posted above too.

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:11 pm

Scar0 wrote:

The Nitro has 5 bolts on the roof rails. Here are the locations.

Ok, Digger, does the KK have 5 bolt locations like the KA Scar0 noted above?

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:13 pm

Scar0, do you notice any different / louder wind noises due to your rack and/or lights? Either with your sunroof close or open?

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:16 pm

Scar0 wrote:

Here is a pic with the lights.

How'd you get the wiring up to the lights (e.g. where did you penetrate the roof and how did you route along your rack)? And what measures did you take to weatherproof the wiring penetration of the vehicle's outer surface?

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:20 pm

MtnLuvr wrote:

Scar0, do you notice any different / louder wind noises due to your rack and/or lights? Either with your sunroof close or open?

Yes, any time you add a rack you will get noise. When I first installed the rack there were some whistles from the light bar welds. I filled those in and the whistle is gone.
When I added the lights the wind noise increased a little.
It is not overwhelming. I can still drive on the freeway with the sunroof open, but I have to turn the radio up. :lol:

There is no buffeting caused by the rack or lights, threw the sunroof.
With the sunroof closed you can barely hear the wind noise.

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:23 pm

MtnLuvr wrote:

How'd you get the wiring up to the lights (e.g. where did you penetrate the roof and how did you route along your rack)? And what measures did you take to weatherproof the wiring penetration of the vehicle's outer surface?

That is the great part! I did not make a hole in the roof for the wires!
Give me a couple and I will post some more Pics.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:29 pm

no, there are only 4. It looks like the rear holes line up but the fronts are way off. The middle may line up but because the KA is like 2 inches longer, it just looks weird to to me

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:39 pm

I ran the wires under the light bar.

Through the front hole in the factory rail.

Out the back of the rail.

Down along the hatch and under the tail light.

Through the taillight grommet. Not 1 drop of water has come through.

Through the internal grommet.

Down along the side to the front. Under the kick-plates.

To the switches, located in the storage compartment on the left of the steering wheel. 2 switches, one for the outside and one for the inside lights.

Through the grommet in the fire wall, (where the factory wire harness comes through.) to the Terminal post at the fuse box. With 2 in-line fuses.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:46 pm

Very neat and clean

.... Why didn't you drill a hole in your roof :twisted:

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:50 pm

Wow, pretty creative fishing there Scar0!

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:51 pm

Diggerfreek wrote:

Very neat and clean

.... Why didn't you drill a hole in your roof :twisted:

Thanks... You are too funny. Just that, Why would you? Just makes another place for water to come in.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:52 pm

Scar0 wrote:

Diggerfreek wrote:

Very neat and clean

.... Why didn't you drill a hole in your roof :twisted:

Thanks... You are too funny. Just that, Why would you? Just makes another place for water to come in.

Ok I'll give you that one, but that is one reason why they make silicon :lol:

Scar0 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:56 pm

MtnLuvr wrote:

Wow, pretty creative fishing there Scar0!

Thanks, I like it and it works well.

Diggerfreek wrote:

Scar0 wrote:

Diggerfreek wrote:

Very neat and clean

.... Why didn't you drill a hole in your roof :twisted:

Thanks... You are too funny. Just that, Why would you? Just makes another place for water to come in.

Ok I'll give you that one, but that is one reason why they make silicon :lol:

Reality is, on my Cherokee they added the roof stays on it and sealed with silicone. It still leaks to this day. I did not want to even go there with my new baby! This way there is no possibility of the silicone failing. :roll:

Boblemoche · **Posted:** Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:36 pm

nice rack. I like big racks :shock:

seriously nice work. the roof mounting points seem different than a KK. I like where you mounted the switches. I might do the same

RPM007 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:52 pm

Scar0, welcome to the forum. That's a badass rack. You do good work.

Does anyone have a picture, drawing or diagram of the mounting point locations on the roof of the KK? I am dying to put a rack on my KK that will work with the SkySlider and so am hoping to have someone custom fabricate something for me. I'd really like something similar to the OEM racks on the FJ Cruisers.

If anyone knows anyone in Illinois that does custom fabrications, please let me know. I saw that Boiler in Indiana is making racks for the KJs, but I haven't heard much about his progress with the KKs.

Scar0 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:19 am

RPM007 wrote:

Scar0, welcome to the forum. That's a badass rack. You do good work.

Does anyone have a picture, drawing or diagram of the mounting point locations on the roof of the KK? I am dying to put a rack on my KK that will work with the SkySlider and so am hoping to have someone custom fabricate something for me. I'd really like something similar to the OEM racks on the FJ Cruisers.

If anyone knows anyone in Illinois that does custom fabrications, please let me know. I saw that Boiler in Indiana is making racks for the KJs, but I haven't heard much about his progress with the KKs.

Thank you kindly.

Here you go, KK roof rail bolt locations. I am not sure if there are any up front.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:28 am

you beat me to it... Thanks

any way, no there are only the 4 per side

Scar0 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:33 am

Diggerfreek wrote:

:twisted: you beat me to it... Thanks

any way, no there are only the 4 per side

lol I was just lucky. I found it on the mopar-accessories.com web site in the how to install Production Style Side Rails, yesterday. I was curious what the differences were.

RPM007 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:57 pm

Thanks for the diagram. I wonder then, would it be possible to safely mount a full length rack on a KK without mounting points towards the front of the vehicle?

My Home made Roof Rack Detail. On my KA

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