Roof Rack Basket

[4x4mike]

Now that we travel with a baby we bring along a lot more things. Strollers, play pens, etc and the 4runner is limited in interior room. Well it does have decent room but when you've got a child's seat and no option to lay the seats flat you're stuck with little room after you throw an ice chest in the back. I bought a roof basket online in the spring and used it a bunch this summer. It saw at least 6000 miles and worked great. One thing I didn't like about it was that it wasn't big enough to hold my folding table (6 footer that folds in half). I decided to make one after I came across some 1" square tubing and here is what I got.







I still have to tack on the expanded steel and paint it but it's looking pretty good. It fills in the space between my Yakima bars and bike mounts. The old one did as well but fills it out all the way. I designed it to ride as low as possible because I don't like having a bunch of stuff up there. As a result the front and rear bars along with the bike trays act as walls. I strap down everything anyways so I'm not sure I need to build any walls but only time will tell.

[4x4mike]

Once I get it cleaned up and installed I'll take some pictures.

Here is the old basket.




It rode a little tall because it had to be mounted on the factory bars. With the basket off the wind would howl through the Yakima and factory bars making it very annoying. I would have to disassemble half of the Yakima rack to remove the factory stuff and then put it back together and I wasn't liking that.

Now I've got something that size wise works for me and can be taken off as I please. I might sell the old one if anyone is interested. We can still use it on the Subaru but I know I'll run into the same problems that I did with the 4runner.

[Obi..]

FWIW a properly "tuned" rack/fairing will let you eliminate most if not all noise.

*Let me know if the new rack makes any noise, I would be willing to help you set it up, that way I can get you to make us a rack for the Buick(?).

**like the front of this one, if you look closely, you'll notice I switched out the assembly and lowered all of it with a clamp setup. I also changed out the 5 bolt-nuts that attach the fairing to a longer set, then using some CPS (v-brake) hardware (cup/cone) I kicked the top back and the bottom forwards to kill the noise.
[img width=800 height=278]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3460/3798297681_3ff4186872_b.jpg[/img]

[4x4mike]

I installed racks for 10 years and know all the tricks. I also used the 2 fairings I have and nothing worked. The problem was a cross wind in the freeway with the Yakima bars and factory bars installed. I might build a small metal fairing onto this new rack if it needs it. I think that because this new one sits just below the Yakima bars it'll be fine.

[4x4mike]

Got it all finished today. I had to get creative with some tie down points and I'm happy how they turned out. I used some big nails that I cut the heads off of. I like them so much I'm going to weld some of these to my trailer as they are functional and low profile.
Tomorrow I think I'll spray it with some hammer finish.







I also got some hardware from HD so it'll get bolted up as soon as I can finish painting it.

[slosurfer]

I like those tie downs!

[Obi..]

Where's mine?

[Robinhood4x4]

I hope that grate doesn't whistle while it works.

[Obi..]

I hope that grate doesn't whistle while it works.

Someone photoshop this onto the top of his Runner..

[4x4mike]

It's painted and installed. I crawled up there and stood on it as well and all is good. It's nice a snug to the roof line and lays at the level of the Yakima bars. This is why I'm pretty sure it doesn't make noise. I took it on the freeway about 70 and all is well.