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ReadySalted

Active Member

• May 25, 2012

• #1

Saw this on youtube:
HOME MADE ROOF RACK (part 1) - YouTube

and thought the guy must be crazy, but skipped ahead to the last video and:
HOME MADE ROOF RACK (complete) - YouTube

It actually looks quite sturdy. It appears to be holding a spare wheel on it? Is what he's doing actually feasable, or do you think it's just for show? and who reckons it would just be pulled apart and snap the first time it's hit by low branches?

 

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lapider

Active Member

• May 25, 2012

• #2

i dont know those pipes are pretty sturdy i used to have a topper (A one man boat) with a trolly which was basically a square of pipe with 2 wheels on the bottom of the two faces. it was old and snapped in the end the problem is that it is not really designed for stress to be put through, after a while the weather and the UV from the sun would damage the plastic and it would snap. i wouldn't use it more trouble than its worth.

http://www.movevirgo.co.uk/images/topper.jpg

but if a company can feasibly produce them they must be slightly suitable for the job.

 

Dave90

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2012

• #3

I was doing pipework in college and we used PVC cement and it is VERY strong stuff, I could put all my weight on a pipe pulling straight down on the joint and it didn't budge.
If you got the design right you would make it very strong, I remember seeing the inside of a fighter jet wing and it was basically thin aluminum sheet, but it was hex construction so it made it exceptionally strong

 

Last edited: May 27, 2012

Paul D

Old, nackered 'n broke, but the Landy is fine . :)

Events Planner

• May 27, 2012

• #4

Certainly it somewhat mitigates some of the weight penalty of a 'normal' roofrack, and I'd guess it is strong enough to carry stuff that's well tied down to it. But I'd be concerned about the joint corners catching on trees and gorse etc .. some of the lanes we drive are very scratchy ... and very, very tight ..

Mind, I don't like roofracks, if truth be told ..

 

Robbo5833

New Member

• May 27, 2012

• #5

Id be amazed if the wheel wasn't bending the pipe down so much that it was just sat on his roof...