For people who prefer to travel with their family on own car, and have to take a lot of things with them, a roof rack is a necessary accessory. It can be easily placed on it oversized cargothat does not fit in the rear compartment of the car and carry sports equipment such as skis, snowboards or bicycles. Usually the trunk is not included with the car, but it can be purchased or made by hand.

Ready box

There are four main types of car roof racks:

1. Classic. Otherwise, they are called universal or basic. They are a structure of metal bars and cross bars fixed to the roof of the vehicle. Their main advantage is the ease of fastening and the possibility of modification of the structure for the transport of sports equipment or the installation of a car box.
2. Expeditionary. This view is designed for fans of outdoor activities, tourists, as well as hunters and fishermen. Such a cargo compartment is more like a basket. In addition to the base, it has sides to which you can attach lighting fixtures, bumpers and spare wheels.
3. Cycling. The design is a system of fasteners that fix the sports equipment.
4. Autoboxes. They are hard and soft. Hard trunks on the roof are made of impact-resistant plastic, and soft ones are made of fiberglass and look like large travel bags. Autobox made of fiberglass - the best option for the experienced traveler, because the things carried in such a trunk are reliably protected from dirt, wind and precipitation. In addition, the design has a good aerodynamic shape and does not increase fuel consumption too much when fully loaded.

The manufacture of roof racks in the form of boxes is a new, but very promising direction. The cheapest models russian production cost from 20,000 rubles, but you can make an autobox on the roof of a car with your own hands.

DIY roof rack

To make a roof rack for a car with your own hands, certain skills and equipment are required. The work takes place in several stages:

• Preparation: determining the design of the roof rack for a car, measuring and drawing up a drawing of the future product, purchasing materials.
• Manufacturing: manufacturing of parts and fasteners, assembly.
• Fixation: fastening of longitudinal and transverse strips, installation of a ready-made trunk or autobox.

The main factor when choosing a roof rack design is its purpose. If there is a need to transport not heavy, but bulky cargo, then a universal or expeditionary type is suitable. For those who want to free up space in the car from not the most frequently used but necessary things, an autobox would be the ideal solution.

Attention! However, it is not so easy to make your own box on the roof of a car, therefore, classic or expedition trunks are more popular among hand-made lovers.

Choice of material and tool

When making a roof rack, you must take into account the fact that the maximum roof load should not exceed 70 kg. The structure will be much easier if you use aluminum profiles for its production. They are lightweight, flexible and durable, which, combined with their low weight, makes this material ideal for achieving the goal. Thin-walled profile pipes can be an alternative solution. They are also durable and resistant to corrosion, but their cost is almost 2 times lower than that of aluminum.

If, nevertheless, there is a desire to make an autobox, it is better to dwell on a soft structure, because the manufacture of a case from fiberglass is technologically difficult and expensive. Tarpaulin or banner fabric, or fiberglass with a density of at least 300 g / m2 is used as a material for soft boxing.

In addition, you will need the following consumables and tools:

1. bolts and clamps;
2. polyurethane foam;
3. grinder for metal;
4. welding machine;
5. sander;
6. primer and car paint.

It is not necessary to select paint in the color of the car, especially. The design can look aesthetically pleasing even without painting.

crossbar

Construction measurements and drawing up a drawing

If the design of the machine provides for roof rails, then for the manufacture of crossbars, it is enough to simply measure the distance between them. In their absence, you will have to make accurate measurements of the length and width of the roof, on the basis of which a drawing of the future structure is drawn up. When drawing a 3D model, it is not enough to take into account only the dimensions of the perimeter of the cargo compartment. The following additional parameters are required:

• board or box height;
• the place for attaching the transverse jumpers and the distance between them;
• number of fasteners: if the roof length is more than 2.5 m, the structure must have 6 supports. With smaller dimensions, four are enough.

As a basis for the pattern for soft boxing, you can take the drawings that are publicly available on the Internet, and adapt them for right size... Expedition roof rack schemes are quite simple, and you can make them yourself, but it's easier to build on ready-made solutions.

