Roof rack extension off front bumper?

[dmede]

Anybody have and pics of one of those homemade roof rack extensions you sometimes see attached to truck front bumpers? The long pole with U shaped cradle at the top that matches roof rack bar height. I might need to make one soon and need some pics to help me figure out what to do.

dave

[George Ray]

I have seen some quick and dirty but nice functional and long used racks that extended forward over the cab and were supported by front bumper. No magic. some had the posts welded to flat bar feet that were bolted to the bumper and sone were welded right to the bumper. One was a VW rabbit sedan that had a full length rack that tied to the roof and extended fore/aft and supported by uprights on the bumpers. Had a bunch of ladders for the guys painting business.

[Thorne]

Dave -

As far as I know they are just a simple "L" pattern at the bottom, with the short end going into the hitch reciever, and the long end going up to the top cradle.

Alco Metals in San Leandro has good prices on 1/8" ( the 1/4" wall thickness is probably too heavy) 2" square tubing in welding/mild steel.

I think some of the designs I've seen have adjustable height, created by using a larger size square tubing with holes that match up with holes in the smaller tubing -- allowing you to use a bolt to either raise or lower the cradle height.

Can't find anything on the web, but you might try contacting some of the outfits that resell truck lumber racks.

[dmede]

This is sort of a one time only thing, doubt I'll need it again so I'm trying to keep it real simple and cheap (but safe). So no welding hopefully. I wonder if two short sections of square tube could be bolted to my bumper and then I could make an upside down wood U to screw into them out of 2"x2" or something.

[Thorne]

Well, if it is a one-time thing, what sort of weight/wind-load are we talking?

You can whomp something up out of various materials like wood, strap it to your front bumper with good nylon cargo straps, and away you go!

For quick and dirty poles/posts, I've had good luck with two fir 2x4's screwed & glued together -- lightweight, cheap and relatively strong (for vertical loads, not shear or sideways pressure).

I take it that this is for a car or SUV? There are a number of inexpensive metal truck lumber racks around that are cheaper than the Yakima or Thule systems and MUCH stronger -- I've moved 4 telephone poles together on my rack (OK, so I'm stupid).

On the commercial side -

http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/front_mount/front_mount_rec.jpg

http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/front_mount/frontmount_main.htm

[dmede]

I'll be loading 12 1"x8"x16' boards of WRC. So 2 stacks of 6 boards probably. Not too much weight but too long for my roof racks alone which are only 6' apart I think. I need that thrid support point up front.

[Thorne]

Ah -- for that sort of thing I've seen a simple "A" frame design used -- two strong 2x4's, bottom ends strapped to the bumper (usually near the tow hooks if you've got 'em) and the top end crossed with the other 2x4 at the height of the roofrack bars.

Put a bolt through the crossed top pieces, and if really worried about fore & aft shifting, you can run another 2x4 or metal brace back to underneath the front roofrack bar (or both bars if you wish). Metal strap-connectors (like joist hangers) can work really well for this sort of temporary 'structure' -- use with good quality wood screws and possibly PL Premium.

This comes from decades of buying lumber and transporting it to various Renaissance Faires and military reenactments -- often on trucks or cars that are really too short for said lumber. Even with flags, you don't want more than a 4' overhang on either end of your vehicle if you can avoid it -- too many idiots trying to remove themselves from the genepool at your expense.

[John Bell]

FWIW, I drove 700 miles with at 23' Bolger Micro mainmast on the roof of a '97 Taurus fitted with a set of Yakima racks that were only ~42" apart. It did fine simply tied fore and aft.

What you are talking about, 16' lumber on racks 6' apart sounds reasonable to me. You'll ony have 5' of length cantilevering over each end. That's not too much, IMO. I'd save the effort and clutter of adding on.

[Paul Scheuer]

Sixteen feet ! I thought you had someting long to haul :D .

Below is a bi-pod, wooden, attached to the towing eyes under the front bumper. The top was lashed to the 30 ft mast, and had an adjustyment feature. There were lined running back to the roof rack, tied so that I could adjust the tension to get the right support at the front.

I've done 16 feet on the normal rack. The trick is to support the long load with shorter pieces under ala a leaf spring. I've used C clamps to make it a tight package then tied it to the rack.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid27/p72b88facb4b29a53907f232762cda10f/fd788c06.jpg

[ssor]

Dmeade, For that sort of load you will only have five feet sticking out front and back. My roof racks on a volvo wagon are slightly less than five feet apart and carry 16ft 2x12s quite nicely only 2 on each side. Tie the ends of that small stuff together and don't get in a hurry going home.

[clancy]

I used to carry my boat in this manner. The bars were 24" apart. The boat is 17'10".

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid18/p4e3f1b6f5643f180d05319ced18bc86f/fdcae841.jpg

[D Gobby]

Borrow a lite weight 12' ext ladder from somebody,put that on your rack and then load the lumber on top of that, that only leaves 2' on each end unsuported. Tie it all down and away you go.

Darrel

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Swallow's mast. It's tied off to towing eyes on the car fore and aft. The trailer's just there to protect the overhang. About 35 miles -- from Williamstown, over the West Gate Bridge and round to Yaringa Boat Harbour.

http://www.woodenboatfittings.com.au/public/mast-on-car.jpg

Marvellous what you can do when you have to....
___________

More realistically, here's a tow-bar prop I made up for use with my car (above.) It mounts on the tow-bar in such a way that the tow-ball is still available for use -- although it doesn't work that way on Skuthorp's car, seen here (with the man himself) taking Felicité to Goolwa in 2003. The prop has a telescopic leg to give approximate height for various situations, and slots with friction bolts for fine adjustment. (I've probably still got the drawing somewhere if anyone's interested.)

http://www.woodenboatfittings.com.au/public/jeff-boat-car.jpg

http://www.woodenboatfittings.com.au/public/tow-bar-prop.jpg

:) Mike
.

[dmede]

Good god! is that legal? :D
http://www.woodenboatfittings.com.au/public/mast-on-car.jpg

Ok, so maybe I can make it without the extra support. But it is a 600+ mile trip, not just down to the marina or home from the lumber yard.

[Thorne]

Perfectly legal as long as he makes no turns...

;0 )

I'd say that the wooden A-frame front support, tied into a fore & aft 'stringer' that runs back under the roofrack supports, should work just fine. Take lots of line, and some towels for padding if you have to run them across your lovely paint on the hood or sides.

[dmede]

Take lots of line, and some towels for padding if you have to run them across your lovely paint on the hood or sides.

You have obviously never seen my truck :D

I call it "dessert scorch". On the plus side waxing is pointless and washing doesn't do too much either, so I get to spend more time playing with boats!

[Ron Williamson]

Turn a few of the boards up on edge,cuz they are stiffer that way and then bundle them all together.
No extra support required.
R