I thought I would ask the knowledgeable community before I embark on a journey in making my own roof mounted rack system.
Having seen a number of videos I'm wondering 'how hard can it be?' I have a Disco 4 with the short roof rails, which is rated to support up to 75Kg of dynamic load. Looking at the different solutions on the market it looks like about a third of that is immediately taken up by the weight of the rack system itself! So, to cut a long story short, I'm thinking of making a roof system using 4080 Aluminium Extrusion attached directly to the Disco's T-Track system. This is to keep it light and to provide the same amount of flexibility in terms of being able to attach things to it.
So my questions centre on what height ideally would I need to 'lift' the cross members off the body to allow wind to pass under the rack. Or will getting the rack as close to the roof be better for aerodynamics and wind noise? has anyone any experience in making their own rack?
My observations from LR and third party cross roof bars are they seem to lift the stowage level a considerable height above the roofline, and just wondering why a lower-profiled system hasn't been designed to take advantage of the T-track system? Also anyone know where I can buy fixings for the T-track?
Cheers
15th Apr 2021 12:22 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
I'm making one at the moment from 40mm aluminium round tube, but have had to sub out some welding as my TIG set has gone down and I can't get the spares.
I've never liked the look, or price, of any of the aftermarket jobbies.
Will grab an image or two later.
The T track fixings are simply a length of Stainless flat bar with two bolts passed through and welded in place. I turned the heads down a bit first for clearance.
Nasher.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 12:43 pm
Rotara
Member Since: 02 Mar 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 59
Hoping not to have to weld anything other than bespoke brackets for the track mount system.
I’m attaching a CAD drawing of my design. Made from 4080 Black Anodised Aluminium and designed to compare with many modular rack systems on the market, that are charging upwards of £1K. My rack should be sub £200.
15th Apr 2021 1:01 pm
Rotara
Member Since: 02 Mar 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 59
Nasher wrote:
The T track fixings are simply a length of Stainless flat bar with two bolts passed through and welded in place. I turned the heads down a bit first for clearance.
Nasher.
Would appreciate a couple of pics of this, and any tech specs.
Cheers
15th Apr 2021 1:08 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
Remembered I took this previously.
It's by no means finished in this image, and appears shorter than it is due to the angle I took it from.
It does run the complete length of the fitted rails on my D4, which are the extended ones.
It's tapered width-wise along it's length to run just outside the roof rails and has some flat plates welded underneath at the front and rear cross bars to use to bolt down to the rails.
I currently plan just @25mm thick spacers underneath, but that will only give around the same clearance in the middle to the glass roof on my HSE Lux, so I might raise it a little.
It's shaped at the rear to fit around the roof antenna, but the antenna will be just below the upper surface with the 25mm spacers so I can put flat stuff on the roof.
I don't want to put a lot of weight up there, and may leave it in it's basic state, but might decide to weld on some extra tabs so I can put a lightweight honeycomb floor in the gaps between the tubes.
I may also add extra fixing points in the middle and some tie-down loops along the side.
A big thing for me is to have it quickly and easily removable, as I only want to put it on when I need it.
But need a better platform than just two standard cross bars.
NasherHeaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 1:11 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
Rotara wrote:
Nasher wrote:
The T track fixings are simply a length of Stainless flat bar with two bolts passed through and welded in place. I turned the heads down a bit first for clearance.
Nasher.
Would appreciate a couple of pics of this, and any tech specs.
Cheers
Unfortunately the 'tech specs' are a bit difficult as I do this sort of thing by eye as I go along.
I can measure them for you later though.
NasherHeaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
have either of you sourced any reasonably priced "t-slot nuts" or whatever name the go by on the site you found ? (although I note Nasher has gone the home-made route for at least some of it)
Interested in the "raised height" question as I'm considering reducing the height of my Rhino bars ... my previous bars where home-made and sat on Thule mounting kit rubbers, so where only ~30mm above the roof-rails and I can't think of any issues that caused.
also ... is there any reason I can't have a quick-release system for holding things to the vehicle ? bloody frustrating having to do 30 turns of the nuts to lock the bars down..
Dean
====================================
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2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
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15th Apr 2021 1:13 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
Hardware, sorry, for what they are I wouldn't even consider buying them, so never looked.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 1:15 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
This probably explains them better.
They just slide in using the gaps for the standard style cross bars.
Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 1:19 pm
Rotara
Member Since: 02 Mar 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 59
Sorry, I forgot to include my attachment,
I'm going down the route of using extrusion because there's a huge range of fixings available to lash to it.
15th Apr 2021 1:22 pm
Rotara
Member Since: 02 Mar 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 59
I will get the hang of this!
15th Apr 2021 1:22 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
You are going far more technical than me Rotara
I'll be lashing down to the tube with straps or rope.
By the way, I can't see your attachment anywhere.
Nasher.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 1:23 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
Ah, can nowHeaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
15th Apr 2021 1:24 pm
Rotara
Member Since: 02 Mar 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 59
Hardware wrote:
Interested in the "raised height" question as I'm considering reducing the height of my Rhino bars ... my previous bars where home-made and sat on Thule mounting kit rubbers, so where only ~30mm above the roof-rails and I can't think of any issues that caused.
Exactly what I'm interested in knowing. Whether the height of the commercial racks have been designed in that way to reduce drag / wind noise / fuel consumption etc
15th Apr 2021 1:25 pm
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2815
I think all the commercially available cross bars are quite tall as they are designed around modular components that bolt together, adding a bit of height each time.
And they are not meant to be left on all the time.
The more substantial, more D3/4 specific full length racks from the more regarded manufacturers all sit right down close to the roof, including the LR Expedition rack. That also has a 'fairing' around the front closing the gap between roof and rack.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
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