Welding works

Making an expedition roof rack with your own hands is impossible without welding. They are carried out in the following order:

1. welding of the structure perimeter (bottom and side);
2. welding of transverse bridges, which increase the strength of the structure bottom. If necessary, a lattice is made of profiles.
3. fixation of vertical side racks. They are welded to the bottom and the upper frame of the trunk, combining them into a kind of basket;
4. removal of weld overlays from metal, resulting from welding, grinding of parts of structural elements with subsequent priming.

Important! If there are roof rails, the finished structure is fixed to them with fasteners. If the roof rails are not provided, then special brackets are installed on the car roof.

Manufacture of fasteners

You can make do-it-yourself fasteners in two ways:

• From a clip for attaching a muffler to any car. To get the desired result, it is enough to cut off the middle from the flat bar and you get a universal fastener that will fit snugly to the crossbars and arches of the trunk.
• Use U-bolts with threads. Replace the nuts with “wing nuts” to make it easier to unscrew and fasten the fasteners.

To make the fasteners fit more tightly to the arcs and cross members of the structure, it is recommended to use rubber seals.

Fastening the crossbars

The fastening of the crossbars is very important. In order to properly install the autobox on the roof of the car, it is necessary to keep the distance between them no more than 50 cm. If the car design provides for the presence of roof rails, then the crossbars are fixed with bolts.

If there are no roof rails, there are 3 mounting options:

1. into the standard slots for installing the trunk. The uprights are fixed with bolts included in the mounting kit;
2. on gutters using special clamps;
3. on a smooth roof. The stops are fixed with a specially designed fastening kit under the doorway.

When attaching the autobox to the roof, pay special attention to its position. It should not be carried forward or hung back. It is fixed with fastening brackets that wrap around the crossbars from below and are inserted into special holes in the bottom of the case.

Ensuring aerodynamics and fixing the sides

Installing a homemade roof rack on the roof can greatly degrade the aerodynamic profile of the car, which reduces the car's stability when cornering and increases gas mileage on open roads. To avoid this, it is necessary to fasten the front and rear struts of the structure at an acute angle to the roof surface. This is achieved due to the difference in the length of the roof rack and its base. The exact dimensions and angle of inclination are calculated during the design process.

Aesthetic touches

In order for a homemade trunk to become a harmonious addition to the car, and not an incomprehensible structure on the roof, it must be sanded, primed and painted after welding. You can hide the fastening bolts with decorative nuts.

The soft box can be made original by printing some unusual pattern on the fabric. Such work can be ordered from advertising agencies specializing in advertising on car awnings.

Additional devices and devices

The Expedition Rack has sturdy sides that can be attached optional equipment, eg: fog lights, branch protectors or an additional antenna.

Every car owner once gets too cramped in the car - for example, when he starts repairs and carries tiles and plaster in the car, or hurries to the dacha with seedlings in the spring. In this situation, it is most effective to place luggage on the roof of the car using a special device. However, prices for high-quality trunks range from several thousand to two to three tens of thousands of rubles. A simple and practical solution is to make a trunk with your own hands.

Why do you need a car roof rack

A roof rack will definitely come in handy if you:

• started repairs and transport building materials yourself;
• move, transport a large number of of things;
• are fond of active leisure activities, whether it be cycling, snowboarding, skiing, fishing, hunting, tourism, etc.

Types and photos of the most common designs

First, you need to decide on the type of roof rack that you need. There are several types of structures:

• trunk of a universal type. It consists of several cross bars and fixing brackets. Suitable for almost all car models: from the cargo "Sobol" to the cool "Jeep";

  Universal roof rack with mounts can be easily installed on a smooth car roof

• expeditionary (tourist) trunk. It differs from the universal in a stronger structure, a reliable bottom and a higher carrying capacity: expeditionary trunk you can place up to 200 kilograms of cargo. The design of the expedition rack allows you to attach equipment, spare wheels, lighting lamps, etc. to it, and also protects the surface of the car body from damage such as scratches from branches;

  Expedition roof racks are most often installed on SUVs

• bike rack. In fact, these are special holders (rods with "hook" on the frame), which are attached to the crossbars of the trunk;

  The bike rack is indispensable for nature lovers and cycling enthusiasts

• boxing (wardrobe trunk). Boxes are hard and soft. Rigid boxes are boxes made of plastic, soft or ABS plastic, and soft boxes are made of special waterproof fabric. They are attached to roof rails.

