OT: $10 DIY Roof Rack Cross Bars

[DerbyDad03]

I may need some extra cargo room when I move my daughter next weekend, so I bought one of those soft car top bags just in case. It requires cross bars for the roof rack. I didn't want to spend ~$90 on aftermarket cross bars or (worse yet) ~$160 for OEM, so I made my own for under $10.

I flattened the ends 3/4" EMT conduit to fit snugly into the track and then used a nut and bolt fore and aft to prevent them from moving frontwards or backwards.

I had the nuts and bolts, so all I needed was the conduit ($3.50) and the PlastiDip spray. ($6.00)

I flattened one end of the conduit in a vise and then made a jig to hold the flattened end vertical so that the other end would be perfectly parallel when I put it in the vise.

Yes, I know the front bar is pretty close to the roof, but the cargo bag straps will be pulling up on it, so it won't be a problem. I'll have a moving pad under everything, including the bars, anyway.

[micky]

Well as someone who when he was little scratched the bathroom chrome when using a pliers *through* a washcloth, I can tell you that pads don't always work, but I agree the cargo bag straps will be pulling up.

I always buy a can or 3 of Dupli-color paint, when I get a car, because they always stop selling the color my car is in a few years. Dupli-color on the only occaions I used it matched so well I couldnt' see where I had painted only 10 seconds after sprayingi on. A dark colored car if it matters, I don't know. It was incredible. . (I used my left-over brown color to paint my AC compressor cabinet.)