Chris's PS Fab FJ60 Roof Rack

[Chris]

Thanks to Pete & Sean for their work building my roof rack yesterday. I now have a platform for my RTT as well as a all-purpose rack. I opened the tent last night and it'll work well after some fine-tuning.

Thanks guys!

[scout man]

:pics:

[Smash]

+1 I want to see the pics! Might be modeling my roof rack after yours!

[Chris]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I might have taken one but did remember to take ones of other things for Matt.

I'll stick my head out and take one with the RTT on it but it doesn't show the rack at all.

[Chris]

You won't want yours like mine Ash. It's welded to the gutters and your gutters aren't what we'd call stable. :D

The challenge on mine was to keep it low enough to still get in the garage. It looks like it will work just fine but nothing's sure until I actually pull it in. I should get to that later today if the snow melts a bit.

Not much in the line of pics today. One out the front door this morning and maybe a couple during the build.

[Smash]

Yeah would be a different mount for me. That looks good though, from what i can see!

[Chris]

I'm happy with it, they were limited to keeping in under 2.5" in height.

[Brody]

Thanks Chris!

And yes, Ash, you don't want yours to be like this. The gutters on the FJ60 are easily double the strength of what is on the Burb. Your through the roof roof rack mounts with plating is the way you want to be looking....back to your original plan, in other words...

[Smash]

Wanted to see how it looked, I knew the mounting would be different.

Thanks for posting the pics Chris!

[Chris]

Okay, I just popped the tent up to let it dry out and do some adjustments. Took a few pics and will post them after Barb gets done with my computer. I'm using her netbook and it's not that great to unload pics from my camera.

Thinking I may just try Ubuntu on this little thing.

[Chris]

Here are a couple, you can make out a bit of the rack.

[Smash]

Sweet tent!!

[Rob]

Pretty cool setup. And more nice work by Sean and Pete.

[southpaws3]

man that tent looks familiar?!?!?!?!?!?!

[Chris]

:lmao: Sure does Ed! Thanks again, I'm looking forward to using it. I'm in the process of tweaking what I need to for my truck but looks like it's almost there.

[KnuckleHead]

Looks good Chris....

[Chris]

As I think I mentioned earlier the challenge for Pete and Sean was to make this low enough that I could still get in the garage.

[Mporter]

very nice. Mind me asking how much it ran ya?

[Smash]

Holy smokes that is tight! Don't air up your tires any more! :lol:

[Brody]

$150ish overall for labor and material. We did the install for free because....well....Chris is Chris...we like him and what he has done...Besides, he wouldn't move his rig out of Sean's driveway until he had the tent attached...:D

[Chris]

he wouldn't move his rig out of Sean's driveway until he had the tent attached

Yeah but where were you when it came to taking it off! :eek:

Seriously, it comes off a lot easier, probably 15 minutes. I have to work on those mounts a bit.

[Zatticus]

ahahah

Thats a super tight fit.

Pete; You make me laugh, So hard

:D

[WINKY]

looking at the pics, did you gusset the mounting tabs so they wouldnt flex side to side when shifting body weight in the tent? this would fatigue the welds and break them eventually. (just a thought cant see without being in person)

otherwise it looks KICKA$$ good job guys!

[Mporter]

Gaaaah stop doing such a good job guys....making me get ideas here :redface:

[porkchop]

pretty cool set up! I'm jealous

[Rob]

As I think I mentioned earlier the challenge for Pete and Sean was to make this low enough that I could still get in the garage.

You know, you could just tear out that useless molding, like I did recently with my garage door frame. Now I have more clearance. And a slightly drafty garage. :redface:

[Pathrat]

Supercool work guys! Very slick set up and the tent looks great. :thunb:


You know, you could just tear out that useless molding, like I did recently with my garage door frame (says Rob)
So picky, isn't he?

[Red Rhino]

Very nice. I have been looking at those tents for years. Will you keep it on when you are wheelen?

Bryan

[1freaky1]

looking at the pics, did you gusset the mounting tabs so they wouldnt flex side to side when shifting body weight in the tent? this would fatigue the welds and break them eventually. (just a thought cant see without being in person)

otherwise it looks KICKA$$ good job guys!

They are fully welded up all the way around where they mount to the rack its self so they should do fine, did not want for them to rip the roof if it does flex which it would do if there were gussets on the mounts. Also both Pete and I were both climbing aroun on the rack after it was mounted and it did not move. Pete reached up and grabbed on to shake it and the whiole rig rocked as one unit.


Thanks everyone for the kudos.

[Brody]

Randy

The side mounts were 90'd under the 1x1 and then welded to the bottom of the rack and the sides, then welded into the gutters. There was no flex when everything was said and done. Weakest point now is the actual tent mounts(aluminum channel with slides that capture the rack rails), but these seem to be strong enough as they have held up fine so far.

[Mporter]

You know, you could just tear out that useless molding, like I did recently with my garage door frame. Now I have more clearance. And a slightly drafty garage. :redface:

Yeah I agree with Rob.
A novice with a sawzall could easily adapt your house to accommodate a land cruiser.

[Brody]

Or a professional with one! Let's talk some more work here, Chris! Barb doesn't even have to know! I can cut out, re frame and install a 7'-8' garage door for you in probably a day.....

[Mporter]

Hell while you're at it....just chop the rest of the garage roof out, raise it about 10 more feet, and turn it into a garage bay with a 10 ton lift.

[Aaron]

That is really cool. What do those tents run?

[Chris]

This is a Mombasa from http://www.car-top-tent.com/

It's made in China and usually sells for $900. They were being sold for $400 a while back but I think that was closing out some old ones.

So far I'm pretty happy with mine but have to spend some time and figure out what's what in the pile of stuff I got from Ed.

Here's a review: http://www.yotatech.com/f105/mombasa-roof-top-tent-review-142756/

[Chris]

Now the rack itself.

[Smash]

That looks great!

[WINKY]

They are fully welded up all the way around where they mount to the rack its self so they should do fine, did not want for them to rip the roof if it does flex which it would do if there were gussets on the mounts. Also both Pete and I were both climbing aroun on the rack after it was mounted and it did not move. Pete reached up and grabbed on to shake it and the whiole rig rocked as one unit.


Thanks everyone for the kudos.


Randy

The side mounts were 90'd under the 1x1 and then welded to the bottom of the rack and the sides, then welded into the gutters. There was no flex when everything was said and done. Weakest point now is the actual tent mounts(aluminum channel with slides that capture the rack rails), but these seem to be strong enough as they have held up fine so far.

I kinda figured there were 90's somewhere i just couldnt see them :) good work though guys!