  Roof rack is the most convenient, but quite expensive option.

If you have the necessary skill, patience, time and desire, you can make a trunk of any type with your own hands. The most popular and cost-effective are universal and expeditionary luggage carriers. They are most often chosen by car owners.

Before proceeding directly to the process, it should be noted that the owner of the car takes on the manufacture of the trunk at his own peril and risk and for possible consequences he himself is responsible.

Video: how to make a good trunk with your own hands

And it is also worth paying attention to the fact that the trunk is unlikely to be necessary for you all the time, so you should think about making it removable and use it as needed.

Universal car trunk

It is better for an inexperienced craftsman to start by making the simplest type of trunk. In fact, there are two cross members to be made. For this you will need:

• metal profile, for example, with dimensions of 20X30 mm and a wall thickness of 1.5–2.0 mm (ideally, aluminum, since it is lighter);
• muffler clamps - 4 pieces. With their help, the trunk will be attached to the roof (if there are roof rails);
• polyurethane foam;
• grinding machine;
• fiberglass with a density of 300 g / sq. m .;
• paint.

Step by step manufacturing

To make a roof rack in accordance with the parameters of the car and secure it to the roof, follow the algorithm below:

1. First, we saw the crossbars. The length of the cross members must match the width of the vehicle body.
2. Cover the crossbars with foam both from the inside and from the outside. The layer should be quite dense: this will allow at the next stage to give the crossbars the required shape.
3. After the foam dries, grind it off with a grinder. At the first stage, we give the profile the shape of a regular parallelepiped, and then we make structural changes in order to improve aerodynamics, in particular, we grind the corners.
4. Since the foam has a loose structure, the cross-members can be additionally covered with car putty - this will make their surface smoother.
5. We wrap the crossbars with fiberglass in three layers.
6. We paint the crossbars and wait for drying.
7. At this time, we will be engaged in the manufacture of fasteners. In our case, we decided to take the path of least resistance and use muffler clamps. They need to be prepared - file the lower part of the clamp to get a flat plate for a tighter fit.
8. We drill holes in the crossbars. There should be two symmetrically located holes on each side. The distance between them should coincide with the “ears” of the clamp.
9. We fix the crossbars to the rails. In order not to damage the crossbars with clamps, rubber gaskets can be placed in the places of their contact.

Video: features of fastening the structure to the car "Oka"

Expedition rack type "basket"

The technology for making an expeditionary luggage rack will be much more complicated. In this case, you will need to draw up a drawing in advance. In addition, you cannot do without a welding machine and the ability to handle metal.

Construction drawing

Let's take a homemade trunk for a sample Chevrolet niva... The length of the trunk will be 163 cm, width - 123 cm.To make an expeditionary trunk, you will need a metal profile 15X15 (approx. 9 rm), 20X20 (approx. 7 rm), 25X25 (approx. 7 rm) and 30X20 (approx. 6 rm.).

An expeditionary trunk for Niva according to this drawing can be done independently

The sequence of actions of the wizard:

1. We start the manufacture of the trunk from the base: we cook the perimeter. Longitudinal guides - from profile 30X20, transverse lintels - from profile 20X20.
2. We weld the bearing lintels from the 30X20 profile into the perimeter. For them, the platform will be attached to the rails.
3. We reduce the distance between the bearing bridges by welding additional transverse ones from the 20X20 profile.
4. We make an arc, which will be located in front in order to improve aerodynamics: we measure 5 cm from the edges of the profile and cut out a triangular sector, after which we bend the profile. We weld the arc from the outside of the perimeter.
5. To increase the strength of the structure, we fasten the lintels together with 15X15 profile segments. If desired, non-structural lintels can be replaced with metal mesh or stainless steel sheet.
6. We make the sides. Cut the profile into pieces 6-10 cm long and weld to the base. If desired, they can be put on the thread - then the sides and the upper part of the trunk can be removed.
7. It was the turn of the top bar. In terms of its dimensions, it should repeat the lower one, however, the side rails should be slightly shorter, and the racks connecting them to the base are angled to improve aerodynamics.
8. We fix the trunk in the same way as described above. An important point: To distribute the weight evenly, the expedition rack should be fixed at six points.

