[rkik]

I want to design and have someone build a cargo rack for the bed of my truck. Don't have access to the tools to build it myself. I want something similar to the one the ford on the cover of Off-Road Adventures had minus the part that goes above the cab. Main purpose would be to to carry my spare and also kayaks plus allow for attachment of fire extinguisher, lights, and recovery gear. Max weight the rack would see is ~300 lbs.

What do you guys think? Any estimate on cost? Anywhere online I could look?

Thanks,
rkik

 

[Dark Eternal]

Its a cool idea. There is a guy in my side of town that does lots of custom 4x4 welding and crap. I can get you his # if you want. He welded my bumper on - he knows what hes doing. I would just use some sched 80 pipe - way cheaper than DOM and strong enough for what your looking at.

 

[willyswanter]

I'm building one almost identical to the one on the cover for my truck... It will be removable with pins though.

 

[rkik]

I'm building one almost identical to the one on the cover for my truck... It will be removable with pins though.

Yeah I know I have been reading the other thread about the buildup of your truck. It is bad ass and the way you set up the tube frame/bed is awesome :mexsmoke: . Building it removeable is a great feature :cheers: .

rkik

 

[Aquaman]

I'm building one almost identical to the one on the cover for my truck... It will be removable with pins though.

What are you doin with your can-back? That was an expensive mod man.

 

[Eisenfaust]

you gonna go through the bed make it actually able to take a roll? or just for tools etc..?

 

[rkik]

you gonna go through the bed make it actually able to take a roll? or just for tools etc..?

No not through the bed it would be just for tools etc. The heaviest thing that it will see is my spare which is a little over a 100 pounds and then every now and then maybe a pair of kayaks also so worst case add another 100 pounds for 200 pounds total.

Mainly looked at a lot of of the different ladder racks so far on line but not really liking the way any look and they are not all that cheap? Many ladder rack designs I have found just clamp to the bed rails and can carry anywhere from 350 -750 lbs? So current plan is to design it to sit on the bed rails like the ford one above.

rkik

 

[Todd]

I'd becareful putting something like that on a NBS GM bed. They can't handle that weight. I have a headache on my truck and my bed is cracking to pieces. And that headache doesn't weight that much, it prolly lighter than what you will be putting on there.

It may not crack if you mounted it to the floor of the bed rather than bolting it anywhere on the bed rail.

I promise it will end up crackin if you take it offroad at all. The GM beds are just to thin, it can't handle much.

 

[HBjeff]

i agree. maybe with some supports designed into the bed floor it will work.

these NBS beds cant handle anything. it sucks. i hope it can hold a can back

 

[rkik]

Good point guys about the weakness of our beds. I remember reading that a while back about cross over tool boxes causing stress cracks. So now I am looking at bolting it to the bed floor. Below is the beginnings of my design. The red bar will hold one of those contico storage boxes in place. I also threw in a tire mock-up for on top.

Dark Eternal once I get closer to actually pricing getting this made I may ask for that number. Thanks.

rkik

 

[Dark Eternal]

The design looks good. You going to make it so you can throw some offroad lights on it? I would be real easy to make them have a wiring harness that would be one plug to a wire in your bed for removal, kinda like a trailer hitch plug. If you needed help I could help you do that.

 

[rkik]

The design looks good. You going to make it so you can throw some offroad lights on it? I would be real easy to make them have a wiring harness that would be one plug to a wire in your bed for removal, kinda like a trailer hitch plug. If you needed help I could help you do that.

Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I was definitely planning on at least having some tabs welded on for future light mounts. First plan for additional lights would be to have some pointed aft for backing up at night .

rkik