DIY : Tnutz Roof Rack

[Fozzy325]

Due to costs and my requirement to have a low profile rack I am looking at making a roof rack from Tnutz similar to this project.

Can anyone give tip tricks or advice on strength/build

I want to connect it directly to the OEM rails for the Land Rover
LR4

I think photos are not allowed on this thread

View attachment 76733
View attachment 76734
View attachment 76735
View attachment 76736
View attachment 76737
View attachment 76738

 

[geekyadam]

I've thought about a DIY roof rack for a little while. I know that FrontRunner sells just the mounting brackets for their rack, and I wondered if I should use their mount brackets but my own t-track to save a ton of money.
Looking forward to pics of your progress and hearing other tips.

 

[Fozzy325]

I've thought about a DIY roof rack for a little while. I know that FrontRunner sells just the mounting brackets for their rack, and I wondered if I should use their mount brackets but my own t-track to save a ton of money.
Looking forward to pics of your progress and hearing other tips.

Well I have design all CAD done and priced it out. It’s not going to be cost effective

 

[geekyadam]

Well I have design all CAD done and priced it out. It’s not going to be cost effective

Oh? FrontRunner roof rack is one of the most expensive out there. You don't think you will come in cheaper? Where are you getting your t-track? For how much?

 

[Fozzy325]

Oh? FrontRunner roof rack is one of the most expensive out there. You don't think you will come in cheaper? Where are you getting your t-track? For how much?

I was getting the price from 8020.net which came out to 1600 usd. CDN would be well over 2k not including shipping.

I have found another solution for $700 CDN and it will be 55”x 80” and good for 500lbs

 

[brianb2]

Not sure why, but I can't see any of your photo attachments. Regardless, check your area for metal scrap yards. I'm always amazed at the types of resources available when I visit the one near me. Here's some photos of a platform I made for my jeep from aluminum pieces I got for under $15. I capped the ends recently, but haven't taken a photo. This works great, and while not quite as slick the frontrunner I've been pretty happy.

 

[AKH313]

Ok Look Fozz Im curently building my roofrack look a like
The SSO. Because lead time was to long and price was to high. Im in Canada and its hard to find good roofrack. So yeah i order the extruded aluminum online and made the side spine rail cut at the metal shop. Its a lot of work drilling the hole and measuring and making a template but in my case it worth it. I use 3/8 steel for the side spine so I know its solid. Good luck

 

[Fozzy325]

Ok, doing and endless search on the net. I found this diy build.
https://www.thenewx.org/forum/23-exterior/53422-how-build-another-uni-strut-roof-rack-pbr.html

I’m going to the scrap yard to look for the uni-struts

 

[Griffin Hooper]

I recently built my own rack.

 

[Griffin Hooper]

Hopefully before the year is out I can do a write up.

 

[Fozzy325]

I recently built my own rack. View attachment 76912View attachment 76913

This is great, is this aluminium?

 

[Sunshine State ADVCo.]

I was going to build a Tnutz rack but it was going to be almost as expensive as a front runner rack. I am instead building my own rack out of an ATV ramp that you would use for loading a pickup truck with smittybilt gutter mounts. With the extra aluminum I’ll need and paint I’ll have a lo-pro front runner style rack for under $400 all in. I’ll be posting the build here soon

 

[Griffin Hooper]

This is great, is this aluminium?

It is not, I sadly do not have the skill to weld aluminum (learned how to garage weld for this) it can however be bolted together and I have that parts list also. I just wanted to learn a skill (planning to learn via school eventually) #3kids and a full time day job.

The difference in steel vs aluminum for me was 25lbs of weight. I can certainly live with that... V2 will be aluminum though.

Fun fact the 4th Gen 4Runner does not have a square roof...

 

[AKH313]

It is not, I sadly do not have the skill to weld aluminum (learned how to garage weld for this) it can however be bolted together and I have that parts list also. I just wanted to learn a skill (planning to learn via school eventually) #3kids and a full time day job.

The difference in steel vs aluminum for me was 25lbs of weight. I can certainly live with that... V2 will be aluminum though.

Fun fact the 4th Gen 4Runner does not have a square roof...

The 5th is the same the roof is wider at the front and it make it more difficult to build haha

 

[bladerunnerkc]

I was going to build a Tnutz rack but it was going to be almost as expensive as a front runner rack. I am instead building my own rack out of an ATV ramp that you would use for loading a pickup truck with smittybilt gutter mounts. With the extra aluminum I’ll need and paint I’ll have a lo-pro front runner style rack for under $400 all in. I’ll be posting the build here soon

I am building a shop vac / cyclone cart out of 80/20 in the 1.5 inch series. It's 20 x 20 x 70 tall. It was really going to be expensive. Real expensive. I did find on eBay that 80/20 has a store that discounts some items and there are several vendors there that sell used 80/20. I have bought some parts as cheap as a couple of bucks for a 4 foot long piece of 1.5. There's also great deals on the accessories. I paid 80 bucks for a few pounds of the nuts and bolts. I have bags of nuts and bolts and some brackets now. Some had to be cleaned up but so what. Also, I bought a mill http://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Mill-Drill/G0758 so I could mill out the holes for connecting the parts. It's about 4 or 5 bucks for each milling action if you buy it from 80/20 pre cut. That mill is replacing my drill press anyway.
I have the cost of my cart down to about half of what it would cost going through their main 80/20 website.
My next project is a drawer mount for the back of my suburban in their 1 inch material.

 

[Fozzy325]

It is not, I sadly do not have the skill to weld aluminum (learned how to garage weld for this) it can however be bolted together and I have that parts list also. I just wanted to learn a skill (planning to learn via school eventually) #3kids and a full time day job.

The difference in steel vs aluminum for me was 25lbs of weight. I can certainly live with that... V2 will be aluminum though.

Fun fact the 4th Gen 4Runner does not have a square roof...

I like this. I’m thinking of copying this idea doubling up and built it up to give support rails.
What is the total weight of this one?
Is it a p1000?

 

[Griffin Hooper]

I like this. I’m thinking of copying this idea doubling up and built it up to give support rails.
What is the total weight of this one?
Is it a p1000?

It is FS-200SL for the surround and FS-500SL for the cross bars. Grainger had the best price and you can pick it up on eBay with very minimal shipping if you don't live near a store.

 

[tundraconvert]

Here is some inspiration and ideas...I think I will be tackling this type of rack soon. Looks like I will be able to do it for $200-$250 depending on supplies.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-prinsu-style-shell-rack.521186/

 

[Fozzy325]

Here is some inspiration and ideas...I think I will be tackling this type of rack soon. Looks like I will be able to do it for $200-$250 depending on supplies.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-prinsu-style-shell-rack.521186/

I have found some new materials but I need to find a welder. Material I’d $560 CDN . I phoned a few scrap yards but they won’t let me rummage around their yards.
Good luck on your build

 

[bladerunnerkc]

That's a great thread!
I already have 4 load bars from FrontRunner. If I add 2 more, I can connect them on the sides as it shows here and I will be set.
Had I known about 80/20 when I was setting up my roof. I would have went that way with black anodized and would black powdercoat any parts I made. I have built a few things now with 80/20 and it's great to work with. I did get a vertical mill to make all the mounting holes and a chop saw with an aluminum cutting carbide blade. Those cuts don't require any cleanup.