DIY Roof Rack: Design, Construction, and Field Testing
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- Опубликовано: 22 июл 2024
- In this video we show how to build your own roof rack for your car or van. I built this rack out of super strut (AKA unistrut) and mounted it to my 2015 Ford Transit van (148” wheelbase, medium roof). The roof rack cost approximately $360 and 24 hours of labor to construct.
You can see all the videos related to the adventure van build at • Adventure Van
#vanlife #vanconversion
In case it is helpful, here are all my van videos in a single playlist ruclips.net/p/PLxdnSsBqCrrF5nO7cmNTc4cct0miFWdO6. Please let me know what you think in the comments. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for all the time and effort you put in to share an awesome, informative and enjoyable video. This will work great for my solar panel installation. Thanks again!
I"m glad it was helpful, good luck with your solar install!
not only funny, but saved me a ton of time, thanks!
I'm glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
I have the same van and planning to build my rack thanks for all the good ideas and sharing. I love the video
Glad it was helpful, it is always great to meet another Transit owner. I've got a playlist of my Transit modifications (see the pinned comment), perhaps I'll catch you at another video in the future. Thanks for watching!
Beautiful build. Thanks!
Glad you like it, thanks for watching!
Great video! Thank you, we’ll be building our roof rack soon.
this video inspired me and gave me ideas to build a deck on my transit. thanks!!
Nicely done! Planning a similar build now on my dodge promaster
Thanks. I looked at the promaster and it was really hard to make a decision. I ended up with the transit because I really needed the rear seats. I've got other van conversation videos on the channel. Please feel free to check them out. Thanks for watching!
Awesome 👍
Great Build!! Really enjoyed how many different techniques you used and the cost breakdown at the end. I'm going to use solid rubber hockey pucks as towers with the same design.
Glad it was helpful, good luck with your build!
Hockey pucks, that’s a great idea. How’d it turn out.
Thank you soo much bro.
Would love to see a parts list in the description with the specifics / links for everything, and potentially links to the Fusion 360 files :-). You could even make them affiliate links.
Hey Christopher nice video! thanks for sharing! what size are the spring nuts?
You did an amazing job. I'm going to try to lower the towers unless you think I should keep them that tall.
Good sense of humor
I'm glad it was helpful, I hope the van videos are useful, thanks for watching!
You used the 1 5/8 x 1 5/8 struts. Would the 1 5/8 x 13/16 be as good ? Lighter and less expensive ? I'm ready to buy this week
It is very good design. One question about the material, I found the superstrut comes in aluminum. It is almost half the weight. Is it sturdy enough for load up to 80 lbs supported by 2 rails? It is evenly loaded.
Hi. I have a Ford transit 2015 and I want to turn it in a van life how can I take everything from in side to live it all clean to start to build it my self? Thanks for your help. 🙏🏻
Nice work, I just bought a similar van so am interested in diy projects you have for it...thx
That is great to hear that you've got a similar van, I hope you like it (I really like the Transit). In case it is helpful, I've got other van projects at ruclips.net/p/PLxdnSsBqCrrF5nO7cmNTc4cct0miFWdO6, I hope to see you at another video, thanks for commenting and watching!
🕊Jesus Loves You Brother You're Gifted 🌹
I installed the two long super struts along the length of the van exactly like in this video. I would like to add one crossbar in the front just like in this video. However, it's somewhat glossed over in this video. How does the spring bolt secure the front crossbar that sits on top of the other struts? You screw in the M8 bolt into a spring bolt that sits inside the long strut but that doesn't actually provide much stability. Any additional info would be greatly appreciated. This video was SUPER helpful!
Hi Michael, are you referring to the bolt and spring nut I installed at 15:00? I simply used a spring nut on the bottom and then passed a bolt with washer through the crossbar. Note that these are not M8 bolts, they are the bolts that are matched to the spring nut. Basically there are only two bolts holding the crossbar to the main rails. This has been super stable for the past year. I hope this helps.
