Tips on making a custom roof-rack?

[Jovan Djokic]

Hi all,

I have a 2001 RAV4, 2.0 AWD 5-door. It does not have roof rails on the roof, although it has 3 brackets on either side where said rails can be fitted.

I live in Botswana and even though Toyotas and RAV4's are quite popular here, I can't seem to find factory-parts for this model (probably because it's an older model). And while I could get Thule or maybe even Frontrunner rails and a roof rack, those are just too expensive for me at the moment and I don't really want to spend so much on a 15 year old car.

Hence I have found some local welders who could make me a custom roof rack according to my specs and for less than half of what I'd pay for just the brackets and cross rails (excluding the basket) from Thule or Frontrunner. The thing is, since I'd be getting it custom made, are there any specific things I should mention to them when making the rack, for example, to include a slanted metal sheet on the front for wind deflection, to add a couple of handles/hooks on each side for tying things down with ropes/straps etc etc? They can even make me jerry can, gas cylinder, shovel and jack holders as well...although those holder aren't necessaties for now.

I don't want to get the rack made and then later realise "Oh dammit...I should have done that," or "Perhaps this could have been made like this..." and so on. I have found some photos online of various racks and will try use them as guidelines as to what I need and how I'd like it to look.

Any tips on how to get a custom roof rack made would be greatly appreciated. The tips don't obvioulsy need to be RAV4-specific, but just genral tips for making any roof rack.

PS: I'm also thinking about having them make me a nudge bar with a bash-plate on the bottom and spot-light brackets on the top as well, so any tips on that would be helpful as well.

Thanks guys.

[nevillet]

By placing the rails parallel to the length of the car, the wind noise is minimised.Like the Hannibal rack. Use T slotted aluminium if possible then mounting points can be adjusted to suit the occasion.

[Henryv]

One of the best features of the Frontrunner rack is the extruded cross bars with slots where you can insert M8 bolts and move them sideways to any position you like, and use them to fasten just about anything to your rack. Without this feature, a roof rack's value would be greatly reduced in my opinion. However, because it is made from specially extruded aluminium, I don't know if you will be able to make a similar feature on a self made rack.

[Jovan Djokic]

By placing the rails parallel to the length of the car, the wind noise is minimised.Like the Hannibal rack. Use T slotted aluminium if possible then mounting points can be adjusted to suit the occasion.

The idea is to get the whole thing made out of one piece, essentially - the basket welded to cross rails which will have legs (3 on each side) that will be bolted onto the 6 individual brackets on the roof. This basically means that there will not be any parallel rails, just the basket and it's legs, bolted into the slots on the roof. That's the idea anyway.

The existing slots on the roof are similar to the ones on this photo:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/4/9...72846522_o.jpg

So, I presume T slotted alum. wont quite work...If I understand the T slotted concept properly.

[Jovan Djokic]

One of the best features of the Frontrunner rack is the extruded cross bars with slots where you can insert M8 bolts and move them sideways to any position you like, and use them to fasten just about anything to your rack. Without this feature, a roof rack's value would be greatly reduced in my opinion. However, because it is made from specially extruded aluminium, I don't know if you will be able to make a similar feature on a self made rack.

That does sound ideal, but I'm not sure either if that will work, and plus it sounds like it will cost more than I'm willing (read able) to spend.

My roof-rack requirements would, for now, essentially be to have a rack mounted on the roof where I can store jerry cans, gas cylinder, a shovel, firewood and similar items, as per the requirements for most roof racks. Initially, tying all that stuff down with straps and ropes will suffice and then perhaps get the brackets and holders made and bolted on at a later stage.

But my main concern is that these welders aren't specialised in the art of making roof racks, so it's up to me to tell them EXACTLY what it is that I want and what I don't...which is why I need all the help/info I can get.

[Tracer87ZA]

Here is a roof rack I built for the Touareg. Used 25x25x2mm square tubing, 1mm sheet for front defuser and 8/10mm roundbar for ankering pionts and support between tubing and is very strong...Actually too strong . Weight is just over 20kg and not a hint of wind noise at 100kph.

Would recommend adding aluminium strips or rails on top of the tubing to minimize paint scratching.

[Jovan Djokic]

Here is a roof rack I built for the Touareg. Used 25x25x2mm square tubing, 1mm sheet for front defuser and 8/10mm roundbar for ankering pionts and support between tubing and is very strong...Actually too strong . Weight is just over 20kg and not a hint of wind noise at 100kph.

Would recommend adding aluminium strips or rails on top of the tubing to minimize paint scratching.

The rack looks great! The anchoring points are a nice touch, will definitely get a few added as well.

One question though, is there a particular reason you made just a flat rack, i.e. with no sides going all the way around? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to having sides on the rack, or is it just a matter of preference?

Thanks for the photos and the great ideas!

[Tracer87ZA]

The rack looks great! The anchoring points are a nice touch, will definitely get a few added as well.

One question though, is there a particular reason you made just a flat rack, i.e. with no sides going all the way around? Are there any advantages/disadvantages to having sides on the rack, or is it just a matter of preference?

Thanks for the photos and the great ideas!

Thanks . I was afraid of wind noise with the bar crossing at the back... The only real reason I can think of.

Also forgot to mension I usualy carry some steel and Supawood for diy. Thus it is flat.