roof rack for my txt

BLUE72CAMARO

Well I use my cart for deer hunting all fall and early winter and could use some more space to throw a climbing stand or bow cases when me or my buddies are fortunate enough to take a deer. So I decided I am going to build a roof rack for my txt for this purpose, it will mount using the factory holes for the top. Here is what I have came up with for the design, I would have like to have bent the two main top and bottom hoops but since I dont have the means to do that I will putting 45 degree chamfered corners on it.

Screen shot from when I finished it up yesterday.



Now I just have to wait for my buddy who is getting me the 70 feet of 3/4" tubing that I need to make it!

BGW

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monkey-1

Looks good, nice design. I dont think 70 feet will be enough. Post pics when you get it built.

scottyb

A word of caution about roof racks in general. Every one that I have seen have eventually broken the stock roof supports due to the extra weight up top racking the supports at every bump and dip you drive through. Some roof support strengthening is in order just to carry the rack without consequences in my opinion. Your rack design looks nice. How much will it weigh?

bifferd

looks nice, what design software did u use ..

BLUE72CAMARO

It is drawn up in Autodesk Inventor, designnig machines for a living has its benefits.

Well actually it requires just a hair over 62' of material to make it, so I will just get 70 so I have a little extra for screwups.

Well it depends on what wall thickness my buddy comes up with, I have it modeled with 16 ga. material and it will way just over 30 lbs. As for the struts how do recomend stregthening them? I realize it would be easy to tie the rear ones together and brace them some but I dont see an easy way to stiffen the rear ones up. Like I said to not planning carrying a ton of weight up there maybe another 20-25 lbs max in the rack. Appreciate any advice you have on how to prevent problems.

Xtreme Cartz

Where/how do they break and is it the front or rear? I could probably imagine the front strut bending out of wack if someone was stupid and overloaded the roof.



Blue, the design looks good! What are the dimensions of it? I like how you have the bolt going through the tube straight into the roof struts. Too bad your not near me I could bend you 1" square tubing.

RICHIE RICH

i want to see how you are going to put a deer on the roof rack...(my broken back) why not put a receiver tube on the back and buy or build a platform that can handle a good load and then just build some extention for the roof (ladder rack) so you can haul a ladder or other long things on the top... just my 10cents worth..

scottyb

Just the added weight of the rack will do it over time. They seem to brake the roof support at the bolt highest up the support. The roof supports are engineered for just the weight of the plastic roof. It is the front to back motion as well as the side to side motion that cause the fatigue. I would tie the front and back together with a horizontal grab bar up high and gussets to the verticals. Is there a cargo rack or box in the rear you can attach to as well?
OR ..... you may want to build an X bracing into the underside of the top to tie the 4 verticles solid? The top itself is the weak point of connection. You must solid things up below the top connection.... in my humble opinion. Please keep us posted.

RICHIE RICH

well, i would hope if he really puts a roof rack that he will replace the struts with some good steal and build the rack out of aluminium, much lighter for the top, I know on my yami's they are aluminium, plus this will make it pretty top heavy as well..
a rear rack or a flip flop seat would be safer, no one want to get hit in the head from a falling roof..

SpoiledRotten

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