Roof Rack and Spare Tire Bike Rack

fastring · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:15 am

Made a roof rack and spare tire bike rack. For the roof, cut out the feet with plasma cnc (I can share the *.dxf file if anyone wants it, I dont know how to do that on the forum, no attach button?). The rest is rectangular steel of two sizes. The goal was a strong, low profile flat rack.

For the bike carrier, I welded tubing on the spare tire carrier that goes through the spare tire wheel. A larger piece of tubing slides over with a pin (bolt) connecting the two. A piece of rectangular tubing is welded to the larger tubing running vertically and I bolted the swing arms from a hitch mount rack that I have on top of that. It swings up to hold bikes and down for normal driving.

Link to pics: http://fastring.shutterfly.com/1519

My attempt to post the pics:

blackwidowkj06 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:19 pm

That looks really sharp. I like how the roof rack is completely flat. A good clean slate to add other things.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Jan 15, 2012 6:00 pm

You're a lot better at Fabricating - than posting pictures
Those look pretty impressive

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 378

a writeup on how you did the rack would be nice.

candpliberty · **Posted:** Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:14 am

cool beans!

fastring · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:30 am

Here's an attempt on the write up:

1. Roof rack
- I removed the existing rack per a prior post, exposing the bolts/holes that hold down the factory rails.
- Measuring the holes, drew up some "feet" out of plate steel.
- Drew the rectangle feet, smoothed the edges and drew out two bolt holes for each foot using Corel Draw. Saved the file as a *.dxf file (I'll share it but dont know how to attach...). Its two drawings, one front and one rear.
- Using a Hypertherm 45 plasma cutter connected to a 15x36" CNC table running Mach software and a floating Z axis, I cut out the four feet.
- the feet were placed on the roof and I measured out the rack. The rear of the jeep is narrower than the front. I was surprised at that and decided to just match it vs forcing a square rack.
- Using some steel rectangle tubing I had in the garage, around 2"x.75"xlength, I cut out the "square" frame. Its not really square as the front bar is several inches longer than the rear bar.
- The frame was tacked up and set on the roof.
- Feet were cut, I forgot to calculate the vent position on the sunroof but just BARELY lucked out...
- the frame and feet were tacked welded using a 220v Miller MIG welder running regular (not flux) wire with argon.
- The floor was finished with small square tubing, roughly 0.75" square .120 wall and the entire thing welded and quickly grinded/sanded/painted. I have the Raptorlining to spray it next, but havent got that going yet.

2. Bike rack
- removed spare tire mount.
- welded 1and3/4" .120 wall tubing a few inches out through the spare tire center cap to the tire mount.
- Cut another piece of tubing just bigger than the first to slide over.
- unbolted hitch mountrack top (performancebike) and cut some rectangular tubing for the vertical mast. Drew"I <heart> Guns" on the CNC machine and cut the motivation out of the rack.
- bolted everything up.

JEEPIN36COKK · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:19 pm

What ATXKJ said, nice work :shock:

Roof Rack and Spare Tire Bike Rack

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