Half Rack Ideas

[DiscoveryXD]

I'm planning on building a half rack for my truck. It's going to have the same feet as an SD rack, same light setup, but yet half the size and a bit less cluttered. It will stop just before the up curve in the roof. Trying to get some input on the design I want to go with.

The goal of this rack is to still be able to have the lights, a LITTLE bit of gear up top, hopefully be able to park the truck in my garage, and to loose some weight up top also.

I'm still going to keep the SD rack for long distance trips. This rack is something I can leave up there when I go on more difficult, close by trails, where there is no need for lots of gear. Hopefully this rack will be up there all the time, and then when I have a long distance trip I can put on the larger rack and throw more gear up top.

Here are some pictures of basic ideas. Rack 3 is ugly, but may lead to some better ideas. Share your thoughts!

 

[Mongo]

I have the same as #1 drawn in bend tech pro...now i just have to find time to make one

 

[DiscoveryXD]

I have the same as #1 drawn in bend tech pro...now i just have to find time to make one

Cool, I'm liking # 1 too.

 

[DiscoveryXD]

Hey Frank, I'm new to bending tube, and the thing that has me wondering is choosing the correct CLR for the die sets. I'm trying to figure out which die set to go with? If it will even make that noticeable of a difference.

1" OD die set with 3" CLR or 3.5" CLR? For this rack I was just going to order the 3"... what do you think?

 

[DiscoDino]

I'd go with #1...although we all know a full rack (34DD) is best :bigok:

 

[nickb857]

I agree #1 looks the best.

 

[Mongo]

1" at 3" clr...

 

[Disco Jo]

Look at the MoFab half rack

 

[gmookher]

I'd personally pay good money for an alum rack for my d2..

 

[Steve Rupp]

I like tight radius, espeically with small tube.

 

[DiscoveryXD]

Yeah that's what I ordered... 1" with 3" CLR.

 

[maxyedor]

I'd personally pay good money for an alum rack for my d2..

How much good money are you willing to pay? Steel is fairly inexpensive and easy to work with, a full aluminum rach would be light, but the material is expensive and welding it with a spool-gun will look like bird-shit and tig welding the whole thing will be pretty expensive.

The SD rack is about 3.25" radius on the bends, my 1" 3"CLR die is just a hair tighter than the factory bends, but they don't match all that well because the factory bends are done with a Harbor Freight kinker or something equally dumb, not a problem if you're starting from scratch, but the front half of my rack looks totally different from the back half.

 

[gmookher]

well, Im not comfy wheeling in moab with the rack on, the stuff i like to do the steel rack seems too heavy up top.

I do like the short rack idea, but a short alu rack would rock

I'm thinking around a grand?

 

[Mongo]

shouldn't go wheelin' in moab with a loaded roof rack anyways...you guy's know that those are designed to only carry a 100lbs.

grand for a tig'd rack would be a steal...

 

[DiscoveryXD]

bend tech is cool!

 

[mick968]

Look at the MoFab half rack

Yeah,I have the Mofab half rack and really like it.Fits the lines of the roof and isn't too noisey.Also have the(Mofab) front roof lightbar as well,kind of balances out the look.Moses (MoFab) does good work(his site is not up any more and haven't received any responses to emails that I have sent him.Wanted him to make some sliders as well. Hope nothing bad.

 

[mick968]

Guess I could have added pic!

 

[Slappy]

Since I have a KVT rack already, the third one would look like it would mate up, making a full length rack for those "special trips". Normally I wouldn't want a full rack....

 

[Mongo]

bend tech is cool!

I'm using Bend-Tech Pro...

 

[brianhoberg]

I'm still trying to find a 2/3 rack. I saw one on a disco in England when I was there last and have not seen one since. Basically it ends right behind the B pillar on the DII. Anyone have any pics of these? I'm at a loss.