I finally got this project under way with the big help of Geoff.

Got it all laid out and bent and boxed. Still have to add the floor, finish assembling top to bottom, light tabs, front flairing etc. I'll also add a couple slanted feet to the ones I have mounted now to distribute the load a little better.

Not sure how tall I want the walls to be. I think I have it set to 3 1/4 gap between. I was thinking about maybe dropping that an inch. Let me know your opinions if you have them.

Front mount. Counter sunk for original hardware


Figuring out the height for the bottom bars


Too tall?


Center rack


Countour bends


Looks huge without the faring. I'll also be mounting 4 Hella 500 spots in the space.

looks good, like the bends

as far as the height of the second bar, just looking at it without gear up there, it looks a little tall. Might be different when stuff is stuck on it

Will there be bars going across the bottom for gear or will it rest on the roof?

Are you going to add mounting points on the side for a highlift and other stuff?

Yes to all q's. Cross members with mesh flooring the whole way down.

I must say, Mike you have a really great rack!

Looking at it without it finalized it looks a little tall. I think maybe drop it an inch. Very nicely done!!!

What if the supports between the two racks were put at a slant.

Good point. The ones on the front section do look good like that.
This essentially the rack I am following

Man that's nice. I particularly like the way the front tube goes OVER the lights for protection as well as looking good. Beat the crap out of my light tabs. I'd redesign mine with the "over the top" bends and bring the lights in closer to the rack on mine like the one you are modeling after.

Thanks a sweet set up. You and Geoff have done great work!

(my favorite shot... that's just tough, man!)

Cool. Thanks for the input. I have it right now so the lights sit just like that.
BTW, how tall is your rack minus the mounts?

that's kind of a personal question, don't you think? :red|

Mine mounts using the rain channel mounts, but overall, the rack is about 3 inches off the top of the XJ. It sets perfectly on top of the factory roof rack/slider things, so I keep them as additional support (so the kids can climb on it as a fort and it won't collapse!!! LOL)

I only have four of the gutter mounts, Paul has six, but I'm using the factory roof rack as additional support, so I've really got four points of weight distribution, instead of two.

Right, but how tall is your basket (the walls)

6" deep

K so mine is actually only 4.25 deep with the mesh sitting on the bottom bar (3.25 bar to bar with 1 inch tube).
The rack is 1 3/4 off the roof in back down to just one inch in front. Crossbars a plenty should keep out collapse.

Not meaning this to be a dick, but what do you plan on carrying up there that you can't fit in the back? Loading that rack up with goods is going to raise your COG even higher than it is today.

Dozzer wrote:Not meaning this to be a dick, but what do you plan on carrying up there that you can't fit in the back? Loading that rack up with goods is going to raise your COG even higher than it is today.

groceries :)g):)=)

Lots of groceries.

No big deal. I know my ride gets tippy with a breeze, so I know where to go and where not to go w/o a prob. For starters, anything would be better than the rack up there now- Rated at 125, plastic ends that are already bowing b/c of the spare on top. My vehicle's been used as the gear hauler/staging vehicle a few times before. Not everything can fit in the Jeeps especially if it's raining out. So: looks, more functionality than the stock POS, and more room for camp gear.

Jack = Paaaadick....

skatchkins wrote:Lots of groceries.

No big deal. I know my ride gets tippy with a breeze, so I know where to go and where not to go w/o a prob. For starters, anything would be better than the rack up there now- Rated at 125, plastic ends that are already bowing b/c of the spare on top. My vehicle's been used as the gear hauler/staging vehicle a few times before. Not everything can fit in the Jeeps especially if it's raining out. So: looks, more functionality than the stock POS, and more room for camp gear.

All of the rest of you can go pound sand. I use my junk for a different reason than Mike does, so I was asking out of curiosity. :)=)

Mike, that makes total sense seeing that the stock rack is only rated at 125 lbs.

Dozzer wrote:All of the rest of you can go pound sand. I use my junk for a different reason than Mike does, so I was asking out of curiosity. :)=)

Exactly. It's what you use it for. Part of the move for me from Wrangler to XJ was that Jennifer wanted to get more involved and go on more trips (and trips with kids mean lots of crap! LOL). When we went to the Cracks, we had the back loaded with all kinds of kid stuff and cooler, then threw the suitcases and other things in the roof rack. Sc00by uses his M-101 trailer for the same purpose, plus carries his recovery gear on the roof rack.

...plus I can haul a crap load of groceries on the way home from soccer practice. }:)

Didnt really like the front view of the unfinished product, but seeing it with the lights and gear loaded up it looks really good.

I think you should keep the highth where it is, no need to lower it an inch.

All in all, I am very impressed, nice design and bends. Cant wait to see the finished product.