BS

"Bill Stock"

08/10/2004 11:42 AM

Roof Racks - Sheet Goods

The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no simple/fast
way to secure goods.

I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood into
the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold it
down.

I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it to
the existing frame.

Any thoughts?



This topic has 22 replies

ll

loutent

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 5:55 PM


<snip>

> Of course, according to Jim, all this was his wife's fault for taking the
> truck
> in the
> first place.


That't the way I see it.....

Lou

DB

Dave Balderstone

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 6:18 PM

In article <[email protected]>, Bill Stock
<[email protected]> wrote:

> The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no simple/fast
> way to secure goods.
>
> I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood into
> the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold it
> down.
>
> I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
> to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it to
> the existing frame.
>
> Any thoughts?

Go to an outdoors store and buy four of the HD foam blocks that clip
onto the gunwhales of a canoe. Set them on the roof, stack your sheet
goods, tie 'em down and drive away. No scratches.

ER

"Eric Ryder"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 5:24 PM

I resemble that yankee remark. It wasn't until a few years back that our
pickemups came in a four door sedan version:)


"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Fri, Oct 8, 2004, 11:42am [email protected] (Bill Stock) mumbles:
The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
simple/fast way to secure goods.
I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
into the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to
hold it down.
I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use
these to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to
hold it to the existing frame.
Any thoughts?

You must be a Yankee, or something, or you'd have bought a real
vehicle - a pickup. But, don't worry about it, roof racks work great.
http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/news/auto-safety_image2.jpg



JOAT
I smile because I know my God loves me. You on the other hand, he
doesn't much like.

JJ

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 11:54 AM

Fri, Oct 8, 2004, 11:42am [email protected] (Bill=A0Stock) mumbles:
The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
simple/fast way to secure goods.
I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
into the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to
hold it down.
I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use
these to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to
hold it to the existing frame.
Any thoughts?

You must be a Yankee, or something, or you'd have bought a real
vehicle - a pickup. But, don't worry about it, roof racks work great.
http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/news/auto-safety_image2.jpg



JOAT
I smile because I know my God loves me. You on the other hand, he
doesn't much like.

in

igor

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 7:46 PM

On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 11:42:05 -0400, "Bill Stock" <[email protected]> wrote:

>The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
>heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
>much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no simple/fast
>way to secure goods.
>
>I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood into
>the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold it
>down.
>
>I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
>to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it to
>the existing frame.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>

I've always wondered about lift stress on factory racks when sheet goods
are carried. Especially since a heavily laden car might tend to sink in
the rear and so the front edge of the sheet goods will be higher than the
back. I've never seen or heard about a rack lifting off the car from this
stress. Again, just wondered.

md

mac davis

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 5:18 PM

On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 11:42:05 -0400, "Bill Stock" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
>heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
>much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no simple/fast
>way to secure goods.
>
>I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood into
>the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold it
>down.
>
>I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
>to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it to
>the existing frame.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>
Make VERY sure that the roof can handle the weight and stress...
better for to be bent out of shape than you roof/doors/windows...
most suv roof racks are for looks and maybe a suit case or 2...

Nn

Nova

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 2:43 PM

Grandpa wrote:

> Real story!
> A friend has a 'red neck' neighbor who owns a little rice grinder truck
> and an aluminum shell. My friend had a sheet of OSB left over from some
> work he was doing in his garage and offered it to his neighbor, the red
> neck. Said red neck didn't want to carry it home with assistance from
> my friend so he backed up his rice grinder, layed the sheet on top of
> the shell and preceeded to use a cordless drill and several drywall
> screws thru the OSB and into the aluminum shell skin to keep it from
> sliding off. Mind you he was only going a total distance of 3 houses.
> Seriously, a true story!

Here's a repost of another true story that I posted a number of years ago:
-----

This reminds me of a true story involving a co-worker who, years back,
was building a summer cottage in the country. One Saturday, his wife
took his pick-up truck shopping. He had planned to use the truck to
transport some tools to the job site. His wife left him her Ford Pinto
hatchback and the dog.

