Brat lumber rack, I'm thinking I want one.

[Hsoj]

Has anyone made one? I havent found any pics of one. I think it could be a fun, useful option as I'm a woodworker by trade.

 

On my gen 2, the tailgate is 49" so that leaves an inch either side to pick up the rack space and bolt it to the bed and possibly the sides and still be able to load plywood.  I would like a way to load long boards with out having to go get the wagon which does do plywood but its more cumbersome. 

 

Anyone think of any pointers I should think about as I design this? I'm thinking about trying to stick with a 500 lb limit, maybe thats a bit high, but I dont have to load it that high. I get deliveries for that.

 

Thoughts?

 

(It would make it so much easier to put either car under the knife with out compromising my work situation, I think its really a must.)

Edited August 9, 2014 by Hsoj

[Twitch de la Brat]

Well, I'd make it removable without compromising the value or structure of the vehicle.

BRAT's are getting harder and harder to find.

The side rails aren't really strong enough to hold that much weight, as they're basic sheetmetal.

But if you made "feet" for it to mount it in the bed, that may be a more effective option.

Possibly just use the side rails as lateral supports rather than the primary load bearing surface.

 

Twitch

[coxy]

Something like these linked Australian Ute racks can be made with a slip in mounting bolted into the Bed and you simply slip them in or out as needed.

The Front one can be left in and made more permanent as a Roll Bar behind the cab that can still be used to tie shorter loads onto with a couple of vertical stabilisers to stop timber etc from sliding off.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Racks+for+utes&FORM=HDRSC2

[Hsoj]

That Ute rack is a good possibility. I don't know how I would get that much strength off the bed tie-downs though. My gut tells me that would be something I could regret. I would want to make it remove-able and the last thing I would want is to compromise the body in any way. Do you think the bed would take that much weight in the back corners and in front of the wheel wells if I tucked a footed post down there or would I need to try to strengthen the load areas? Thats why I was thinking of using the sides as well as the bed, just that much more spread out load support. With the panels there, I wouldn't feel like it would be ideal to cover them with out having a way to get at them.

 

I'm thinking something like, 1" by1.5" aluminum 1/4" wall square stock, angled in towards the top with a removable rear bar and a top deck of not much more than 3 feet in width, side supports, and the over cab section ending just at the rear of the  t-tops, at least an inch above opening hight.

 

Small, Just enough to get about 30, 1x4s or a slab or two of hardwood around town safely. I've been using my wagon with a built rack for way more than that and I'm a huge fan of doing a full body tie down. (I don't know if I'll ever trust tying off to just a rack.)