- Joined
- Mar 2, 2007
- Messages
- 62
Sorry this has been so long coming. Here is some information about how I carry canoes, ladders, and other long items.
I have the factory roof rack, but wanted support at the rear of the truck. I didn't want the floppiness and loss of access to the bed that a hitch-mounted rack brings, and I couldn't find anything else being sold that would work. So I set about to design something that would use the same screws and holes that the standard hand-holds use.
The challenge was to make something that would allow access to the top-boxes, hold securely, and not block the bed.
There are 3 Torx screws on each side. So I started with 3 short lengths of tubing big enough for the screws to pass through (and allow a little slop), but small enough to fit into the space in the plastic. Those spacers are welded onto a piece of plate stock just big enough to cover the area. In fact, mine is bigger than it needs to be, but as long as it fits into the space, it's fine. The spacers are long enough to allow the stock screws to hold. I measured the stock hand-hold to get the length right. On top of the plate another small piece of plate stock is welded vertically, running fore-aft, to provide a place to attach the actual rack.
The rest of the rack is made from about 1 1/2" tubing. The risers are bent so they can be welded onto the vertical plate at the base, and then curve upward to vertical. There is a short straight run angled up about 30 degrees, then a curve to straight vertical. The radius of the curve is tight enough to allow the bed cover panel to come off easily, but wide enough to allow the top-box door to open fully.
Near the top of the two vertical tubes a horizontal tube is welded as the "cross bar".
I had a local metal fabrication shop make it for me out of stainless steel. I think it was about $300 (Bay Area prices, and before the "crash") for the metal and welding.
I made sketches and such, but didn't really make up measured plans as it's more of a built-to-fit kind of thing.
If I was starting over, I would probably mount the crossbar on top of the verticals and run it a little longer to be able to get two canoes on.
I also would probably have mounted a more serious front rack rather than the wimpy factory crossbars, and then matched the height of the rear rack to that.
Note that this rack can take a pretty good load weight-wise, and side-to-side, but should NOT be used to resist front/back forces. I make sure that anything I'm carrying is tightly secured to the roof rack so it can't move forward or backward.
Here are photos to show details. You can see the full-size images at http://acuff.smugmug.com/Other/Avalanche-Canoe-Rack View "original" size for best detail.
Removing the hand-hold.
The mounting area after the hand-hold is out.
Close-up of the left mounting plate.
Higher view of mounting plate.
Fitting the rack into place.
Using the stock screws to secure the rack.
Canoe mounted up and ready to go.
My 16 year old is getting pretty good as setting it up so he can take out his canoe.
He'd rather take out the Avalanche, but that'll have to wait a while...
Hope you find this helpful.
I have the factory roof rack, but wanted support at the rear of the truck. I didn't want the floppiness and loss of access to the bed that a hitch-mounted rack brings, and I couldn't find anything else being sold that would work. So I set about to design something that would use the same screws and holes that the standard hand-holds use.
The challenge was to make something that would allow access to the top-boxes, hold securely, and not block the bed.
There are 3 Torx screws on each side. So I started with 3 short lengths of tubing big enough for the screws to pass through (and allow a little slop), but small enough to fit into the space in the plastic. Those spacers are welded onto a piece of plate stock just big enough to cover the area. In fact, mine is bigger than it needs to be, but as long as it fits into the space, it's fine. The spacers are long enough to allow the stock screws to hold. I measured the stock hand-hold to get the length right. On top of the plate another small piece of plate stock is welded vertically, running fore-aft, to provide a place to attach the actual rack.
The rest of the rack is made from about 1 1/2" tubing. The risers are bent so they can be welded onto the vertical plate at the base, and then curve upward to vertical. There is a short straight run angled up about 30 degrees, then a curve to straight vertical. The radius of the curve is tight enough to allow the bed cover panel to come off easily, but wide enough to allow the top-box door to open fully.
Near the top of the two vertical tubes a horizontal tube is welded as the "cross bar".
I had a local metal fabrication shop make it for me out of stainless steel. I think it was about $300 (Bay Area prices, and before the "crash") for the metal and welding.
I made sketches and such, but didn't really make up measured plans as it's more of a built-to-fit kind of thing.
If I was starting over, I would probably mount the crossbar on top of the verticals and run it a little longer to be able to get two canoes on.
I also would probably have mounted a more serious front rack rather than the wimpy factory crossbars, and then matched the height of the rear rack to that.
Note that this rack can take a pretty good load weight-wise, and side-to-side, but should NOT be used to resist front/back forces. I make sure that anything I'm carrying is tightly secured to the roof rack so it can't move forward or backward.
Here are photos to show details. You can see the full-size images at http://acuff.smugmug.com/Other/Avalanche-Canoe-Rack View "original" size for best detail.
Removing the hand-hold.
The mounting area after the hand-hold is out.
Close-up of the left mounting plate.
Higher view of mounting plate.
Fitting the rack into place.
Using the stock screws to secure the rack.
Canoe mounted up and ready to go.
My 16 year old is getting pretty good as setting it up so he can take out his canoe.
He'd rather take out the Avalanche, but that'll have to wait a while...
Hope you find this helpful.
I can't tell by the pix but is that top cross bar a roller by chance or is it stationary?