Now Jim wasn't know for being the brightest kid on the block. He needed
to get a wheel barrow to the cottage and it wouldn't fit in the
hatchback. His solution was to tie the wheel barrow on the top of the
car using bungee cords. He loaded up the car, with the dog in the rear
seat, and down the expressway he went.

Everything was going fine, until be braked on the exit ramp. It seems
at 65 mph, the bungee cords were stretched in the airflow. The
wheel barrow was no longer on top of the car, but actually trailing the
vehicle by a few feet. Upon braking, the bungee cords retracted,
pulling the wheel barrow through the rear window. The dog in the back
seat, being a nervous type, promptly emptied its bowels at the sound of
the breaking glass, all over the white interior of the Pinto. By the
way, the dog was not injured.

Of course, according to Jim, all this was his wife's fault for taking the truck
in the
first place.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

BS

"Bill Stock"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 3:25 PM


"LRod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 11:42:05 -0400, "Bill Stock" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> >heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> >much.
>
> How much stuff are you going to carry? Almost any roof rack worth
> putting on a carry will carry a half dozen sheets of plywood or even a
> half dozen sheets (not pairs) of drywall.
>

No more than a few sheets of plywood or drywall.


> >I imagine they would scuff up in no time
>
> Who looks at your roof racks?
>
> >...and they have no simple/fast way to secure goods.
>
> No opening at all to clip rubber tie downs to? That's all you need.
> Unless you're going cross country...

Nothing obvious, but I'll look closer.

> What kind of ve-hicle did you get? I have both a '93 and a '04
> Explorer and I've carried stuff on both easily.
>
> - -
> LRod
>
> Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
>
> Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
>
> http://www.woodbutcher.net

Gj

Grandpa

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 10:17 AM

Real story!
A friend has a 'red neck' neighbor who owns a little rice grinder truck
and an aluminum shell. My friend had a sheet of OSB left over from some
work he was doing in his garage and offered it to his neighbor, the red
neck. Said red neck didn't want to carry it home with assistance from
my friend so he backed up his rice grinder, layed the sheet on top of
the shell and preceeded to use a cordless drill and several drywall
screws thru the OSB and into the aluminum shell skin to keep it from
sliding off. Mind you he was only going a total distance of 3 houses.
Seriously, a true story!

Grandpa


Bill Stock wrote:

> The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no simple/fast
> way to secure goods.
>
> I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood into
> the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold it
> down.
>
> I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
> to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it to
> the existing frame.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
>
>

BS

"Bill Stock"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 10:30 PM


"J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bill Stock wrote:
>
> > The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> > heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> > much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
> > simple/fast way to secure goods.
> >
> > I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
> > into the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to
> > hold it down.
> >
> > I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use
these
> > to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it
> > to the existing frame.
>
> If it's a factory rack odds are that its weight capacity is very limited,
> and take their word for it, they mean it (DAMHIKT).
>
> First thing you want to do is put an aftermarket rack on it. I use a
Yakima
> with 58" crossbars that make it easy to secure plywood. The weight
> capacity is still going to be pretty limited if it has to secure to the
> factory rails but will be better than the factory rack and give you
> straight bars instead of curved. If you can use a removable rack you may
> be able to carry more weight.
>

Thanks John,

I checked out their website and the roof is only rated for 165 pounds
including the weight of the rack. Fuck, I might as well make a trailer for
my bicyle.



> --
> --John
> Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

pp

patriarch <[email protected]>

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

09/10/2004 3:33 AM

"Bill Stock" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

<snip>
>
> I checked out their website and the roof is only rated for 165 pounds
> including the weight of the rack. Fuck, I might as well make a trailer
> for my bicyle.
>

Or buy the kit at HF or HD.

Or, if this isn't all that frequent, rent the $19 pickup at HD or U-Haul.

But don't screw up the new vehicle. You don't want your wife to have some
constant reminder of your physics experiment with woodworking implications.
I don't know about yours, but at my house, there are some lessons I'm not
allowed to forget, much as I'd like to.

Patriarch

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 5:46 PM

Bill Stock wrote:

> The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
> simple/fast way to secure goods.
>
> I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
> into the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to
> hold it down.
>
> I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
> to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it
> to the existing frame.