Where did you get the aluminum 1"x2" rectangular tube that you cut down for the towers? Home Depot, too?
Love the video. I just got my transit and doing a slow buildout, so several months from getting around to a roof rack, but I am loving your approach. I was wondering, why did you paint it? Is there a reason beyond aesthetics? I'm assuming that the galvanized strut & aluminum wouldn't be a rust factor, but my corrosion knowledge is rusty (hah!)
Ursula, you are correct, the paint is mostly for aesthetics. If I were going to do it again I might invest in powder coating rather than enamel paint as the enamel has flaked off in some areas of high traffic.
Awesome videos! So stoked to find your channel. I just got a 2017 transit of the same setup, and hoping to make a similar rack. Have you had any more problems with water getting in?> That part is definitely freaking me out. My old build I used unistrut on top of wood and that was a huge mistake-Should have done something like this! Can't wait to try again
I've been pleasantly surprised with no additional water incursion for over a year. In case you're interested, I've got all my Transit van videos at ruclips.net/p/PLxdnSsBqCrrF5nO7cmNTc4cct0miFWdO6. Feel free to check them out and let me know if your experience with the 2017 Transit is similar. Thanks for watching!
Did you run into any trouble with your towers being on a slight angle due to the shape of the van where the mounting spots are?
Hey there!
Thanks so much for this awesome video. We are following suit and building our own rack this week so we can get our solar panels up! Woo!
Quick question... as the roof of the van arcs from driver to passenger side, how did you account for the angle of the aluminum towers when attaching a level crossbar? It seems to me that the tracks that run from front to back would be angled out and that may cause difficulty when trying to tighten down a crossbar.
Thanks so much!
All the pads where I mounted the aluminum tower are actually in the same plane as each other so as long as you make the towers tall enough to clear the rise as you move from side to side, the cross bar will sit flat. Good luck with your build!
@@ChristopherLum Gah! That's awesome, thanks so much. So the rectangular pads that the tower sit on are designed to be level? Sounds great!
Thanks again
Hello, how has this assembly weathered? Would love an update video on the van. Interested to hear if any harmonics were apparent.
It has been great. A little paint has chipped off but otherwise no real issues. You'll see I have a few other videos on the channel where I added additions to the rack. The additions seemed to negatively affect my gas mileage but I don't hear any harmonics at any speeds. Thanks for watching!
How'd you deal with the ~5 degree angle of the mounting spots on the Transit?
I think the mounting pads are actually pretty flat and in the same plane as one another. I didn't have to make any angled spacers and it all just fit as shown in the video. Did you see somewhere that they are angled?
Opening shot looked like B.I. along Crystal Springs?
Hi Wade, wow you have a great eye and you nailed it exactly! You must be a local :)
How long were your m8 bolts?
do they make whistle sound when driving on highway?
Surprisingly, they are pretty quiet. There is a low hum at high speeds, but I suspect this would occur with any bluff body such as a square tube. The slotted channels actually don't make much noise.
What length are the M8 bolts you used?
I used an M8 bolt with a shaft that was just shy of 2.5". Of course, you might need a different length if your towers or side bars are a different dimension.
Great build. Saves a bunch. Just a thought on that single M8 through-bolt and the water issue. Instead of the single bolt, drill your block out on one side for the bolt to fit and the other side of the block drilled for the head of the bolt to fit through the block. This will enable you to bolt the block directly to the roof, use a SS fender washer and same size rubber washer to seal the block to the roof water tight. This is of course with a much shorter bolt. With the same size (short) bolts now double-bolt your rail to each block on the top of the block( w/ SS nylon lock nuts?). This two step process, with butyl tape or silicone seal, should render the foam spray unnecessary and a water tight seal. Let's face it: any wind/rack vibration will incrementally work any anything loose and the last thing to you want is water behind a finished wall inside.
Your thoughts?
