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PVC RoofRack


The Dude Abides
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So before i came across said video i was curious about this if it would work. To some extent if you dont make the pieces to long it reduces the flex they have. Kinda like legos. Could possibly be very strong, say maybe if they had two metal supports in the middle. Will it work. Your going to find out.:grin:

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This whole thing came about when i saw others roof racks. Though they were metal and made nicely they sat on top of the yakama roof racks which to me made it just way to tall. Ive configured up a way to use the 2 existing roof bars with a plethara of PVC pipeing which will distribute the weight equally among both sides as well as putting some lighting into play. Just waitng on getting the materials and figuring out the sizes and whatnot. I should be tearing apart the wheel bearing, but this is more fun.:lol:

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I wasnt going to do the bolts, but i need to make sure everything is cut up and lined up perfect before i take it apart and paste it together. Ive also been thinking about takeing some cheep angle iron and running it through the center of the long pieces. Might be overkill but it would eliminate all flex in the pipe.

 

Ive also made a call to desmoines steel for some diamond steel flooring:brow:

Edited by The Dude Abides
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the EA82 roof rails are just riveted onto the sheet metal. not exactly structural. So any roof rack designed to carry any weight (spare tire, jack, etc.) has to be attached to the drip rails. I used to just lay my spare tire on the roof, and the ratchet strap it to the yakima crossbars. kept it very sturdy, but still low.

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some better pics of my former waterwagon 2...

 

91504675_VqmFJ-M.jpg

 

the rack-

 

791511460_i97uy-M.jpg

 

791509612_X2oqd-M.jpg

 

791511845_qWhcf-M.jpg

 

The PVC/ABS pipe holds up well if you glue it together correctly, and it has many uses- you can drill and screw into it, or use hose clamps to clamp it to/clamp stuff to it, you could even put a fluid/air fitting on there and use it as a storage tank! (non corrosive/fuel, that is!)

 

I did not have any trouble with my rack up there, even with the lights and the goofy overhang- Qman once he saw it, said "your gonna loose that on the first wheelin trip out" and, either I got lucky, or it was tougher than it looked, because it was there just how I made it, 'till I sold the car!

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some better pics of my former waterwagon 2...

 

91504675_VqmFJ-M.jpg

 

the rack-

 

791511460_i97uy-M.jpg

 

791509612_X2oqd-M.jpg

 

791511845_qWhcf-M.jpg

 

The PVC/ABS pipe holds up well if you glue it together correctly, and it has many uses- you can drill and screw into it, or use hose clamps to clamp it to/clamp stuff to it, you could even put a fluid/air fitting on there and use it as a storage tank! (non corrosive/fuel, that is!)

 

I did not have any trouble with my rack up there, even with the lights and the goofy overhang- Qman once he saw it, said "your gonna loose that on the first wheelin trip out" and, either I got lucky, or it was tougher than it looked, because it was there just how I made it, 'till I sold the car!

 

 

Thanks for posting the pics, im going to be running mine alittle different though.

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Thanks for posting the pics, im going to be running mine alittle different though.

 

 

No problem :) I figured i would just throw in my 2 cents...

 

oh, and if anyone is wondering, that basket thingy in the rear section of my PVC rack, is actually the OEM rack basket from a nissan x-terra SUV... it was in the used car department at work, they were removing it and gonna toss it, so I grabbed it and it was funny because it fit perfectly like it was meant to be there! so I just secured the edges with zip ties/hose clamps and it worked out great as a carrier for smaller items (or gas cans and spare tires too)

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Looks like your running 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 pipe. If so im going to be running either 3/4 or 1inch pipe. Did you try mounting your lights to the pvc but found it was to flimsy. This is someting ive been wondering.

 

running that smal of pipe, you'll need to cut into smaller pieces with support T's to limit the flex...

 

does a roof rack count as an "option" :grin:

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Looks like your running 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 pipe. If so im going to be running either 3/4 or 1inch pipe. Did you try mounting your lights to the pvc but found it was to flimsy. This is someting ive been wondering.

 

 

Actually, I was running 2" or 3" pipe, (cant remember, but it was not the small stuff!) and I ran the lights off of a metal bar that I had used U-bolts to clamp the bar onto the PVC... I did not have any holes drilled into the pipe at all, it was all attached via hose clamps, zip ties and U bolts. :)

The pipe did flex a little bit from time to time, but like I said earlier, it held up to wheelin' and the weight of things stacked up there! just follow the directions on the primer/glue bottles and you are set!

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running that smal of pipe, you'll need to cut into smaller pieces with support T's to limit the flex...

 

does a roof rack count as an "option" :grin:

 

Yea i know about the short pieces and limiting the flex. Ive got it planned out pretty good but im going to make precision cuts and measure measure measure and try it out before anything gets glued together.

 

Considering ive added a passanger side mirror, cd player, rear discs i have lots of options. Keep that option talk up mr and ill personally autograph your new door:grin:

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