Homemade Cross Rails

[AMPlibby06]

Hey guys, I'm going to buy a roof basket for my 06 LTD and I want to know which one to buy. Should I get the one that doesn't go on the stock "sport utility bars"? Or, should I make my own cross rails? Would homemade U-bolted crossrails (probably mounted under the stock ones so that the basket wouldnt be up too high) be strong enough to hold the basket with a decent load? I know that its kind of a no-brainer to get the one on my stock rails, but the other one is cheaper so I thought I could save some money if I could make some cheap cross rails.

I'm looking to buy from this site:

http://jeeppartspeople.com/searchproduct.asp?model=Liberty&catid=3354539932122725&year=05&productdesc=Roof+Basket+Carrier

Should I keep looking other places or is this a decent deal? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Alex

 

[kj924]

I made my own out of 1"x1" square tubing....cost me nothing for the steel, it was lying around my work shop. I then just used 4 u-bolts from local automotive store..cost me something like $ 6.00...painted them black and Bob's your uncle...hehe


So here's a pic or two of my set up...oh yeah I got some chair leg feet at the hardware store for $ 2.50 They fit perfectly into the square tubing

Grand total for me $ 8.50 These will be strong enough to hold any load you can muscle up ontop of the roof rack.

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I hope DC don't mind me using their logo.

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[ranger81]

I made my own out of 1"x1" square tubing....cost me nothing for the steel, it was lying around my work shop. I then just used 4 u-bolts from local automotive store..cost me something like $ 6.00...painted them black and Bob's your uncle...hehe


So here's a pic or two of my set up...oh yeah I got some chair leg feet at the hardware store for $ 2.50 They fit perfectly into the square tubing

Grand total for me $ 8.50 These will be strong enough to hold any load you can muscle up onto of the roof rack.

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I hope DC don't mind me using their logo.

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hmmm, I like the looks of that. Nice job. (biggthumpup)

 

[kj924]

Cheap and easy.....just the way I like it

 

[J-Thompson]

get a Surco basket for under $150
and some U-bolts to hold it to the OE rails

got mine up there for under $200 with shipping and mounting
I can get you the size that I think works best

 

[Powerslave]

There has got to be a way to make better rails, without those 1" or more threads sticking up, that looks so tacky. That's not a rip or put down, just saying, I would never have that messy look. There should be a way to use Carrier bolts on the TOP, so all you see is two domes, with a 1" or 2" long coupler nut under, to secure the U-bolts to the carrier bolt. The U-Bolts do NOT have to be that thick either... I think I will go to Home Dept and see what they got... There has to be a better way...

 

[J-Thompson]

There has got to be a way to make better rails, without those 1" or more threads sticking up, that looks so tacky. That's not a rip or put down, just saying, I would never have that messy look. There should be a way to use Carrier bolts on the TOP, so all you see is two domes, with a 1" or 2" long coupler nut under, to secure the U-bolts to the carrier bolt. The U-Bolts do NOT have to be that thick either... I think I will go to Home Dept and see what they got... There has to be a better way...

put them on
cut off what you dont want?

I like the U-bolt method because I dont see the need to run around all the time with an empty rack so I pull it off when I am not using it

 

[tjkj2002]

There has got to be a way to make better rails, without those 1" or more threads sticking up, that looks so tacky. That's not a rip or put down, just saying, I would never have that messy look. There should be a way to use Carrier bolts on the TOP, so all you see is two domes, with a 1" or 2" long coupler nut under, to secure the U-bolts to the carrier bolt. The U-Bolts do NOT have to be that thick either... I think I will go to Home Dept and see what they got... There has to be a better way...

Clean enough for you?

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[Powerslave]

Even if you cut the threads off, you got the 9/16th nuts (they look bigger?) bumping up.

Ahh, I got an Idea, will get back yo you later this summer... I think I can do that with no "U" bolt, and one carrier bolt on each side...

tjkj2002: That a custom job? Are those louvers on the hood functional?

 

[kj924]

If /when I get a roof basket, I think the u-bolts will be hidden by the basket. I do agree that the bolts sticking up is not the nicest looking thing I've seen, but for under $10.00 I think I can live with it.

That Gecko Roof Basket is nice. (biggthumpup)

 

[Powerslave]

For $10.00 the wife would still complain about it... I have to make my stuff CLEAN installs, or I hear it for weeks.

 

[kj924]

For $10.00 the wife would still complain about it... I have to make my stuff CLEAN installs, or I hear it for weeks.

rollinglaugh.gif That's too bad man.

 

[tjkj2002]

Even if you cut the threads off, you got the 9/16th nuts (they look bigger?) bumping up.

Ahh, I got an Idea, will get back yo you later this summer... I think I can do that with no "U" bolt, and one carrier bolt on each side...

tjkj2002: That a custom job? Are those louvers on the hood functional?

No custom job,it's available for sale,click link in sig.And yes the hood vents are 100% fully functional,I did cut 2 big a$$ holes in the hood.

 

[blue_kjR417]

i actually just bought a roof basket for my kj and fabricated some bars myself aswell i'll get pics up asap

 

[AMPlibby06]

just found a guy in my town in VT that has a Thule Playpen:

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for sale and he wants 100 for it. If I can get him down to 75 I think I'll do it with the homemade cross rails. I honestly think that the U-bolts won't look bad since they match the rugged type of look that most people go for with the rack anyway.

 

[Powerslave]

The custom thing with the "U" bolts, ok, so how about some cool BOLT COVERS then? Cut off the threads, and put some nice covers over them. I think that would satisfy the wife too.

I would buy that Playpen rack for $100.00, gimme his number! $75.00 is a steal, but $100 is a great deal, at more than half off.

 

[AMPlibby06]

going to his house at 7:45 (its 4:40 in VT now)! Dont even think about snaggin this one powerslave!!

 

[Powerslave]

going to his house at 7:45 (its 4:40 in VT now)! Dont even think about snaggin this one powerslave!!

Ha!

I would have...

 

[AMPlibby06]

I got it Turns out it was the grey one (booooo!!!), so I got him down to 75 cuz i'll have to sand, prime, and paint it black. Looks really nice though. He threw in utility bars, the elastic cargo net, all of the locks, and the EXTENSION! The things 2 foot longer than stock! I'm pretty excited. I won't be painting it till may when I'm home from school. I plan on mounting some lights on it eventually but those hellas are expensive!! I'll definitely put up pics as well. How bad do you guys think itll whistle if I take the wind visor thing off?

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I got it Turns out it was the grey one (booooo!!!), so I got him down to 75 cuz i'll have to sand, prime, and paint it black. Looks really nice though. He threw in utility bars, the elastic cargo net, all of the locks, and the EXTENSION! The things 2 foot longer than stock! I'm pretty excited. I won't be painting it till may when I'm home from school. I plan on mounting some lights on it eventually but those Hella's are expensive!! I'll definitely put up pics as well. How bad do you guys think it'll whistle if I take the wind visor thing off?

I have a Thule roof rack with wind deflector and a small
Thule roof basket and at 90 Kmh and up it whistles quite loud!
When there is a head wind it sings even louder!
Once you add lights like the Hella 500's or larger, there will be more wind resistance, more turbulence and more noise.
Mind you, you get use to it and after a while my hearing just drowns it out and I don't hear it much any more after 25 years of having the rack system mounted to the roof of the various automobiles I've owned.