Douglas, thanks for the detailed comment. I think what you are suggesting is viable although you'll need a way to bolt the side rails to the top of the block/towers. If you try it out, let me know, thanks for watching!
@@ChristopherLumWhat I mean is the bolting process is two steps; bolt your aluminum riser/block with a shorter M8 as necessary through the middle of your (lets say 4") aluminum block and then your sidebars to the at 1" and 3" part of the block and through the sidebar otherwise, when your bolt down your entire 'system' with the one M8 bolt, the block may/will have the tendency to compress/bend. Here, the M8 only holds the block and the other (5/8?) bolts and nylon lock nuts hold the rail to the block separately. Me, I like your system and my plan is to integrate the solar panels into it rather than onto it so there is still much to research electric wise which will dictate my (affordable too) rack. Liked yours the best from the multitude of DIYs viewed too.
@@higbeedoug Great, keep me posted on your build, good luck!
You uploaded this literally minutes before I searched for this exact install. I have the same model van, thanks.
That is great to hear you have a Transit also, I love this van. In case you are interested, I have a bunch more Transit videos at ruclips.net/p/PLxdnSsBqCrrF5nO7cmNTc4cct0miFWdO6. Feel free to check them out, thanks for watching!
Same for me! I really appreciate the thought Ford put into their roof mount points and cable penetration points, and the fact that the rack designs can be "open source" and don't have to use some sort of proprietary bracket. Thanks Christopher for sharing your design!
@@bnbailey Yeah, that is really nice although it is interesting that the American car uses metric bolts :).
Christopher Lum As I understand the history of the vehicle, Ford built the Transit and Transit Connect in Europe for a number of years before it was ever sold in the US. I think that explains why it was a relatively refined design before it came to America, it uses metric fasteners, and it’s sometimes lumped into the category of “euro-vans”. It also explains some “foreign” design concepts like the battery under the seat, which I believe it shares with the Sprinter.
@@bnbailey, thanks for the insight, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for watching!
While I’m a long way off from doing a van of my own that hasn’t stopped me from going down the rabbit hole of build videos and solving problems I don’t have! Love this solution and your presentation.
Did you every get solar panels on there?
I'm glad it was entertaining. I ended up not putting solar panels up there as I'm never boondocking for extended periods of time so for me, the roof space is better utilized by cargo boxes, bikes, kayaks, etc. I've got a bunch more van videos on the channel, please feel free to check them out and let me know what you think. Thanks for watching!
Are you planning on adding solar panels to your van build?
I currently have a 100W solar array but this is a freestanding system as opposed to a permanent roof mounted solution. I'm trying to get a video up detailing the electrical system soon so please stay tuned. Thanks for watching!
Nice! Big concern for me is the potential for wind noise ... whistling ... with all the holes in the channel. Have you (or anyone else?) noticed?
Surprisingly, there is very little noise from whistling. There is a barely noticeable, low hum at higher speeds but given the other road noise, I really don't think it is much of a problem. I really like that the channeling has multiple attachment points, I've used it many times. Thanks for watching!
can you link the products you used?
what size spring clamps for the 90 brackets did you use
Roof Rack System Removed for Return - No Sealing Kit, and Rusting after One Day..
(Update: May 18, 2020 13:47) As you know I was contemplating keeping a roof rack system that I installed onto my van. However, the kit didn't not come with any sealing kit, or instructions, so I had the leak experienced here like Christopher.
I though I would be able to apply appropriate sealing measures to the bottoms of the brackets, which brings us to yesterday when I noticed the inside of the 1.5" square 72" steel rails already showing signs of rust just one day after exposure to the rain the day before.
So rather than apply sealing measures to the roof rack system brackets, I simply removed the racks entirely (which I had to do anyway to fix the leak) and requested an RMA from a company which apparently is located in Canada.
Through amazon's return process, I did get a return label printed for the box I plan on getting out today. However, it is unclear if the company will refund my entire amount, or will deduct the shipping back when refunding the racks.
