Jump to content

Cargo Rack


hawairish
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thanks man! I can absolutely share these dimensions...like nearly all of my projects, I end up sketching things first, then building from those. So, it's just a matter of putting dimensions to sketch. I'll see what I can do about getting those posted up. If anything I need to remeasure the bolt hole positions in the floor...it's an irregular pattern. But everything else stayed true dimensionally.

 

My welding skillz still need improvementz before I go making things for others, but I'm working on it.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Late to this thread, but just wanted to compliment you on a thoughtful design. I just started outfitting my pathfinder with gear for camping trips, and have been thinking through the challenges of storage and safety when wanting to be prepared. Hoping the cargo rack has served you well!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright, @RainGoat, this post is just for you, buddy!  I was long overdue for some dimensions for you.  I still need to put them together for the tailgate and mounting feet, but here you go...now get cracking!  There are a few repetitive dimensions and concepts, at minimum from the visual learners like myself, but also to summarize the little aspects of the build.

 

Material sizes are 1" sq. tube for the main framework, 1" x 1-1/2" tube for the back and bottom, and 1/2" sq. tube for the shelf supports.  I think everything was 16ga (1/16") wall.  Everything was kept to 1/4" increments and simple angles (45° and 22.5° cuts).  If I had to do it again, I might use wooden panels for the shelves, like I did for the tailgate, instead of all the 1/2" tube...took too much time to cut pieces and weld together.  But then again, it adds various tie-down points.

 

Space conceptualization.  There are about 4"-6" available above the tops, and about 3" more on the passenger side, but these values just represent the dimensions up to those of the rack.

Rack_Dims2.jpg

Rack_Dims1.jpg

Top_Dims.jpg

Shelf3.jpg

Shelf2.jpg

Shelf1.jpg

Right.jpg

Back.jpg

 

Top view by levels, and the diagonal dimension that allows it to clear the liftgate opening.  Recall that the angles of the 2nd (green) and 3rd (cyan) level shelves are so that it can clear the D-pillars.  The height of the rack is also the max allowable, assuming you use 1" mounting spacers like I did (details to follow).

 

Top_Angle.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright, [mention=40800]RainGoat[/mention], this post is just for you, buddy!  I was long overdue for some dimensions for you.  I still need to put them together for the tailgate and mounting feet, but here you go...now get cracking! 

It’s true, sometimes my dreams look like this.....551c83e43be3e6d67b3bbdfee355f971.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, AlabamaDan said:

cool project.  Does it weigh much?

 

Thanks. Rack is 50 lbs, tailgate is 16 lbs. 

 

16 minutes ago, RainGoat said:

It’s true, sometimes my dreams look like this.....551c83e43be3e6d67b3bbdfee355f971.jpg

 

Add it to the list of things for @TowndawgR50, lol. If he hasn’t built you one by next spring or summer, maybe I’ll bring one up. I was telling him that I’d like to make a trip up that way.   

 

I’m also thinking I may make another rack, but one that’s simpler for everyday use. This is great for outdoor excursions, but day-to-day, I need something that has a larger flat surface, and maybe some cubbies to drop stuff into, like groceries and other small purchases, to keep them from sliding around. 

 

I also ordered a generic/Chinese 54qt 12v freezer/fridge from Amazon yesterday...$390. Same item that Smittybilt labels as their Artic Cooler for $700. I figure it’s worth a shot, though I find it funny the generic cooler has great reviews, but the Smittybilt version has lousy reviews. Guess we’ll find out why!  I’ll get some pics of how it looks on the rack when it comes it. Doubt there will be enough useful clearance to grab anything from the cooler, but for sure* it’ll fit. 

 

(*fitment not guaranteed, lol)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So I bought this fridge on Amazon the other week for $390.  It's the same item as the $700 Smittybilt Arctic Fridge, but surprisingly with much better reviews.  I put it through some extended runs and a few food trips, and it's been really good so far.  Gets down to temps quickly, seems well built, but we'll see how it's maiden real trip goes this weekend.

 

I started making some modifications to the cargo rack to accommodate it...

 

CC8_D5563-9845-4627-_ACDD-_B1_CA7_BCC8_E

 

481_EC25_F-_B8_E5-4591-992_E-02_E081_EB3

 

C85584_EC-_CC67-449_A-99_A6-7_D420_D9_E4

 

...but I was sorely disappointed when I discovered that the liftgate won't clear the fridge.  Contact point is the lift strut bracket.  Sucks because I already had the rack out of the truck and presumed it would clear given that the top of the fridge didn't exceed the top of the rack.  Perhaps it would fit if I didn't use the rail I had just made for it and slid it over the inch or so, or maybe if I remove the strut and bracket and just not use the glass, but it's pretty close to the glass and I don't feel like chancing it.  Time was really short this weekend and couldn't troubleshoot further, so I abandoned this project and moved on.   I'll still be able to take the fridge on my trip, but it'll have to sit on one of the seats folded down.  I'm already considering a v2 of this project that would lower that shelf to the same as the lower shelf (might have to raise it a little to clear the passenger wheel well hump), which would allow it to clear.