If it's a factory rack odds are that its weight capacity is very limited,
and take their word for it, they mean it (DAMHIKT).

First thing you want to do is put an aftermarket rack on it. I use a Yakima
with 58" crossbars that make it easy to secure plywood. The weight
capacity is still going to be pretty limited if it has to secure to the
factory rails but will be better than the factory rack and give you
straight bars instead of curved. If you can use a removable rack you may
be able to carry more weight.


> Any thoughts?

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 10:46 PM

Bill Stock wrote:

>
> "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Bill Stock wrote:
>>
>> > The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
>> > heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up
>> > to much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
>> > simple/fast way to secure goods.
>> >
>> > I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
>> > into the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts
>> > to hold it down.
>> >
>> > I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use
> these
>> > to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold
>> > it to the existing frame.
>>
>> If it's a factory rack odds are that its weight capacity is very limited,
>> and take their word for it, they mean it (DAMHIKT).
>>
>> First thing you want to do is put an aftermarket rack on it. I use a
> Yakima
>> with 58" crossbars that make it easy to secure plywood. The weight
>> capacity is still going to be pretty limited if it has to secure to the
>> factory rails but will be better than the factory rack and give you
>> straight bars instead of curved. If you can use a removable rack you may
>> be able to carry more weight.
>>
>
> Thanks John,
>
> I checked out their website and the roof is only rated for 165 pounds
> including the weight of the rack. Fuck, I might as well make a trailer for
> my bicyle.

It's kind of pathetic actually. I made the mistake of trading a Cherokee
for a Grand Cherokee. The Cherokee had gutters, and could take a real
rack, the Grand can just take attachments to the factory rails and can
barely hold a couple of empty kayaks.
>
>
>
>> --
>> --John
>> Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
>> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

BS

"Bill Stock"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 3:26 PM


"mac davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 11:42:05 -0400, "Bill Stock" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> >heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> >much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
simple/fast
> >way to secure goods.
> >
> >I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
into
> >the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold
it
> >down.
> >
> >I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use
these
> >to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it
to
> >the existing frame.
> >
> >Any thoughts?
> >
> >
> Make VERY sure that the roof can handle the weight and stress...
> better for to be bent out of shape than you roof/doors/windows...
> most suv roof racks are for looks and maybe a suit case or 2...

I plan to read the specs before I try this trick. I can get 4x4 sheets
inside, but it's a pain getting past the hatch.


BS

"Bill Stock"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

09/10/2004 12:10 AM


"patriarch [email protected]>" <<patriarch> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Bill Stock" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> <snip>
> >
> > I checked out their website and the roof is only rated for 165 pounds
> > including the weight of the rack. Fuck, I might as well make a trailer
> > for my bicyle.
> >
>
> Or buy the kit at HF or HD.
>
> Or, if this isn't all that frequent, rent the $19 pickup at HD or U-Haul.


Last time I rented the U-Haul it was $54.95 after insurance and mileage for
the $19.95 vehicle. I don't imagine HD plays these games, but I don't know.

> But don't screw up the new vehicle. You don't want your wife to have some
> constant reminder of your physics experiment with woodworking
implications.
> I don't know about yours, but at my house, there are some lessons I'm not
> allowed to forget, much as I'd like to.

Already got the evil eye for stuffing the 4x4 plywood in the day old
vehicle. So I thought I'd investigate the racks.


>
> Patriarch

BL

"Bruce Litherland"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 09/10/2004 12:10 AM

09/10/2004 7:46 AM

I once hauled a full sized refrigerator on the top of a new 1977 Vega
station wagon for about 900 miles, with absolutely no damage. I don't
recommend doing that on your new jeep.

HF does have a foldup trailer with 12 or 13 inch wheels for about $220. It
folds for easier storage and appears to be a pretty well built trailer.

JJ

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 09/10/2004 12:10 AM

09/10/2004 4:17 AM

Sat, Oct 9, 2004, 12:10am [email protected] (Bill=A0Stock) says:
<snip> Already got the evil eye for stuffing the 4x4 plywood in the day
old vehicle. So I thought I'd investigate the racks.

