I'm building my idea of a perfect (for me) Gladiator rack

[WhatExit?]

I've been spending many days getting the Gladiator ready for the Death Valley trip. Over the past weeks I've been looking at the available aftermarket racks and the racks that folks have had built. Lots of inspiration to help me with my project.

My needs for a rack are pretty simple:

1. It needs to be removable: Check! 8 bolts and it's off
2. It needs to allow my factory tonneau cover to be completely functional: Check!
3. It needs to allow me/my Gladiator carry more gear
4. It needs to be functional and attractive: Check! It's very attractive to me

It doesn't need to hold a roof top tent (RTT) but I'm sure it could with a couple additional components.

I'll provide more details and pics but here's a sneak peak (it's only about half complete)...

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[DiscoDino]

looks good!

 

[OneTraveler]

It doesn't need to hold a roof top tent (RTT) but I'm sure it could with a couple additional components.

Would be near perfect for me if it could support RTT...having a hell of a time deciding on rack/tent combo.

 

[Mikegcny]

I'll provide more details and pics but here's a sneak peak (it's only about half complete)...

Did you fabricate yourself?

 

[WhatExit?]

Did you fabricate yourself?

I'm using a forum supplier's brackets they make that attach to the Trail Rail and work with the factory Tonneau Cover.
I'm using the tall brackets (with the holes in them) made by a supplier I found on another forum.
I'm using Strut for the cross rails (from Home Depot) and stainless steel hardware (from Lowe's - they have a great selection of SS hardware much better than Home Depot).
I'm using a really nice "roof/car top carrier" - a steel cargo basket that I purchased from Amazon.
And I'm using Rustoleum paint - primer and Galaxy metallic spray paint from Home Depot. All the components including the hardware have been painted/re-painted.

More details on the components will come once I have the pictures of the completed rack.

 

[shrinkhead]

Excellent. Interested to see the final product. There is a vendor making these that go under the tonneau for racks etc but yours look high enough so you can roll the cover. You using bolts or knobs? Mount to trail rail?

 

[WhatExit?]

Would be near perfect for me if it could support RTT...having a hell of a time deciding on rack/tent combo.

It can! That's what I've seen in pics as the tall brackets I'm using are being used now for that purpose.

4 brackets used on this RTT...

6 brackets used on this RTT...

 

[WhatExit?]

Excellent. Interested to see the final product. There is a vendor making these that go under the tonneau for racks etc but yours look high enough so you can roll the cover. You using bolts or knobs? Mount to trail rail?

I started off using painted black steel T-Slot Nuts but once I found these (referred by a forum member here in another thread) I'm using only Stainless Steel T-Slot Nuts with Stainless Steel hardware (Bolts: ⅜" - 16 x ¾" long and some 1" long bolts too - and washers, etc.). FYI: I'm using Loctite blue threadlocker 242 on the bolts.

On Amazon...

T Slot Nuts for Toyota Bed Deck Rail, 10 PCS Stainless Steel Nuts for Tacoma & Tundra Cleats, Tie Downs and Accessories 3/8"-16 Thread 304 Steel $29.99 for a set of 10 pieces
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TYLVYPX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Gatorized]

I've been spending many days getting the Gladiator ready for the Death Valley trip. Over the past weeks I've been looking at the available aftermarket racks and the racks that folks have had built. Lots of inspiration to help me with my project.

My needs for a rack are pretty simple:

1. It needs to be removable: Check! 8 bolts and it's off
2. It needs to allow my factory tonneau cover to be completely functional: Check!
3. It needs to allow me/my Gladiator carry more gear
4. It needs to be functional and attractive: Check! It's very attractive to me

It doesn't need to hold a roof top tent (RTT) but I'm sure it could with a couple additional components.

I'll provide more details and pics but here's a sneak peak (it's only about half complete)...