 

Since I still needed a constant 12V socket, I got this part of the electrical done:

 

4_D74_A269-4407-464_B-_A2_AD-_C79_D0_D5_

 

4_E91_C202-0_DD5-488_F-_A41_E-12168_DD0_

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

What's the fan by your distribution block for?

 

My air compressor was installed in the cubby at some point and I had a server fan run when the compressor was on, and a thermal switch to keep it running after the compressor was off. There’s no fan there at the moment, though. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Well, two years later and Cargo Rack v2 exists now.

 

IMG-7382.jpg

 

It's not quite done...I jammed on it all last week, late every night (seriously, I hard slept) so that it would be somewhat usable for the CANVAZ 2019 trip over the weekend.  From prior posts here, the issue was clearance for the fridge, and there was just no easy way to re-work v1 to make it fit.  So, I bought some more steel and got to it.

 

Same considerations as before, but I struggled to find a similar configuration that let me keep my two crates and incorporate the fridge.  The floor space in our trucks just simply isn't wide enough, in my opinion.  The anchor mount positions are inconveniently and oddly located, too.  I spent countless hours redesigning a setup that met my needs, only to realize there was just another issue to resolve.  I think I went through about 5-6 designs in total...it was exhaustive, to say the least.

 

...

 

Rewinding for a moment...I bought a fridge slide several months ago for a long road trip in our new Telluride.  Here's how that project turned out, btw...

 

IMG-7022.jpg


IMG-7024.jpg


IMG-7026.jpg


IMG-7028.jpg

 

I've been meaning to do a write-up, but basically, I'm using a cheap solar charge controller to regulate the charging on a 35Ah Harbor Freight sealed battery.  The fridge runs off the 2nd battery when the car is off, and runs on the car's battery (while the 2nd battery charges) when the car was running.  This was good enough to keep the fridge running in the car overnight.  However, for part of my trip, we stayed in cities for two nights, and the lack of driving the 2nd day didn't charge the battery enough.  Not that we kept perishable foods in there, so it wasn't problematic.

 

...

 

Anyway, it was already planned to use that the slide and battery setup over to the truck.  The fridge slide is a bit oversized for the fridge, so it's one of the reasons I struggled to get suitable dimensions on this redesign.  Another issue was the anchoring to the truck.  I did not want to take the same approach on v1, where the feet hang off the frame wherever.  I was playing with some ideas for a rail for the rack to slide onto, but that also became a little problematic and somewhat of a waste of resources.  I opted to make floor mounts that squared up the positions, so that eventually I can make another floor rack that's suited for other purposes (noting that v1 and v2 have been specifically for camping use because they incorporate a slot for a table...not something I really need for any other use).

 

The mounts use simple 2.5"L x 1.5"W x 0.75"H plywood spacers, and then two pieces of 0.250" plate welded together.  The spacers are needed to clear the carpet and such.  The metal parts allow me to recess the socket bolts and to give me anchor points.  I bent them up to help guide the rack in (this is where I wanted a rail of some sort to connect the front and rear mounts), but also to keep the rack from striking the hatch opening.

 

IMG-7384.jpg

 

Shown attached...

 

IMG-7385.jpg


For mounting the rack, I welded in some round steel tube to prevent the square tube from collapsing when bolted down.

 

IMG-7387.jpg

 

I then added in a 3/4" plywood base on the lowest level, since this anchored down my tool box.  The upper shelves use 1/2".  I welded in tabs to support all the shelves, and screws are used underneath to hold them in.  I still need to add some expanded steel on the upper hoops behind the head rests, and better/more tie down points for the upper shelves, and complete the shelf area above the fridge space.

 

I apparently don't have a pic of the rack filled up.  But it looks like this:

 

Screen-Shot-2019-10-29-at-10-41-19-PM.pn

 

The slots left of the fridge are for a crate+lid, and then a dedicated spot for ratchet set.  The space in front is where my toolbox is.  The 2nd battery mounts to the right of the fridge.  Ignore some of the wireframes in there...I used those to mimic the wheelwells and hatch opening.  As you can see in the sketch, there will be another tailgate, but that's another issue in itself.

 

Finally, one fundamental change about this design vs. v1 is that the rack slides directly in and out; it doesn't require me to turn it at an angle.  That's why I was trying for the rail approach, just to make it easier to move in and out.  The width at its widest is 46", and is 34" wide at the top bar.  Rack height (excluding mount height) is 30".  Max depth is 31" at the main level, and shortens to 24" at the upper shelves to account for the seatbacks, which can recline up to 3 notches. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...