So I've been wanting to buy or build a back rack for a while now. So I started building one today. This is what I have so far, gonna finish up tomorrow.

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Using the front part of the Chevelle as a welding bench.

 

sounds much cheaper than the option i went with haha. that damn safety rack set me back some money, but i do feel much safer loading up the truck with stuff for the dump

 

It's basically free, I grabbed some pipe and expanded metal we had laying around at work, and I have the welder. I'm pretty confident in my welding ability, so it should be just as strong as a bought one. It's either build one, or spend $300+ on one that I don't like. I'm planning on finishing it tomorrow, then take it to work and have it shot in black powder coating.

 

I was expecting this kinda back rack.


But, joking aside, sounds like it's gonna be great. It will go real good with the brushguard.

 

haha...I didn't see this last part and I was like dude, wtf happened to your truck? and if it's a back rack, why are you welding it to the front?

 

Dude that looks like a good start.

Dude thats wrong. Now i cant get that out of my mind.

 

Unless it's the camera lens, I'd say your uprights are somewhat out of square - without some good clamping, doing the weld on one side completely will warp it over to that side. It looks like the 2 outside welds were done first pulling the top apart. I'd cut the uprights off, tack them on square, clamp them really good and then finish the weld. You can also tack a cross piece along the top to act like a clamp and then cut it off and grind things smooth.

Depending on the thickness of the tube, with a lot of welding on 1 side of the horizontal piece, it could also warp in towards the welded side - I ran into this problem without thinking when I was making some spare tire swing-outs for some old jeeps. I normally use a piece of channel iron to clamp things to so that I no longer have this problem.

 

Mine cost me $120, then $40 a year later for the Toolbox brackets. I got it used of a 02 Dakota and had it on my 2000 for a few months before I bought my 05.
Ive been pondering having one custom made along with a rail system for the bed as 1 piece, with a few removable cross bars

 

I was looking for more of a full headache rack. I mainly want to use it to easily move my canoe around for fishing. (There's something I don't like about more than half the canoe hanging out the back of the bed.)

But anyways, I got the building part done today. It will be Monday before I can get it powdercoated.

Pictures for your viewing pleasure.

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Next part is finding a crossbox toolbox and to get the bed RhinoLined.

 

My toolbox is TrailFX its sized to fit Daks, and I believe Tacomas to, its to big for Rangers and them. I think it cost around $300 or so for it in black.