getitdone

Well, I want to make a roof rack and I was thinking of how I was going to paint it. Do you guys think I should powder coat this thing? I don't know anybody who could do it so I would have to shop around. Has anybody had anything powder coated in the Dallas area? Some other options I was thinking were rattle can, Por-15, or maybe even Herculiner. I am looking for a flat black look that is really durable. What do you guys think?



By the way... Pic of the rack that I want to make.

FilthyRich

If you are looking for durability either have professionally sprayed (bedliner) or DIY.

getitdone

I have slowly started to model the rack. Check it out.

Randomness

That's awesome, man. Think it could mount with a sunroof?

getitdone

you could make it fit for one(seeing as how its a custom job) but I don't think that the original one would fit. I thought about that though and wished I had one so I could try to make it work!

Tacoma Dude

Are you going to retain the ability to remove the top?
It looks like the rack goes over the front cab... additionally how are you planning on mounting?

dragr1

iTrader: (3)

I like that rack! How about making me a front piece like that to fit on my Conferr rack.

getitdone

Tacoma Dude... Hell yea I'm going to retain the removable top!!! In fact, I am designing it to unbolt from my hard top and bolt up to a soft top that I am going to make for the summer.
Picture this top with the above roof rack! Oh Yea.


The rack will have 8 mounting points, two of which will be a few inches from the cab. I plan to have the ferring part sort of hover very close on top of the cab. It only hangs over like 12 inches anyway.

Dragr1... I would love to contribute to the people on the forum. I think that would be cool to make the front piece for your rack. The only thing is... between school, new job, and lack of funds(changing with the job) I hardly have time to do my own, much less yours. But I do like the idea. Send me the measurements as well as some close up pics of the rack and I will try to model it and think of something. Send me close ups of the front especially, I'm sure you would want to bolt it up to the front of the rack instead of on the cab. Have some patience with me though.

FirstToy

Chris, is this your 1st gen? Nice!! Always liked that Can-back look, very cool

getitdone

No, I wish! This 4runner belongs to Jonny Lange of Wild Yoats. He did an article on a home made soft top for his runner that I will absolutly do.
Linky: http://www.wildyoats.com/canvas_top_tech.htm

getitdone

Here is my mount idea, pardon the lame colors and quick drawing.















Explanation...

Start from the bottom up...
Grey: You have a grade 8 bolt, something around 3/8" maybe bigger
Blue: That is a piece of 1/4" steel plate that is sort of like a mega washer
Roof: The fiberglass roof
Green: I want some sort of gasket material to go here, and I am thinking of silicon around the bolt and underneath and on top of the gasket
Blue: Thicker steel plate, maybe like 1/2" Hole is threaded for grade 8 bolt, so you can torque down the gasket material and always leave it there
Red: This is the Roof Rack mount.
White: Nut for grade 8 bolt to secure the rack


When you take the rack off you will have the bolts sticking up from the thick steel plates. Since they never come out of the roof again, I think they will seal pretty good. If anybody has ever done anything like this, let me know what you used. Likewise, if you have any suggestions, for instance, what to use for a gasket, let me know!


Thanks

98LimitedCustomized

Here's an idea I'm going to throw at ya.... just something to consider... From looking at your picture, what if the bolt coming throught the fiberglass was wide and short... with a retaining nut on top of the roof... then drill and tap out the inside of this, to say 1/4 or something fairly small. You'd still use a gasket, and most likely the red part.... but once you took it off you'd have a very thin nut sitting on top, and that's about it. Basically you make something to screw into, but with less to see when it's not on. Just a thought! I'm going to be be fabricating some mounts in the near future (3rd gen) cause nothing seems to tickle my fancy. Looks good though, can't wait to see it finished!

getitdone

That's a good idea. I was just going to live with the bolts sticking up, but I guess now I don't have to.

dragr1

iTrader: (3)

Have you built the rack yet?

jc1kz

DUDE !!! you forgot that I have a moonroof, now redo w the moonroof in, Awesome looking....I wannna see it finished.... and you'll probbaly get lost of offers for you make more....lol.....so
here is my submission of request for one too!!!

getitdone

sorry guys. I have done little on the project since my last post.
Yet the idea is not even close to getting scrapped.
I kinda put it off to the side untill I purchase a welder, which may not be long from now.*crossed fingers*

I wouldn't leave you guys in the dark. Updates will be up as they are made.

r0cky

Hey, did you ever find a good powder-coating place? I had my wheels powder-coated by a shop in the Dallas area. If you want I can try to dig up the receipt and get you the name/number of the place.

getitdone

Sure, I never looked into it closely enough to get anything. Let me know though.

r0cky

http://www.custompowdercoating.com/

BOSTON4RUNNER

i used bedliner paint on mine

very durable and looks good too

i have to do some touch up now, but the front part of my rack is in much better shape than the powdercoated rear part

soon it will all be covered in bedliner paint