# Rack for hardtop Jeep



## bunkerbob

What kind of rack would you guys recommend for the stock hardtop on my 2005 wrangler. Need one that is stout, for off-road, pretty good size to carry camping gear, radio antenna, and such. Something with sides, doesn't need to be removable, could be mounted permanently. Then to the hitch, yes we did not get one when we bought it, big duh!!! Could replace the bumper with a integral rack, bumper and hitch, same thoughts. I know could have gone on the Jeep forum but...:dunno: Ok Naekid, sailaway and you jeep guys time to shine.


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## NaeKid

I made my rear hitch-bumper (and front bumper) myself. Having a laser that cuts the steel for the brackets really makes things simple. I am in the middle of designing a rack that mounts to the frame of the Jeep using rocker-guards as the main system.

If you want to wait, I might have something that I like by the end of summer - come on up and I could build something for you as well.

If that doesn't interest you (time-factor or whatever) you might want to look through the Quadratec website at their available options. The one that interests me the most out of all the racks that I have seen is nicknamed "Dave's Rack" made by Olympic 4x4 products. Click on the link for more details.


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## allen_idaho

I would probably build my own with some stainless steel square tubing. Maybe a bit of stainless mesh, and some flatbar. But I'm a welder so I love building things like that. 

I guess you could always buy one.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

not just for jeeps..........Surco Safari Roof Racks From Everything SUV

another one to look at.....http://www.kargomaster.com/item.asp?id=63


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## bunkerbob

Thanks guys, I weld also and have fabricated bumpers in the past for my trucks, getting too old to do everything now, or maybe a little lazy. I'm welding the bunker door right now adding gussets and a inner seal to the frame for strength. Keep info coming, and thanks Naekid for the invite, wish I could. 
The Surco Safari Rack looks to fit the need, heavy duty and mounts right to the roof. Thanks for that rabidcoyote666.
Still need rear bumper hitch and rack.


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## NaeKid

allen_idaho said:


> I would probably build my own with some stainless steel square tubing. Maybe a bit of stainless mesh, and some flatbar. But I'm a welder so I love building things like that.
> 
> I guess you could always buy one.


There is one problem that I have heard about with square-stock - it can cause a whistle when driving which can reverberate into the cabin of the vehicle. Using round or eliptical shaped stock will lower the chance of the whistle and reverberation of sounds in the cabin of the vehicle.

For a roof-rack on my YJ, I went to the JunkYard and snagged a roof-rack from a 1988 Chevy Cavalier Wagon. I took everything - screws, nuts, cross-bars, center-supporting bars ... everything and then mounted the rack to my hard-top using fender-washers inside to distribute the shearing force. Each fender-washer was sealed to the hardtop via "Plumbers Goop" and each channel was "glued" to the outside of the hardtop via double-sided foam sealing tape.

10 year later, still holding strong with no leaks. You can see the roof-top carrier box that I have on my JunkYard rack - it has been filled with all my camping gear (sleeping bags, tents, food, clothing, etc) and driven through the trails for camping. Even brushing against low-hanging branches hasn't caused any visible harm to my setup.

For TJ's and LJ's, I have been told that "early" Cherokee and Ford Explorer roof-racks work very well. For these setups, including paint, goop, hardware you might be in for $50. Consider your maxium weight capacity on the roof-rack at 250lbs.


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## bunkerbob

Great idea, keeps everything dry and out of the weather also. Nice set-up. License plate?:scratch Do I detect a radio antenna on the back rack?


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## NaeKid

Ya - CB-Radio in the Jeep and a hand-held Cobra CB as back-up with 2 sets of FRS that are CB-compatable for communication. Two weeks ago I re-worked my CB in my Jeep and I have relocated the antenna to a custom-made tire-stop-mount.

I am designing another antenna mount in CAD for my LJ that works with my tail-light guards - maybe do a dual-antenna on my LJ with one on the driver's rear and one on the passenger's rear side .. then I need to setup another CB in our new GrandCherokee and finish putting in the CB into the camping trailer (base-station style).


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## NaeKid

To get back onto topic (sorta) ... here is a thread on JeepForum about others who have installed JunkYard racks onto the tops .. Junkyard Roof Rack - JeepForum.com

... and here is a link to my personal-page with a close-up of the roof-rack on the top of my mini-monster .. Too cheap roof rack


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## bunkerbob

*Off-road BOB trailer*

Well guys, I think I may have a solution to the gear storage. Instead of adding racks and carriers to the jeep I an going to build a small BOB trailer from this...

Then follow what this guy has done with his, modifing it to suit me.





I will remove the compressor and add a solid floor, keep the fuel tank, the air tank(fill from home) add a propane tank, battery, water tank and maybe a couple of can holders. It has as you can see it has a pintle type hitch which is I believe is the best for off-road flexability and strength.
I'm going to look into modifying the spindles to accept a Jeep rim, thus having all the same tires and rims as the Jeep.

Ah, a new project. I will post photos as I progress.
I'm going to look at it today to see if it will work.


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## allen_idaho

Great idea. I once built something like that for a client a few years ago. Except I used an old utility truck bed with the built in locker boxes on both sides. Repaired some of the sheetmetal. Cut out and replaced a few rust spots. And welded on an enclosure to house a diesel generator and other goodies. Then it was sealed, waterproofed, and painted.

It all sat on an old axle and a hitch salvaged from an old rv trailer. I used to have pictures of it but I lost them about a year ago when my computer crashed.


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## bunkerbob

Well I looked at it, the pictures made it look a lot better than it was, too much rust!!!
I will keep looking though, this seem like a great idea. And where the heck does dead construction machinary go?


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## allen_idaho

Mostly either sold and reused, refurbished and sold, recycled as scrap, or doomed to rust away in a salvage yard somewhere. Mostly. 

In some cases, they are destroyed and buried. Or tossed in the ocean. Or left to rot in the middle of a desert.


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## NaeKid

NaeKid said:


> Ya - CB-Radio in the Jeep and a hand-held Cobra CB as back-up with 2 sets of FRS that are CB-compatable for communication. Two weeks ago I re-worked my CB in my Jeep and I have relocated the antenna to a custom-made tire-stop-mount.
> 
> I am designing another antenna mount in CAD for my LJ that works with my tail-light guards - maybe do a dual-antenna on my LJ with one on the driver's rear and one on the passenger's rear side .. then I need to setup another CB in our new GrandCherokee and finish putting in the CB into the camping trailer (base-station style).


It has been quite a while since I read this thread and I just thought that I would take a moment and put an update on the antenna mount for Jeep YJ and TJ ..

What I did was remove the tail-light, take a whack-load of measurements, drew up the flat-layout in AutoCAD, had my boys on the laser cut it out for me, hit it on the break and called it done ...

I sell the thin mild-steel mount for $20 locally to the thick mild-steel mount for $30 (unpainted). The stainless-steel mount (thin guage) is $40 and the thick ones (at 3/16" thick) are $60.

Picture attached of the antenna mount by itself and what it looks like on my Jeep .. and I need to pull the one off my Jeep, sand it down and repaint it, I didn't notice all the rust showing up on the corners .. :gaah:


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## ajsmith

That's way cool NeaKid


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## NaeKid

Thanks, eh!


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