Oh Hell, just get a trailer. My older kid got one awhile back that
folds up for storage, for less than $200 new. Either that or get them
to slice your sheetgoods before you leave the store.



JOAT
I smile because I know my God loves me. You on the other hand, he
doesn't much like.

Sk

"Swingman"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 09/10/2004 12:10 AM

09/10/2004 10:36 AM

"mac davis" wrote in message

> yep.. before I got the pickup, I had one of those 4x8' trailers from
> HF.. worked well and got loaned out several times a year for friends
> moving... I keep it in the side yard now, because I'd rather loan IT
> to friends than my truck..

LOL ... always been one of the hazards of owning a truck. However, it is my
observation that the older you, and your friends, get the less of a problem
it becomes. Last thing my friends want to do these days is to lift something
into the bed of a pickup.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/04/04

md

mac davis

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 09/10/2004 12:10 AM

10/10/2004 4:18 PM

On Sat, 9 Oct 2004 10:36:24 -0500, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"mac davis" wrote in message
>
>> yep.. before I got the pickup, I had one of those 4x8' trailers from
>> HF.. worked well and got loaned out several times a year for friends
>> moving... I keep it in the side yard now, because I'd rather loan IT
>> to friends than my truck..
>
>LOL ... always been one of the hazards of owning a truck. However, it is my
>observation that the older you, and your friends, get the less of a problem
>it becomes. Last thing my friends want to do these days is to lift something
>into the bed of a pickup.

wait a few years... their kids will borrow it to help the folks.. lol

md

mac davis

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 09/10/2004 12:10 AM

09/10/2004 3:25 PM

On Sat, 9 Oct 2004 04:17:19 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
wrote:

>Sat, Oct 9, 2004, 12:10am [email protected] (Bill Stock) says:
><snip> Already got the evil eye for stuffing the 4x4 plywood in the day
>old vehicle. So I thought I'd investigate the racks.
>
> Oh Hell, just get a trailer. My older kid got one awhile back that
>folds up for storage, for less than $200 new. Either that or get them
>to slice your sheetgoods before you leave the store.
>
>
>
>JOAT
>I smile because I know my God loves me. You on the other hand, he
>doesn't much like.

yep.. before I got the pickup, I had one of those 4x8' trailers from
HF.. worked well and got loaned out several times a year for friends
moving... I keep it in the side yard now, because I'd rather loan IT
to friends than my truck..

LL

LRod

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

08/10/2004 5:02 PM

On Fri, 8 Oct 2004 11:42:05 -0400, "Bill Stock" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
>heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
>much.

How much stuff are you going to carry? Almost any roof rack worth
putting on a carry will carry a half dozen sheets of plywood or even a
half dozen sheets (not pairs) of drywall.

>I imagine they would scuff up in no time

Who looks at your roof racks?

>...and they have no simple/fast way to secure goods.

No opening at all to clip rubber tie downs to? That's all you need.
Unless you're going cross country...

What kind of ve-hicle did you get? I have both a '93 and a '04
Explorer and I've carried stuff on both easily.

- -
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

MM

"Mike Marlow"

in reply to "Bill Stock" on 08/10/2004 11:42 AM

11/10/2004 1:36 PM


"Bill Stock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The new Ve-hicle came with roof racks, so I thought I was in sheet good
> heaven. But upon closer inspection, these factory racks don't seem up to
> much. I imagine they would scuff up in no time and they have no
simple/fast
> way to secure goods.
>
> I was thinking I could make a 2x4 box (50x98) and dado a some plywood
into
> the bottom. I'd make a similar cover for the top, with wing nuts to hold
it
> down.
>
> I think you can buy the glides that sit in the track, so I could use these
> to hold the contraption on. I could also use the U bolt trick to hold it
to
> the existing frame.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
>
>

My first thought is that if the existing rack is does not provide any easy
way to secure a sheet of plywood, it won't be real easy to secure your box
either. Your box idea is going to be pretty heavy for a car roof and unless
you have a pretty long roof on the car, you're going to have a lot of
unsupported surface in a box that long. You don't say what the vehicle is,
but at first blush it seems like you're over engineering your solution.
--

-Mike-
[email protected]


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