HOW TO: Build Sturdy Roof Rails For Under $40

[GoldBug]

**NOTICE** My Libby has the thicker roof tubes that come on the Renegade so I'm not sure how it will work with the smaller rails.

So my brother wanted to take his kayak to the beach and well my dad's convertible Seabring just wasn't going to work. I told him many times to call the guy at Glen Dale Motors to order the proper water sport rack (as his price is just as good as JParts and no shipping charge). Well Jacob never got around to it so I went to Lowe's and looked at what they had.

I bought:
1 8ft 2x4
4 2in rubber pipe couplings
8 2 1/2in U-bolts
16 locking nuts

I had:
Ratchet wrench set
Drill and 5/16 drill bit and other size bits

I eyeballed the measurement for the front board from side to side of the rails to 45in and cut the 2x4 accordingly. I then cut the couplings down one side to wrap the rails in to prevent scratching and ensure a snug fit with the U-bolts.

I had measured the rails at 2in but forgot that pluming is measured with the opening so I had to cut like 1/4 of an inch off the coupling for it to not overlap the rail. The length of the coupling happens to be the width of a 2x4.

I drilled the holes on one side of the 2x4 for the U-bolts then put the bolts and coupling on one side and check my measurements on the passenger side before drilling and made the drills. When I checked the back board’s second set of drills I realized the rails are about an inch closer. I cut the board down and drilled it appropriately.

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(notice the black bug spots covering the 2x4's after 1000+miles)

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I had a 2ft CB antenna I retrieved from my ex-girlfriend (along w/ the CB I gave her) and decided to put it on the rack for the trip cause my mother always has a CB in the rentals she drives. Just bought a flat mount and widened one hole and drilled an other to make it fit. And that one locking nut is up the bolt cause i took these pics right after i started to take the rails off.

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I'll post some shots of the Renny w/ the kayak on it. I used ratchet straps to hold it down and put green mini bungees arund the 2x4's to hold the strap up off my paint and cut down the noise of the straps vibrating.

 

[jfortier777]

A wood rack...

I would have never considered a wood rack. Seems much more fit to hold a kayak than metal too. Radical!

 

[2003KJ]

thats a really neat Idea...but one question, did you treat the wood with any sort of sealer or waterproofer so it doesn't rot out?

 

[GoldBug]

I didn't buy treated wood nor did I seal it... wasn't thinking about it being a long term fix. I hope next year my brother can haul it himself or i'll have the real deal rails. I had considered priming them and painting them black but just didn't have the time to but they were up there for two weeks or just over and I hit rain somewhere around Staunton VA and it rained here last night before i took them off.

 

[GoldBug]

Oh and I took them off as i think they were cutting down my fuel economy some and there was more wind noise w/ the sunroof open or vented. The other day I wondered what effect rounding the board or drilling holes through them to help air pass through them would have.

Also if you're wondering I made it from Elkins, WV over the Allegheny Mountains to the Great Bridge area south of Newport News VA on just over 3/4 a tank of gas with the kayak and 2 bikes on a hitch rack. My calculations said nearly 19MPG. After leaving the kayak w/ my brother in my hometown I got around 17 but it wasn't completely highway driving and it was over the rolling hills of WV and not the flats of NC and eastern VA.

 

[Watty]

I did a similar fitment. Only instead of using 4x2 wood beams, I used discarded aluminium 'u' shaped strips that were used for vertical blinds.

 

[MoladoGuy]

=D> I love the fabs. That looked like a clean quick fix to your rack issue.

 

[Se7enLC]

I like it! Especially the rubber pipe coupling and U-bolt making the snug fit. Not sure how I feel about a wooden rack, but it works.

One thing I would change is to counter-sink the u-bolts somehow. Having bolt-ends sticking up like that is going to scratch something you put on the roof.

 

[GoldBug]

**Pics with kayak added**
I thought about taking a hack saw to the bolts after i had the nuts tightened, wrapping them w/ electrical tape or buying 16 smiley face antennna toppers to keep the boat from any scratches. I'm almost 5ft 10in tall and the people who assisted me were the same or taller so we could get it up over the bolts but I'd totally suggest some sort of capping on them to anyone interested in this as alternative to the Mopar parts. Also my brother doesn't have a skirt for the boat yet so that's why I hauled it upside down to keep water from filling in the even of rain. If you do this I suggest a small towel over the hole secured w/ bungees to keep the kayak from whisteling much like blowing into a bottle opening does.

 

[-=JoN=-]

very creative..I like it

 

[Marty]

Nice inexpensive solution compared to what I had to pay for Thule kayak supports (320.00 CDN for two kayaks - and those are the inexpensive ones). Here's how they look, with kayaks on and 5 x 8 UHaul ready for 8000 km round trip Calgary to Montreal. I made locking cables from plastic-coated steel cable, not wanting to take any chances after having one kayak ripped off. If cables are wrapped around front and rear at narrowing points, the kayaks can't be slipped off unless cables are cut.

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[Marty]

Looks like one didn't load. Try again

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[eko]

tie downs for kayak

How & where??? (on my KJ 02 LIBERTY SPORT) to "tie down" both the bow & stern of my 13 ft Kayak ???
Today I put YAKIMA roof rack on JEEP) ... but all of the front & rear bumpers are plastic/ rubber --- where to tie down??? many thanx

 

[Atrus]

From the pics, it doesn't look like he strapped to the front or rear bumper. I believe he did only to the rack.

 

[Arizona KJ Carlos]

Roof Rails

I am working on a solution similar to this using aluminum instead of wood. I just finished with the project but need to take some photos of the completed rack...will have some photos soon.

It looks VERY COOOL, and can stay on the car for long periods

 

[Powerslave]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but:

I looked at my roof rails today, for making a set of custom cross-bars. I don't need a lot of weight, just for light cargo. My roof rails, have holes in them, a little larger than 1/4"; and, each side has two holes, one on front, one in back.

Could you not simply drill down all the way through (put a piece of metal below so you don't hit the body), and use only ONE BOLT to mount square stainless cross-tubes? This would also give you a nice clean look, that is also visually pleasing, rather than use a muffler clamp to go around the rails to clamp the cross-bars on?

I know this one is the WOOD cross-bar thread, but there is one with metal ones. Since you aren't sliding them back and forth easily with "U" clamps either, these ones would be permanently affixed to the positions where the holes already are.

I am going to do this with mine, and use like 1/2" square tube; drill the bottom portion of the roof rail out using the TOP hole as the guide, then mount them with ONE bolt, each side, and use nut and bolt caps to make it look damn skippy...

I hope I can get it done soon enough, and get pictures for ya! It will work nice, and also look very good.

 

[TnRebel]

how did the CB ant. work mounted on Wood ? how did you ground it ?

 

[boebr1]

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i cut down an old bed frame, and drilled holes into it, used 2 1/4 inch muffler clamps... i should shot a little paint on them first though