RockStar Fab D1 roof rack done

[Roxtar]

Well, after much blood, sweat, and tears, the prototype is done:
Every line basically matches the corresponding body line on the vehicle.
Rack floor is about an inch above the factory rails.






Aluminum flat "floor" panel welded together for strength.


Solid gutter mounting pad to spread out the load along the whole gutter. The mounting bolts and gutter itself are completely protected by the 1.5" DOM tube roof slider that runs the entire length of the rack.
No vertical bars stick outside of the horizontal bars. (nothing to catch trees, rocks, etc.)





Front bar matches the roof line radius.

Selling price to be determined but should be in $1200 neighborhood

 

[derrickalda]

high five brother......i like it. Simple, Functional, and Style. It looks very simple to attach equipment on the sides and the flat top makes it more functional than a regular SD.

Nice Work

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I like that too. Simple and effective!

 

[MUSKYMAN]

effective ?

that is yet to be seen.

I am not a fan of no front on the basket.

 

[Blue]

nice work there.

A couple suggestions (I know....criticism is the easy part):

Why not remove the stock roof rails and gain a couple inches in overall height/clearance? A lower rack with the stock rails removed looks much cleaner, it's easier to load, and all that weight is kept a bit lower.

Also, you should incorporate some kind of lip around the front half of the rack so that equipment lashed to the floor has something to rest against. I understand your desire to make it flush so as not to catch on tree limbs, but an extra tube running an inch or two above the floor level could still be made to be nice & streamlined.

I like the matching radius of the front bar, nicely done. The flat aluminum floor is also a vast improvement over the standard SD flooring.

What does that rack weigh as is?

 

[atholmotorcar]

nice work there.
Why not remove the stock roof rails and gain a couple inches in overall height/clearance?

'Cuz then my sunroofs wouldn't open, and I'd have to roll my window down to throw the beer bottles out. I might get muddy.

If we can figure out how to get one of those to Buffalo, I'd be interested.
Now seriously, if you can weld up a rack, how hard can it be to make me a rear door panel with a couple of sturdy pockets?

 

[Blue]

'Cuz then my sunroofs wouldn't open, and I'd have to roll my window down to throw the beer bottles out. I might get muddy.

sunroofs are a bad idea on a Land Rover. sunroofs with a full-length roof rack is nonsensical.

 

[Lake_Bueller]

I agree that the "basket" needs something in front. The last thing you need is something sliding down on your windshield or hood on a hill decent.

How long before a DII model is available? Or better yet...a "convertible" model that can be interchangable between a DI and DII.

 

[Roxtar]

nice work there.

A couple suggestions (I know....criticism is the easy part):

Why not remove the stock roof rails and gain a couple inches in overall height/clearance? A lower rack with the stock rails removed looks much cleaner, it's easier to load, and all that weight is kept a bit lower.

Also, you should incorporate some kind of lip around the front half of the rack so that equipment lashed to the floor has something to rest against. I understand your desire to make it flush so as not to catch on tree limbs, but an extra tube running an inch or two above the floor level could still be made to be nice & streamlined.

I like the matching radius of the front bar, nicely done. The flat aluminum floor is also a vast improvement over the standard SD flooring.

What does that rack weigh as is?

Thanks, I actually appreciate all constructive criticism.
I did a few polls in the design phase of this project and found out if you ask 10 LR owners what they'd like in a rack you're likely to get 12 different answers
The lack of front rail is to allow for rooftop tent use. (Granted, my Hella 4000s kinda kill that idea but a set of FF300s would fit under nicely)
Not sure about the weight. This is the prototype and is somewhat heavier than the production rack will be. I tend to initially overbuild things and then figure out where a happy medium is from there.
Example: This is the third floor design.
Don't get me wrong, it's not too bad, two of us lifted it in place, but I'll be using thinner wall tube on the production rack.

 

[Roxtar]

I agree that the "basket" needs something in front. The last thing you need is something sliding down on your windshield or hood on a hill decent.

How long before a DII model is available? Or better yet...a "convertible" model that can be interchangable between a DI and DII.

Actually was supposed to pick up a D2 roof this past weekend. I ended up in an April Wisconsin blizzard instead. :smilelol:

 

[Roxtar]

'Cuz then my sunroofs wouldn't open, and I'd have to roll my window down to throw the beer bottles out. I might get muddy.

If we can figure out how to get one of those to Buffalo, I'd be interested.
Now seriously, if you can weld up a rack, how hard can it be to make me a rear door panel with a couple of sturdy pockets?

It's the $180 for stainless welding wire and $2000 for a press brake that's slowing that process down.
Buying a rack & bumper set would go a long way toward getting that done

 

[adriatic04]

looks nice, to make me feel comfortable I would want a front lip. can't please everyone though, since you are the one building it, build as you like.

 

[antichrist]

How is the inside of the tube finished/Socket head screws sealed? I see them as a point of water ingrees leading to internal corrosion of the tubes.

On a side note, what's with all the for sale stuff being posted in the tech section these days? I've seen a definite increase.

 

[Roxtar]

How is the inside of the tube finished/Socket head screws sealed? I see them as a point of water ingrees leading to internal corrosion of the tubes.

I use stainless steel sealing washers on top (rubber bonded to the bottom of the washer)

On a side note, what's with all the for sale stuff being posted in the tech section these days? I've seen a definite increase.

I was actually thinking about where to post this. It's not a typical for sale thread, kind of an announcement.
I searched through several pages of this section and found some similar threads so I figured this was where it should go.
Apologies if I was wrong.

 

[Lake_Bueller]

Actually was supposed to pick up a D2 roof this past weekend. I ended up in an April Wisconsin blizzard instead. :smilelol:

I had that one for you to borrow in MI. It's since been sold

 

[Blue]

I was actually thinking about where to post this. It's not a typical for sale thread, kind of an announcement.
I searched through several pages of this section and found some similar threads so I figured this was where it should go.
Apologies if I was wrong.

Well, it's ultimately up to Ho & Ax to make the call on where you post but I like seeing your new rack, whether it's here in technical or in classifieds. You have a good looking product there. You're going to overprice it by about $500, but it's a nice product nonetheless.

 

[BFox]

Well done!

 

[Roxtar]

Well, it's ultimately up to Ho & Ax to make the call on where you post but I like seeing your new rack, whether it's here in technical or in classifieds. You have a good looking product there. You're going to overprice it by about $500, but it's a nice product nonetheless.

Someone's selling Disco racks for $700?

 

[Roxtar]

I had that one for you to borrow in MI. It's since been sold

Not a D2 roof rack, an actual D2 roof, cut off at the pillars.

 

[MUSKYMAN]

D1 and DII roofs are the same except length...I have had my SD rack on both my D1 and DII and it fits exactly the same on both