If the car does not have roof rails, you will have to make the supports yourself from a piece of sheet metal. Can be put on brackets, but for this you have to drill the body.

Expedition roof rack features increased functionality compared to conventional roof rack. For example, you can attach fog lights to it - just weld the headlight mounting bracket to the inclined connector at the front (see point 7).

In addition, it is convenient to carry a shovel in the expeditionary trunk. It can be fixed using a conventional pipe holder.

Video: fastening the structure to the SUV

Roof rack: pros and cons

We have already started talking above about the benefits that roof racks provide to the car owner. Now let's look at them in more detail.

Design advantages

Roof racks have many advantages:

• the most obvious plus is by far the extra storage space. So, on the roof you can easily place three bicycles or everything you need for outdoor recreation - a tent, an inflatable boat, fishing equipment, etc. And the capacity of seemingly rather compact boxes can be up to 300-800 liters;
• it becomes possible to carry non-standard, for example, very long loads (such as stairs, boards, pipes, etc.);
• due to the fact that part of the luggage is moved to the roof, it becomes much freer, more comfortable and safer in the cabin;
• the roof rack provides a more even load distribution. So, if all the cargo is in the trunk, the car "sags". Because of this, the ground clearance and there is a danger of tipping over.

Possible problems

Along with the obvious advantages, roof racks have a number of disadvantages:

• they usually have a negative effect on the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle. An irregularly shaped trunk will create additional resistance to air flows, which means that the stability of the car will also suffer. This can also generate additional noise.
• a car with a roof rack significantly increases its height, which means that it will not be able to drive on sections of the road on which the corresponding restrictions are set.
• the trunk itself, even when empty, weighs from 1.5 to 15 kg or more, which increases the total weight of the car, and therefore fuel consumption. By some estimates, an unloaded trunk increases gas mileage by 0.2 liters per 100 km in urban conditions.

So, you found out what kind of car roof racks are, got acquainted with their advantages and disadvantages, found out how to make some of them yourself. Now you do not have to puzzle over how to place all the tents, spinning rods, backpacks and other equipment in the car - there is a place for all this on the roof of the car. You just have to relax and enjoy the rest. Good luck on the road!

Often motorists are concerned about the lack of free space in the car, which is necessary to transport things, equipment, machinery, building materials or other items. Many cars are simply not designed to carry any additional items and cargo. If you often go to activities such as fishing, hunting with friends, or traveling with your family at sea, then you need to think about additional space on your car to transport cargo. Unfortunately, in most cars when buying, the kit does not include an additional roof rack.

Homemade trunk

Making a homemade roof rack is a good option. This option is very economical, and with a small amount of effort, you can gain invaluable skill in designing, calculating and manufacturing a structure on your own. Such home-made trunks are called expeditionary ones, since you cannot put too heavy things on such a structure, but you can carry everything you need for the trip on them: tents, bicycles, skis, mattresses, umbrellas, snowboards, fishing rods, or whole sets of clothes.

Car box on the roof

Also, a very popular type of homemade trunk is an auto box. The advantages of this design are that the transported things will be safe even in bad weather, and the design of the auto box itself, made with a streamlined shape, will not affect the aerodynamic properties and fuel consumption of your car. Now, when buying a car, they rarely provide a trunk in the kit, despite the presence of a specially equipped place and fasteners for its installation. Therefore, you can make a trunk with your own hands based on the necessary parameters of your car.