I am including a letter explaining how the racks didn't 1) have a sealing kit nor mentioned the sealing "requirement" and 2) the immediate rusting the product experienced after just one rain. I will also add the box came ripped up (I have photos) and parts were scratched.
The good news I am now moving more toward the DIY solutions using struts.
Not really back to square one, but still moving forward. I'll know more when the Canadian company processes my refund. And how much they deduct, if any.
Michael
=============================
May 16, 2020:
I just lost a comprehensive comment I was working on inspired by this video because RUclips forced a refresh of the page to play another advertisement.
So, again, great production. You documented the shit out of the install.
I want to look over your measurements page again. Particularly the inside width between the bracket mount points on the roof.
I would like to know how Ford designed the mounting hole. Especially what is inside the hole. Obviously, the hole allows access to the interior of the van. But it is all covered inside, so it is not easy to see the way the hole reaches the inside of the van, more importantly, the path the water takes to drip inside the vehicle.
In any case, 1. Ran into the same water leak issue after I installed a not too bad steel four rail rack for my 2018 Ford Transit 250 Hi-Roof. Already painted black for only $310 or so. All hardware included, etc.
I don’t like the four rails that run from side to side and reach just past the sides of the van. The are heavy too.
Most effective way to probably deal with my dissatisfaction with my current racks, would be to just keep the rack system at least for the eight main brackets that attach to the roof.
They raise up, maybe too high, and provide a nice flat surface with two holes to mount what ever I want to it. I could easily grab two struts from a Home Depot and go parallel down the sides of the van like you did. I’d have to paint them too.
I could then add the rear and front cross sections using the L brackets shown in your video. I could probably keep the front cross bar flush so I can achieve a nice flat square frame of strut berms to the build up from.
I then could cut the 72 inch cross bars down to approx 54 inches to fit inside the outer frame.
Only purpose the racks will be used for are to hold some super light Sukarno panels. But I do want to build a deck mesh to stand on and prop a chair and umbrella for the beach.
I’m mixed on installing a fixed ladder at one point in the back. I already need to access the roof from the sides. So I just ordered a telescopic ladder to use and then store in the van. I’ll see if that works for me. Sure, if I have the extra few hundred bucks, maybe install the fixed ladder. But for now, I see how the telescopic one works out for now.
Anyway, I’m going to wait for the ladder to come in before removing my rack to seal up the connecting points on the roof.
I need to buy about a 1/4 To 1/2 inch longer M8 bolts for the mounting brackets. After I add my own gasket and sealing tape, the current bolts I have now will be too short.
I recorded my install, and now sill record the sealing job follow-up.
Bye the way, how did your sealing job go. Did all that sealing material work keeping the rain out?
Thanks for the comprehensive comment, it was a pleasure to read. My original sealing job worked out OK. I ended up adding another bead of sealant around the bottom of the towers and now it has held up great for the past 6 months. Let me know when you have your video up, I'd love to see how you approached the problem. PS. I've got other van videos on the channel, please feel free to check them out and let me know what you think. Thanks for watching!
@@ChristopherLum Today here in Altamonte Springs, Fla., its a nice sunny and very hot day. Roof temperture tested using the temperature feature of a multimeter showed 105 degrees at one point.
Its funny, I can tell how much power the solar panels are pushing into the vehicle just by feeling the temperature inside of the van. I haven't bothered with interior paneling or customization yet, I'm working on utility systems first (solar, power, water, etc.). So the van has no insulation in the roof yet. I think this is good though so one can guage the default temperature first as a base line, then improve up from there.
I finally ordered a roof fan (1st) this weekend since it has moved up to the next priority purchase in the list. Later I am going to install an AC, but it will have to move up the list for budgeting purposes. Before any AC, a generator system will most likely be first. Why? b/c the AC will most likely most effectively be used used with the vehicle off, hence - off generator power. I can't see running that off solar batteries.
