Equipment rack for 2004 Jeep Unlimited

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The customer couldn't find one for his Jeep that he liked.  So we're making one.  It will consist of two parts.  There will be the container that can be removed to be stored undert he fifth wheel trailer when not required.  And there will be the rack that can be removed if desired.I'm using .065 galvanized 1 3/8" fence tubing for weight and strength.  This will be powdercoated.  Unlike paint, powdercoating loves galvanized.  And we eliminate the sandblasting step in the preparation.This project is a time eater.  Everything is flying by the seat of my pants.Here's the rack on for a trial fit. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Here's what it looks like from a different angle. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:And since it's a Jeep, there's the required rearview shot.  Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:This is the floor section of the container.  The side rails are laying against the fence behind the welding table.  Everything will be powdercoated a satin black to match the vinyl top on the Jeep.  The floor of the container will be .063 diamond plate aluminum. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:And yes, I'm stick welding it all up, nothing but a thing.  Dialarc 250, 5P+-3/32, and as many amps as it takes. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Here's a shot of the module in place after tack up. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:There is an air noise problem with just the rack in place.  So we fab'd up an air dam out of eighth inch aluminum.  While we were at Performax Trailers in Wylie we had them shear out our diamond plate aluminum floor for the module.Here's another angle. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Nice looking job Harv. Just wondering how much side flex will you have especially at the rear verticals? Jeps have a notable choppy ride and with a load up in the container it would be amplifiedI like your work.Tony
Reply:Evening Tony, This is the Unlimited which is fifteen inches longer in wheelbase than the regular Wrangler.  So a lot of the choppy ride is smoothed out.The customers are what some would refer to as "mature" in age.  And I doubt very seriously if they'll be exposing the jeep to the rigors of youth.  The material is .065 1 3/8 galvanized tubing American made, not import.  The steel is of better quality and is designed for rigidity.  Consider that it's original function is to support chainlink fence material across ten foot spans.I too had some concerns about the strength of the rear verticals.  But then if you look at the unit as a whole you see for the rear ones to twist or collapse means the front ones will have to twist and stretch too.As I was doing our final test fit this afternoon I felt I could climb up and all over the unit without concern for it or my own well being.  It is rather stout.Here's a shot of it before weld cleaning and with the new air dam. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:The dam is aluminum and the framework is steel.  So I used drive in rivets to make them into a single unit.Tomorrow I'll bondo the transition on the corners to give it a more finished look.  There will probably be a couple of welds that'll get a more professional appearance via bondo enhancement.  The bondo I'm using was specifically designed to withstand the four hundred degree baking process of powder coating.Everything but the diamond plate aluminum deck of the storage module will be a flat black not unlike the vinyl look of the factory top. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Harv, I love it! How are you making the temporary attachment of the removable section? If a rear side sway is encountered, (if the top unit is very heavy) a set of rubber door bumpers between the rear tubes and the fiberglass cap should fix it fine. I've enjoyed your projects, I'm surprised you get any time to put it all up on the computer, great work.Just my  opinion, not from a book, just from the road.Howes Welding Inc.www.howesweldinginc.com
Reply:There are matching plates on the fixture and the removable section. In these plates are three eighth's of an inch matching holes.  The distance between the plates is one and an eighth of an inch.  So welded to the plate of the removable section is a piece of five eighth's eighth inch wall DOM tubing.  The tubing prevents the compression of the plates therefore distorting them and eventually the fixtures.So the removable piece is secured to the permanent piece via four three eighths of an inch stainless flat head bolts one and three quarters of an inch long.There are a couple of considerations here.  One is the Jeep is transportation when they are in a camp ground.  Keep in mind the Jeep is vehicle number three.  Number one is a 2005 Peterbuilt single axle four door fifth wheel trailer toter.  You're looking at four hundred and ten horses (herd maybe?) of Caterpillar power hooked up to a twelve speed Allison.Number two is an eighteen thousand pound plus thirty nine foot fifth wheel trailer, real wood, real granite, real nice.Number three is the Jeep.I suspect the unit will remain on the Jeep all the time.  We had it up to seventy plus with the air dam on and there wasn't any problems.  And since the Jeep probably won't be used for any really long trips there won't be a reason to remove the container part.Have you ever noticed on the Discovery shows that the weldor whups up a creation and then the next thing you now it's painted and perfect?They're skipping a step darn their Hollywood infected hides.Someone off camera is working their butt off camera doing body work.How does one get that kind of help.This picture shows why I like those hammer in rivets. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:The special bondo is silver colored.  But it's typical bondo.  It wants to get everywhere and there's always another pin hole to hide.  And since it's going to be powdercoated there's no using a primer to help hide-find flaws. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:One of the beauties of doing this stuff is unless you're really familiar with the color and texture of the coating used it's hard to tell just what you can get away with flaw wise.  So it's do the best you can with what you got and hope critical people are off their mark on the day they give it the once over. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:If a rear side sway is encountered, (if the top unit is very heavy) a set of rubber door bumpers between the rear tubes and the fiberglass cap should fix it fine.
Reply:I delivered it to the powder coater this morning.  It's getting a flat black with a wrinkle finish.  It's getting two coats.I'll be able to pick it up by the end of the week.  The cost is three hundred dollars.Powder coating is cost effective when you're doing small items compared to having a body shop shoot the same  quality of coverage.   And the powder coating is five times harder than paint.Here's a shot of a gate I made getting coated.  It goes on looking like a fuzzy blanket. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:But after it is baked and hung........ Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:Oh the pitfalls when mice and men try to achieve.  Yesterday morning while unloading the rack from the truck I did an "oops".One of those oops that make grown men cry like little boys.Then it was calling the powdercoater and begging for a quick turn around on a recoat.  Followed by much feathering of chipped areas with sand paper.  I'm sure anyone overhearing my conversation with myself would walk away trying to  figure out whether I was getting religion or getting rid of it.It all worked out okay except for the bump in the wallet and having to reschedule work to allow for repairing the damage and hauling the part to the coater and then going back last evening to retrieve it.All's well that ends well they say. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:We figure this will make the vehicle cooler on bright sunny days. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:My son in law thinks this gives view gives it a Hummer look. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:The customer was happy.  And it was a fun project. Attached Imageslife is good
Reply:I'm sure anyone overhearing my conversation with myself would walk away trying to figure out whether I was getting religion or getting rid of it.
Reply:Nice work...A question if I could,  would it be possible to extend the front legs of the Rack to a frame attaching point ?The rear legs go to the bumper (frame) and I thought maybe it would be better to have the front tagged to the frame also.ThanksNnF
Reply:I followed the design of a commercial rack made for regular Wranglers.  If I had done it my way I'd still have used the front plates attaching to the windshield brackets.It's really a very substantial place for attaching.I would probably not have gone to the bumper brackets on the back though.  I didn't like the look and a piece that wraps the rear body panel would have been more than strong enough.I was disappointed in the bondo I used.  It shrinks just enough to be noticeable but it didn't crack.If I build another one I'll use silicon bronze wire and argon in the MIG because of the galvanized finish.  But the powdercoating really likes it.life is good