Homemade roof box

Do-it-yourself roof rack

In order to make your own roof rack for the roof of your car, you need to do the following:

1. We select the material for the manufacture of the trunk:

First you need to choose the material from which you will make this structure. The best material will be metal, as it is durable and reliable. But for such a trunk you need a material with a low weight, and reliable, durable characteristics. The most suitable option there will be an alloy of aluminum, because this metal is easily processed and formed into the desired shape, does not corrode, and has a low specific gravity. Also, some use a profile thin-walled pipe for the manufacture of trunks. One of the most economical roof rack materials is stainless steel sheet. Many people use it for the manufacture of such structures. But the disadvantage of this material is its high weight and high cost.

Trunk Square Tube

1. We measure the car:

After you have chosen the material from which you will make the trunk, it is important to make accurate measurements of the car. Thanks to this, you can calculate the required amount of material, its weight, and the approximate price.

Trunk measurements

In order to make it easier and more convenient to manufacture, you can measure the dimensions of the car (width and length) in advance, and draw up a drawing:

• sides;
• frame;
• bearing part (panel) - the bottom of the trunk, which serves as its reinforcement;
• jumpers - elements that reinforce the trunk.

The front side can be streamlined, which will significantly improve aerodynamic properties.

Now that you have decided on the material, you must follow the detailed instructions below:

1. We cut out the profile according to a previously prepared scheme, using a grinder for this;
2. We make the trunk perimeter by welding. This part will be rectangular;
3. The resulting perimeter should be reinforced by welding straight jumpers onto it. For a stronger reinforcement, you can weld jumpers together, resulting in a lattice base of the trunk;
4. An arc from a metal profile should be welded to the front of the trunk, to create a more streamlined shape and improve aerodynamic properties;
5. Next, you need to make the sides of the structure. First, we cut the metal racks 6 centimeters long. In most cases, the craftsmen make the sides removable, so the sides need not be easily welded into the frame, but screwed into the thread. What is needed for this? It is necessary to drill holes in the frame into which the bushings are welded. These elements are necessary to prevent deformation of the bolts when screwing in;
6. Next, you need to weld the racks to the upper crossbar, which completely coincides with the base, differing only in that its side parts - right and left - are made a little shorter. The racks that are located in front are installed at a slight angle so that the resulting structure does not look like a box or box, but completely repeats the main contour of the car;
7. After the completion of welding, the next stage is painting and installation on the roof of the car. Before painting the body, you need to apply a layer of primer, and let the primer dry for some time, this is necessary so that the paint stably holds for a long time and does not peel off. Next, you can apply a layer of paint, and the most the best way - if it is paint in spray cans, as there will be no drips from it;
8. Fastening the trunk to the car. If roof rails are provided on the car roof, then the roof rack is installed on them. These body elements are able to withstand the load of the trunk. If there are no roof rails, then you will have to drill holes in the roof and install the brackets, on which the finished structure is then mounted. Some vehicles have grooves for mounting the boot. Also, if you do not want to drill your roof to install the brackets, you can find various mounts specially designed for such cases.

Homemade car trunk

Advantages and disadvantages of similar homemade trunks

Each type of roof rack has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of such products include:

• increased space for cargo transportation;
• protection of the roof of the car from impacts or dents;
• the ability to transport boats, skis, bicycles, boxes, suitcases, snowboards, fishing rods, and construction equipment.

The disadvantages of such trunks include:

• deterioration in car handling due to improper distribution of cargo;
• deterioration of the aerodynamic properties of the car;
• the noise level in the cabin increases;
• increased fuel consumption due to drag forces.

Moscow Automobile and Road state University, Moscow city. Education level: Higher. Faculty: AT. Specialty: Engineer spec. Automobiles and automotive industry. Experience in the automotive industry (as a master consultant ...

14 comments

Sergey says:

It has long been a desire for an extra roof rack. Since it is simply irreplaceable for transporting bicycles, scooters and boats. But I didn't want to spend money on this benefit. By the way, the collection scheme is practically the same for all cars, so the choice is not great. The money spent is several times less than the cost of buying and installing a new one.

Valery says:

And I'm worried about the question, how much can he withstand? Does the roof not bend?

