Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

I am thinking about building myself a roof rack. I looked around at the roof connectors or uprights or what ever they are called. All of them is quite expensive. I designed the connectors in the picture below and would like to know if you have any inputs to the design. It is made from 2 mm steel and will be powder coated. I am going to manufacture 8 of them. I got a quote of R376 for the 8 sets, R47 a set with out powder coating. Not to bad compared to what some of the shops ask.
I am looking at using aluminium and connect-it connectors to build the frame if the roof rack. I am still figuring out how it will look like, but the rooftop tent and a few Jerry cans will fit on it. Do any one have experience with building a roof rack with connect-it sections of have any advice? It will assist me allot.

Thanks

That looks good mate.... Deon has made a pretty neat roof rack from that connect-it stuff. He is overseas at the moment, but will get him to post his results here when he is back !!

I have a suggestion on the "posts" or fixing brackets but will draw it up in Sketchup with a photo or two of mine which are on my rack. Will make for an easier fixing onto the roof gutters

What program did you use to do that?

We use Solid Works at work. Did the post is sheet metal. Unfold easy for the laser cutting. And can do stress analysis to. I will appreciate any input. Thanks

Looks really great! My only input would be that the angle of the gutter is more vertical, so your foot would bend the gutter; i.e. the angle of the footplate must be less than 90 (i.e. parallel to the top (flat) part of the bracket)

I think you are onto something here.

I am a bit concerned about using connect-it for the frame, because a roof rack works pretty hard. Also, one of the major advantages of the commercial roof racks are the grooves in the stringers that take weld (square) nuts for fixing stuff on.

However, with your feet one could potentially buy just about any second-hand rack (they often go for about R2K), throw away the feet, fit yours and off you go.

What are you planning to add for the nuts to tighten to, and have you possibly looked at African Outback's method? It will cost a couple of more bends, but I think it works more easily?

I once had to fix a broken home-made roof rack in Maun on a Saturday afternoon, and believe me if we weren't very lucky it could have put a serious dent in our trip...

Hi Marinus,

Ek het in 3 aande my dakrak aanmekaar gesit met connect-it's. Ek het iemand gekry wat so 'n paar plekke gesweis het om die voete aan te sit. Ongelukkig nie fotos geneem nie, maar sal die naweek 'n paar fotos neem en opsit. My voete is nie naasteby so netjies soos joune in die skets nie, maar hulle werk orraait.
Alles hang af van hoeveel jy wil laai op die rak. Myne word gebruik vir baie ligte werk, so die 25mm sq tubing en connectors werk goed. Ek het verder 'n 1.5mm alu vastrap opgesit om te versterk. Ek moet nog die "cargo tracks" opsit sodat ek alles behoorlik kan vasmaak. Ek was die afgelope naweek in die Pilansberg en nog net 'n paar sakke hout, buite vuurmaakplek en gasbottel gedra en hy hou nog.
So as jy nie wil swaar gaan laai nie, dink ek jy is op die regte spoor. Die konsep is baie lig en kan permanent op die voertuig bly.

Deon

Fotos soos belowe. Voete is 6mm aluminium flatbar met petrolpyp onder vir beskerming.

Hoop dit help 'n bietjie.

Dankie Deon

Sal verseker help. Ek speel nog bietjie met die voetstukke rond. Probeer die hoeke reg te kry en so. Tyd is net bietjie min en was 3dae in die bed laasweek met griep. Sal die week hopelik die projek weer aan die gang kry. Sal foto's opsit soos ek vorder.

Groete

Jammer om te hoor. Hoop jy voel baie beter.
Met sterker voete behoort jy 'n swaarder vrag te kan dra as myne. Voorspoed met die projek.

Does any body know if the Front Runner section is a standard section or is it on developed by them. I went to one of the local 4x4 shops and saw that Front Runner uses these sections. If I can get these profile it will be easier to do the roof rack with them instead of connect-it sections. I think these might be a bit "lig in die broek" for what I want to do, RTT.
This section also looks promising if the front runner is not available.
The problem it to get these and to get these in Bloem.

Any assistants on other sections/supplier will be off help.

Thanks