Truck rack

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I'm going to make a ladder rack for my new truck. I'm thinking about making it out of aluminum. If someone will comment as to the type of aluminum, I have a roll of 4043 I'd like to use. I know that it works better with certain alloys. Anyone have any suggestions as to size and thickness that would be adequate? I was thinking of 1/8" square tubing say 1-1/2 for main beams and something smaller for in between runs. Or maybe 1-1/4" and 1". Does that sound ok? I'm going to hang some boxes off the sides of a work body and the aluminum will have to hold up those boxes also. The boxes might weigh around 300 hundred pounds full. It will probably carry 3 ladders and a couple hundred pounds of pipe on the top rack(copper & plastic usually 20 foot lengths). Thanks for any comments, DavidDavid
Reply:There is an aluminum rack in the process of being built at my work.  It's only at the top framework stage, but I think I can take a pictures and give some specs tomorrow evening.  I only glanced at it, but I think the side rails are 2" x 3" square tube. I'll try to figure out what the deflection and load rating is on the setup.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Echo im no  aluminum expert but it sounds like that rack is going to have to mighty beefy. Ive built many ladder/pipe racks at work for our fleet at AustinISD but never used aluminum mainly because of cost, thats got to be high dollor. Ive made them out of sqare tubing and pipe both mild steel. Post a pice if ya decide to go with aluminum i would like to see it.         Brainfart very nice web sight havent look arund there much but im sure I will be usening it as a resorce in the futureno you cant fix it with a hot pass.BORN TO LOSE, LIVE TO WIN.
Reply:The problem with using Ali. for this type of job, apart from the cost, is that some types will harden and go brittle when subjected to "dynamic loading". Being bolted to a truck, having hundreds of pounds of metal hung on it, and then driven around is about as dynamic as a load gets.I know a guy who built a neat little utility trailer out of Ali. section, (there was a lot of it in the scrap bins where we worked.....). Within a couple of months the chassis was cracking up and he finally had to scrap it.There are fatigue-resistant grades of Ali. available and you may be wise to look into making it from something like that.Or just do like everyone else does and ask OlPilot?I'm not very clever,But I can lift heavy things.
Reply:Thanks for the replys. I was originally going to make it out of steel, but a friend suggested the aluminum since it wouldn't rust. I've got a push pull gun(for my mig) and a new roll of aluminum so I thought we might try it out. I was going to get some aluminum to x-periment on before we started building it. If yall think the aluminum is a bad idea , I'll use steel. Brainfarth I'd like to see the pictures that would be cool. I'm not that great at welding aluminum. I've got a tig I can use but it would take me longer. I could put a steel one together pretty fast and I've got some steel I could use. I'd have to paint it real good or see if I could find someone to powder coat it. I haven't got the truck yet so I haven't got a design down yet. Any suggestions or pictures are appreciated, Thanks guys,DavidDavid
Reply:Saturday turned out to be a busy day and I forgot all about taking pictures.   I'll try to get some Monday.  And I'll be sure to check the material numbers.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Okay, here's some photos.. They are not the greatest.. Attached ImagesCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Here's another view..... Attached ImagesCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:And another view.......... Attached ImagesCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:I think the material is 4043 or something like it.  Nothing really heavy is going to be put on it. Attached ImagesCommon sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:That rack looks like it would be pretty heavy duty. Thanks for the pictures they look great. DavidDavid