DIY Roof Rack

[Trav88]

I've got a couple of surf boards but no way of transporting them, so I started to look for a decent roof rack at a reasonably price. But all the ones I found cost a fortune. As the boards are light weight I decided to make my own out of some rectangular aluminum box section. I went to my local DIY store and bought 2 lengths of 4cm x 2cm x 2 meters. Cost me 13€ each length, perhaps a bit expensive, but as I live in Madrid most things like this are more expensive than in England.

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I think this picture pretty much sums up what I've done. The only complicated part of the job was finding something to slide down the rails, something that wouldn’t turn as I tightened up the nut on the lateral side bars. After a lot of thought I ended up buying some screw in table feet, plastic/rubber material which were very easy to cut down. Have a look at the following photo.

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It was then a case of just measuring where to drill the holes to attached the little lateral side bars to the main section. I bought the end caps from ebay, 8 caps for 5 pounds with P&P to spain.
All in all it cost me around 50€, it fits into the boot of the VW and is very very light weight.

 

[calikev]

Top job I love it when people make things themselves you've made a great looking job
Thanks for sharing 9

 

[NickE]

Very nice, thanks for posting. And a very simple design.

 

[John]

Hi Mefox,

Great Job

I came across these metric size Hand Knobs which would make your rack Quick Release.

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/categories/65/h ... umb-screws.

They should also be available on eBay or Amazon.

Finally pipe insulation is great for protecting your boards, if you can find a size big enough for your roof bars. You can get it made out of a harder silver colored foam, which has a better longevity then the softer black foam pipe insulation. You could also use plastic cable tie wraps to hold the foam in place on your roof bars.

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p15527? ... tAodNQoAgg

John

 

[Trav88]

Hi John,
What a great site, I'm defiantely going to pick up some of those. Many thanks!
Martin

 

[KernowLad]

Far tidier than our Thule bars which are so tall, they clip low flying aircraft.

 

[samp]

Hi Kernowlad we are local to you, living just near Chacewater and are having our new Cali delivered in the next few weeks I'm a surfer and kitesurfer and like the look of your Thule roof bars over the VW ones as they have the overhangs on the ends which should make it easier to tie boards down. Do you know the model numbers of the Thule parts? I have phoned the Roofbox company and they could not find them :? Thanks

 

[Waldo]

why not just dakine roof rack pads? I have the thule for a cargo box but would stick to pads if transporting boards only

 

[samp]

Thanks Waldo, but I have a roofbox and kayak. Do you know the codes for the thule roof bar parts?

 

[Waldo]

Sorry ì dont. Have bought the bars at www.volkswagencampers.nl for my box. May sell them if I have the MFT box to be put under the bike rack and just use the pads for boards/canoes.

 

[KernowLad]

Hi Kernowlad we are local to you, living just near Chacewater and are having our new Cali delivered in the next few weeks I'm a surfer and kitesurfer and like the look of your Thule roof bars over the VW ones as they have the overhangs on the ends which should make it easier to tie boards down. Do you know the model numbers of the Thule parts? I have phoned the Roofbox company and they could not find them :? Thanks

Oops, I haven't checked this thread for ages; apologies!!

We moved from Malpas a year and a half ago (now Polzeath) so I know your patch well!

A bit weird as I'm sure I ordered from Roofbox! Or did I use a place in Plymouth (I've bought so much Thule kit from both, I can't remember!)?

Try the Plymouth one;
http://www.car-roofracks.co.uk

The bars are a bit of a faff to fit but once on, they work fine.

 

[samp]

Thanks