Tinnies and Ute racks

Hi Leroy Just did some repairs to the tub of a dual cab Rodeo that had rack bars mounted in it the way you describe, the floor and wheel arches had completely brocken away around the mountings and had to have plates welded in. I would tend to think that you would be better carrying the boat on the cab roof using properly engineered rack sysrem from Thule or Rino, remember the Rodeo has no gutters, Talk to Opposite or ARB.
Regards Ken.

G'day Leroy, I totally understand where you're coming from mate, but I was greedy and also wanted a m'bike under the boat so the rear bar had to be removable. I also wanted the bars to be removeable without drilling the ute etc for resale purposes, getting around town or if I completely changed my mind in the future. We took a 10 ft alloy that with a bit of thought could be put on top on my lonesome or easily with the missus.

My solution was for an extra cab so I did have a tad more ute space but anyway what I have is :-
We welded up a gal pipe frame that has four legs on a rectangle frame with foot long angle braces to each leg, with a scaffold clamped bar across the rear to get the bike thru. Of course you won't need that but thought others reading may be int. The legs sat on squares of m'bike tyre on the tray floor. The frame was secured to the ute with 4 chains that ran from O-bolts thru the frame to shackles on the existing anchor points. In the middle of the chain was shackled strop tensioners. (I've completely forgotten the proper name but you know, has eyebolts threaded thru a pipe that as you spin pulls them closer together like in a sail boats rigging, it's late...........). The strops run from 2' past the cross bracing on the side fore aft pipe to the anchor points. This may sound like gobbledy gook but is quite simple a picture would have saved 200 words! I can scan and send if int.

The setup has done 90k and has been around Oz gets hammmmerrrred around central Oz Tanami Desert area where we live and since has had a spare wheel carrier and Hi Lift Jack mount attached and the lot has also been canvassed.

We found the boat really good on the hols etc and didn't cause any extra fuel consumption at 110k's. Better still the ute is 100% orig.

IMHO, I would definatley not bolt to the ute lip but only to the floor.If you don't want to tie the unit down like I have you will have to weld a plate the other side of the floor and also consider gussetting as well. 12 ft is big you would have to tie the nose down to the bullbar but hey great shade! I have seen some boats on hoops in the ute also onto roofracks of the cabs, very silly as the chassis flexes.

Hope it helps have a great trip.

Leroy you mention the "tub" I assume from this you have a styleside ute. I built a a canopy and roof rack for a Hilux Dual cab and it bolts on to the top of the styleside in four places but the canopy and roof rack is integrated so it is much stronger than just two supports. I carry a 3.55m Quintrex which weight 70 kg on top with rollers and I mount a temporary winch near the bull bar fitted with silver rope and my wife just winds it up. When it has to come comes off she just lets the winch out and I just pull the boat off the roof all the lifting and controlling is done with the winch. Whatever you do DON'T tie the cab and the tray together through the boat as they are mounted differently and move independently.

What's your Email address and if you want I will send you a couple of pics.
ooroo

hi leroy

i carry a 3.5m quintrex fish nipper on my rodeo, photo in my member rig.
as the stylside tub is rubber mouted it flexes independantly of the body so ive made a rack with rollers on the tub and bolt it down with chain and eye bolt. on the roof i have a rhyno tradesman bar that the nose just sits on more for looks rather than 2m of boat hanging over the front. im suprised people have body damage as my boat weighs 70kg and you can get lighter ones.
i have a rope to the bullbar while on the highway but let it flap a little when off road, at speed on rough tracks you can generate enough flex to dent your roof. ive had no problems in my travels only wish id taken my boat to the cape. next time i will and this way.

regards peter

Sorry Meggs!!

leighsmithAToptusnetDOTcomDOTau

hi leroy

i was told before i started that if you build a rack and also use the trade racks that fit on the slide they put into your roof that the flex will dent your roof line if you tie the boat ridgidly to all three bars.
to overcome this problem i used the system as detailed earlier and on the front used a gutterless trade bar that fits to the side of the roof above the drivers door and is solid in comparison with the roof and even though the boat, rear racks and tub move about in relation to the cab i havent had any problems.
the rack height was set 10mm above the trade bar height which is about 120mm above the roof line.
the photo in members rigs gives you the basic view. i fit the boat flush with the tail gate which means the weight is supported by the rear bars 1500 apart and the 2000mm front "sits" on the trade bar at the front.

regards peter petermoyle@mullum.com.au

hi leroy,

to gain ground clearance when you crank the torsion bars in the front you are limited by the wheel camber, you loose wheel alignment as the tops of wheels get pushed inwards. to overcome this you can relocate the ball joint from ontop of the upper control arm to underneath the arm this pushes the wheels outwards so the more you crank the alignment comes back to standard and you gain an extra inch or so. all ind front susp. isuzus from the 80's have the same suspension and as long as it doesnt have rack and pinion steering, as the latest rodeo and some jackaroos have, this can be done. very popular in the u.s.a

send me an email address for more info.

regards peter petermoyle@mullum.com.au