Is each bracket 2 pieces? Curious that you had the lower bracket attached to the rail system fabricated but didn’t get a closer profile to the bed rail caps so the tonneau would fit more closely for a cleaner look. Seeing your setup, I wonder if it would be feasible to run the lower bracket under the bed rail caps (notching the underside of the plastic rail caps) so the tonneau would still be able to fit flush. The lower bracket would have to remain attached if you removed the rack. Or alternatively could have the rail cap cut through completely. That would allow the entire bracket to be easily removed, but leave a gap in the bed rail while it was removed. My thoughts are based on trying to keep the tonneau laying flat as opposed to the bump up you are getting with the current bracket.
I applaud your work on creating something that works for you! Looking forward to seeing more!

 

[WhatExit?]

Is each bracket 2 pieces? Curious that you had the lower bracket attached to the rail system fabricated but didn’t get a closer profile to the bed rail caps so the tonneau would fit more closely for a cleaner look. Seeing your setup, I wonder if it would be feasible to run the lower bracket under the bed rail caps (notching the underside of the plastic rail caps) so the tonneau would still be able to fit flush. The lower bracket would have to remain attached if you removed the rack. Or alternatively could have the rail cap cut through completely. That would allow the entire bracket to be easily removed, but leave a gap in the bed rail while it was removed. My thoughts are based on trying to keep the tonneau laying flat as opposed to the bump up you are getting with the current bracket.
I applaud your work on creating something that works for you! Looking forward to seeing more!

Let me see if I understand your post...You think it’d be a good idea to cut notches in the factory bed rail cap to allow the tonneau look better?!

When I remove 8 bolts the entire rack comes off.

It’s hard for me to understand your comments

 

[WhatExit?]

Here's the Rack with the Superstrut cross rails. This is the Strut I used - it's 14 gauge 13/16" deep: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superst...Channel-Gold-Galvanized-ZB1400HS-10/100164315 but there is a much heavier duty version of Superstrut available - it's 12 gauge 1 ⅝" deep - much stronger.

<Edit: FYI you can see how another Gladiator owner @Zebago used Strut material to support his RTT - he used the 12 gauge strut:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/homemade-unistrut-tent-mount-on-bed.22031/

 

[WhatExit?]

Here's the rack completed...

Cargo basket mounted to the Superstrut cross rails. You can see the factory tonneau cover rolls all the way open!

8 bolts and the whole thing comes off and gets stored for the next trip...

 

[WhatExit?]

Here's the tonneau cover closed...

 

[Gatorized]

Let me see if I understand your post...You think it’d be a good idea to cut notches in the factory bed rail cap to allow the tonneau look better?!

When I remove 8 bolts the entire rack comes off.

It’s hard for me to understand your comments

Not a necessarily a good idea - just thinking about how to get the tonneau to fit without the bulge over the bracket. Initial thought is have the lower pc follow the bed rail contour so it drops down on the outer edge so the tonneau gasket only has a slight bump up when it rolls over the bracket. The rest was just going to extremes on that idea! A wood worker would probably make some nice teak bed rails to replace the plastic, that were easily removable and that incorporated the brackets so the tonneau would be flat whether the bracket was installed or not.
The final product looks good and being able to still roll up the tonneau is a bonus!

 

[Djkemeneur]

I'm using a forum supplier's brackets they make that attach to the Trail Rail and work with the factory Tonneau Cover.
I'm using the tall brackets (with the holes in them) made by a supplier I found on another forum.
I'm using Strut for the cross rails (from Home Depot) and stainless steel hardware (from Lowe's - they have a great selection of SS hardware much better than Home Depot).
I'm using a really nice "roof/car top carrier" - a steel cargo basket that I purchased from Amazon.
And I'm using Rustoleum paint - primer and Galaxy metallic spray paint from Home Depot. All the components including the hardware have been painted/re-painted.

More details on the components will come once I have the pictures of the completed rack.

Do you have the link for the supplier brackets? I very like what you done!

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