My new roof rack

[phoodieman]

While there is some corrosion that will occur, to me it is negligible. These stainless screws have been holding this aluminum trim on for four years. For the most part it has been outside in the elements in the backyard or in a campsite. About %60 of an apache is aluminum and EVERY time I have replaced a screw/nut/bolt I go with stainless. I think you only run into trouble in marine environments. Just my experience....





Phoodieman

 

[ronnie]

Trust me it freaked me out when i drilled the first hole, but after looking at all the roof remodels you can figure out that wood is around the perimeter and i tried to use a stud finder " but my dw said i was standing there lol" back on track i was not able to find then, but i did find out my roof was over 2.5 inches thick, on the inside i added aluminium plates to help spread the load.. will post better pic when i get ready to finish the rest of my mods..

 

[davido]

Stay with the stainless. You might have to worry about corrosion if you camp 2 years straight on a saltwater beach.

Phoodieman

In fact, over the years I've had three sailboats that live on the water (not all at the same time, of course). They all have/had aluminum masts, and all used stainless hardware. None ever presented a problem. One of them lived in the ocean at Friday Harbor Washington, and later at Oxnard, CA. One lived in the Columbia River near Portland OR. And one in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. Corrosion so far hasn't given me much to worry about.

 

[phoodieman]

My 76 Buc doesn't seem to have a problem with it either. (Although I only sail in fresh water). I have stainless mated with aluminum all over it.



Phoodieman

 

[campfreak]

In fact, over the years I've had three sailboats that live on the water (not all at the same time, of course). They all have/had aluminum masts, and all used stainless hardware. None ever presented a problem. One of them lived in the ocean at Friday Harbor Washington, and later at Oxnard, CA. One lived in the Columbia River near Portland OR. And one in the Great Salt Lake, Utah. Corrosion so far hasn't given me much to worry about.

It depends on the type of stainless. 18-8, and 300 series should be fine. Stay away from 410.

 

[ronnie]

Some better pictures of my roof rack, thanks to the guy who started this post..

 

[Keith Hawkins]

WOW, better than anything you are going to buy and need to modify. Thanks for sharing.

 

[kurtes]

I like this! Mt racks are nice but I think this is a much better setup than I have.

 

[TSQ]

I know thread necromancy is generally frowned upon but I thought this idea was so good I couldn't resist posting my take on it.

I used 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 1/8" square tube (6061 aluminium) for my base brackets. I bedded them with black butyl tape:


Aluminium angle on the underside for support. 1/4" x 2" long machine screws were the perfect length to go through everything, with washers top and bottom as well as locknuts:


Once everything was tightened down it was easy to cut and clean up the squeezed out butyl using a plastic putty knife:


I installed four per side - the two front ones are for a solar panel mount and the two rear ones are for a bike rack:


The solar panel sits in two 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" x 1/8" 6061 angles, and the bike racks mount on two 1-1/8" OD x 1/4" wall 6061 tubes secured with stainless vibration damping U-bolts:

Spoiler: Yakima Rant

Yakima could have just used 3/4" or 1" pipe for their round bar system but no, they have to use 1-1/8" OD tube which is really hard to find (and expensive). Or maybe they do start with 3/4" steel pipe (~1-1/16" OD) and their vinyl coating makes it 1-1/8". But I get the feeling they use 1-1/8" OD to get people to buy their cross bars instead of using cheap and easy to find pipe.

Solar panel and bikes all mounted up:


Notes:
- The round bars bend and bounce a bit so I may get some foam blocks to sit between the bars and the roof when I have bikes on it.
- I may still seal the machine screw heads with something - but I did goop up everything with butyl during installation so I'm not too worried about water getting in.

Thanks to the OP and everyone else for the idea.

edit: interior picture