Valentine says:

We use such a trunk at work. Be calm, a quarter of a ton can stand calmly, and in ordinary life you will not need to transport any more. By the way, they also did it at work, with colleagues, the time did not take as long as I would do it alone.

Alexander says:

First came the idea to buy. But after looking at the prices, I decided to do everything myself. A mechanism for making such a trunk is understandable and accessible to almost everyone. If you have a good welding machine at home, everything will work out. At first glance, there are no difficulties. The only thing is that there may be slight hiccups in attaching the trunk to the car. So you may have to resort to the help of masters.

Fans of long journeys are interested in learning how to make autoboxes on the roof of a car with their own hands. Modern machines for all their advantages, they have rather small trunks. Therefore, many drivers are forced to use various additional devices. Most often, they use autoboxes. They allow you to transport various goods on the roof. Thus, you can transport things without fear of getting dirty or wet. Also, unlike conventional frame roof racks, autoboxes are more aerodynamic. Types and types How to make car roof boxes with your own hands? First you need to decide on the type of trunk. The materials used and the complexity of the assembly depend on this. The final choice of the variety is influenced by the cargo that is planned to be transported. Autoboxes are mainly distinguished by the type of fastening. Most familiar domestic motorists is - gutter. It can be found on many cars and is located along the roof edges. Usually ordinary trunks are attached to them, this is done using clamps with bolts. Some models have roof rails. This allows you to install large enough autoboxes on the roof. For completely smooth roofs, there are special fasteners. According to the length, the boxes are divided into 3 groups:

• Short - occupy about a third of the roof;
• Average - they are slightly more than half the length of the roof;
• Long - equal to or slightly longer than the roof.

Here the choice depends on your needs. If you are planning to transport a small amount of small items, then the short option is ideal. For travel with the whole family, it is best to use medium sized roof racks. Long ones are ideal for transporting skis and other similar equipment. How to do it? First, decide on the mounting method. The design of the base largely depends on this. The cross members must end precisely with fasteners. Just take a close look at the vehicle to find out which type of mount is right. After that, purchase the necessary elements. For the base, use a light but durable material. Aluminum or duralumin channels are best suited. This allows you to make the structure not only strong but also lightweight. Which will have a good effect on the economy of the car. The parts of the base are assembled together on bolts. The result is reliable and, if necessary, can be quickly disassembled. Also, something is usually attached to the base to give rigidity to the load. Polycarbonate is best suited for this. Composite aluminum panel can be used. A collar should be made on the sides. It is usually made from the same thing that is put on the base. Attached either with special locks or rivets. It all depends on the material.
Any matter can be used. Most often they use something like a tarp. For more aesthetics, you can take a banner fabric. She's flexible enough. At the same time, it does not transmit light and moisture. At the same time, you can order the printing of drawings, which will make the machine more attractive. It is important to choose the right lock. Note that being exposed to snow and ice, it will freeze in winter. Therefore, use a safety flap when cutting fabric. You should also use zippers designed for skiers. Assembly... First, you need to cut the fabric into fragments. Then they are sewn together. It is better not to use ordinary threads. Instead, it is better to use fishing braid or fishing line. This will make the seams more secure. Zippers are best done from the side of the curb. So it will be less dirty. And unloading will take place more safely. Sewing the cover into it, place a plate that gives the structure rigidity. Attach all this to the crossbars. Autobox can be used.
Additionally Don't be too lazy to add a little highlight to your expeditionary trunk. For this, a pair of white LEDs should be installed in front. They are connected to the vehicle lighting. When the dipped beam is switched on, they will also light up for greater driving safety. On a night road, a car with this design is visible much further. This is especially true for highways with a large number of descents and ascents. Oncoming drivers will switch to the next one in advance, which will save you from being blinded. Conclusion... If you travel far and with a lot of things, then sooner or later you will have to attend to the extra trunk. Then the question arises of how to make autoboxes on the roof of a car with your own hands. It's not that hard to do. It is important to choose the right boxing material. And do not be mistaken with the size. It is also important to take into account the requirements for fasteners, locks. It's a good idea to install additional dimensions. As a result, you will get an autobox that is not inferior in characteristics to the factory one.