Generators are around $5-800 hundred range for a decent 2000 - 2500 watt unit. Acquisition of the generator is just the first part of, because a mounting scheme will need to come next. Off the shelf mounting aparatus is like roof racks pricey to (a rip off) for a simply alluminum box. Well, us do it yourselfers will take care of that problem - won't we..
Getting back to my leaking roof rack supports, and what the strategy will be not that I've got the materials in front of me, at least 90% for just over $300.
I've seen other DIY roof racks, using struts, and looks like between 200-400 is around the range for a basic setup - not including the time, space, and energy to built it - especially painting.
Since I don't have a garage or practical work area, I think I'll simply fortify the roof brackets using butle tape, and rubber sealed 8mm bolts (which I want to get longer one's anyway) for my brackets.
The system I got is here: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KBWGFML
If you look at the install manual here: bit.ly/2X24V76
You can see the manual and hardware dosen't get into any sealing requirements in depth, if at all. Which is the case once you remove the plastic caps on the roof.
In my install video, I pondered about that hole as I continued the install.
I suppose I could have shined a light up from inside the cab to verify that the hole is through-and-through to the interior of the van. Luckly, there was only the light rain yesterday, which was enough to prompt me about the problem - which I noticed only indirectly. Because I had not interiorization inside the van yet, I was able to quickly see little drops coming down the sides of my naked van interior walls. Imaging if I had liners, wood paneling, cabinets, etc. all ready up, I would have not noticed it quickly, and the water damage would have continued - hopefully not affecting any electronics. So beware readers of this post, yes, the holes go through into the inside of the van.
Now, I appreciated what this guy did for his sealing (ruclips.net/video/8NurP-dAOc0/видео.html) (he didn't use a sealant, other than strategic butle tape and the rubberized bolt heads. Which is what I pan on doing pretty much over the course of the next few days. I'm waiting for my telescopic ladder which I will also do a review on to see how it works for that project. Kill two video review birds with one shot.
Getting back to the vent fan I ordered. I decided with MaxxAir 2500 model. This model does not have the remote features, but everything else that the MaxxAir 7500K model has. Yes, I imaging just relaxing away being able to click the remote and have the MaxxAir fan cover raise and lower, or some other fan speed adjustment take place. Or, I can just get my ass up and move the five feet and press the controls on the unit above me. The main selling point for the MaxxAir was basically that it can be left open during driving, and during the rain. It has a hood combined with the system. Other than the next popular brand, Fan-Tastic (what a trademark name there!) which, I was amazed by one reviewer, pointed out that basically if you 1) leave it open, the rain will get in (leaving open is what you would do to keep temps down if parked remotely somewhere); and 2) you are at risk driving with it open - of breaking the support arms, etc. Also, I don't think the fan works when the lid is down either vs the MaxxAir. Three key things which are totally important.
The fan is coming in this week, so I probably don't want too many roof projects to do at the same time, so I would like to fix the bracket sealing insue, and be ready to then cut into my van's roof (14x14 hole) for the fan on another day.
I'm curious to know what the mouting strategy would be as to where to install the fan regionally on the roof front, middle or rear? I may be doing the rear (1st) because idealistically, two fans working together one in and one out, are the complete package. Maybe that 2nd fan could be the deluxe model for $300 while this fan is the well equipped (10 speeds, thermostate, etc) manual model.
What would your thoughts be for regional mouting of all air system accessories such as a fan and AC unit?
@@mikesmultimedia I've decided not to add a fan or AC unit to my van so I haven't thought too much about where/how to mount it. It sounds like you have a good approach and I'd be interested to see how it goes. Sorry to hear about your rust problems, I hope the RMA goes ok!
Do you want to sell a set of mounts and caps?
Cool drone. The audio is a bit too hot in the first 3 seconds.
Thanks for the feedback, I'll try to adjust this on future videos.
the bolts are metric because ford sells 10x more transits to the world than it sells to insular america