Homemade roof rack help

[4x4Dalton]

Ok Im doin a homemade roof rack as some of you know. Well I have run into a small problem. I can not for the life of me figure out how to mount it to the top of XJ. One way it is 40 across the other way it is 48 across

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_BalGd56uEqU/TO8zPfaZnyI/AAAAAAAAAeE/WLnjTAGOaDM/1125101654.jpg

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Mudderoy]

From xjtalk on Facebook you received the following reply...


Anthony Sheridan if u intend on using that plastic basket in the pic the you could do it by gettin a piece of like 1x1 sq tube with say 1/16 or 1/8 wall and cut it to the inside diameter of the stock roof rack drill several holes in it at least 4 to 6 per p...iece the drill holes at that same spacing in your crate then you could either drop the headliner in the jeep and go thru the roof with the bolts and seal the holes up well which i dont like the idea of or you could get some flat bar to fit in the factory roof rails and put spacers in it to support the weight of the rack and cargo across the lengths of flat bar and just drill and bolt to the flat bar or if u wanted to mount to the original roof rails you could get some light gauge flat bar and bend several brackets to fit around the roof rails with a bolt hole on a tab on each side to bolt to the crate

[bluedragon436]

I still think you should use a design similar to that one I showed you earlier.... I mean I know you would have to make your own brackets that are a bit longer... but then you can use that design to clamp the basket down to the factory side rails ljust like those brackets were designed to clamp down to the gutter channels...

[4.3LXJ]

It would cost you, but if you cannot fab the mounting brackets, find a used Thule basic roof rack. It will be just the rails. You can clamp it down from there.

[XJ4IV]

I know this will sound GHETTO but it has worked for three years on mine and I had WAY more weight on mine than you do for instance I had a 33 inch TSL spare on a wheel up there all the time then when we went camping I also had the tent a HUGE bag for clothes and whatever camping gear up there we needed... ALSO I drive kinda crazy and NEVER had an issue with it sliding... are you ready for this??? I used hose clamps to the factory roof rack cross bars
here is mine with lights
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/basivey/kdk_0332.jpg
on this pic you can see the hose clamps at each corner of the rack
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/basivey/kdk_0333.jpg
here is a view of it while I was building it
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/basivey/HPIM2155.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/basivey/kdk_0011.jpg
FULLY loaded for camping trip... notice how much the back is sagging... half that weight is on the rack
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo167/seivey/BMRA%20%20%20E-Run%2009/ZN50002.jpg
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo167/seivey/BMRA%20%20%20E-Run%2009/ZN50127.jpg
I am happy with mine over the years but lately I decided to build an EXO cage so I took mine off and I think im gonna use the rack to retro a go-kart for the kiddos to use while we are out wheelin