Sponsored

I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack

enrico_pallazzo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
61
Reaction score
39
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
81 Scrambler & 21 Mojave
Occupation
Opera singer, occasional umpire
My rack has a removable rear crossbar just for loading tall items.

20210621_194222.jpg
This is a pretty rad, minimalist rack. Did you make it or buy it? I went with the Maximus Overland rack, but I really like this one.
Sponsored

 

usnavycdr

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
May 9, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
66
Reaction score
87
Location
San Antonio
Vehicle(s)
2021 JT Willys Sport S, 99 WJ
Occupation
Psych RN
This is a pretty rad, minimalist rack. Did you make it or buy it? I went with the Maximus Overland rack, but I really like this one.
I made it with a friend who had a Harbor Freight tubing bender. I drew up basic plans and we kind of winged it as we went, adjusting as we went. We got the angle right to follow the line on the back window. I ordered the interlocking cage connectors matching my tube size (1.25" OD but 1.5" is a bit more standard for accessories). I considered a larger tube in aluminum, but cost plus less experience bending and welded aluminum made me rethink it. I used 3" wide 1/8" flat stock for rails and the 4 corners to mount on cargo rails. I also cut gussets out of the flat stock. Cost about $250 in materials plus a full weekend for 2 of us. If you don't need the removable rear bar, subtract $80.
 

enrico_pallazzo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
61
Reaction score
39
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
81 Scrambler & 21 Mojave
Occupation
Opera singer, occasional umpire
I made it with a friend who had a Harbor Freight tubing bender. I drew up basic plans and we kind of winged it as we went, adjusting as we went. We got the angle right to follow the line on the back window. I ordered the interlocking cage connectors matching my tube size (1.25" OD but 1.5" is a bit more standard for accessories). I considered a larger tube in aluminum, but cost plus less experience bending and welded aluminum made me rethink it. I used 3" wide 1/8" flat stock for rails and the 4 corners to mount on cargo rails. I also cut gussets out of the flat stock. Cost about $250 in materials plus a full weekend for 2 of us. If you don't need the removable rear bar, subtract $80.
Great job! Custom builds really let you get only what you care about. I had thought about going this route, but knew I’d never get it done.
 

Tanners Owner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
141
Reaction score
204
Location
PNW
Vehicle(s)
2021 Gladiator Sport
Occupation
Retired Soldier and DAC
I’m of the opinion there is no “right or universal “ answer. It’s all based on what one intends to use the JT for.

in my case, I bird hunt and need a safe secure are for my dog and kayak. As such I went with a canopy (or am awaiting its arrival).

For other needs, I understand the utility of the racks, especially when one considers the variety of options. If I didn’t bird hunt, I’d likely be getting a rack and agonizing over what one is best for me:LOL:

my 2 cents worth
 

JT850

Well-Known Member
First Name
Derp
Joined
May 12, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
105
Reaction score
138
Location
Florida
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2020 JT Rubicon, 2006 TJ Unlimited
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
spend money I dont have on my jeep
What bed slide did you use? DIY or purchased? I have a rolling tonneau and debating on putting a bed slide in too.

I just had one built that pulls all the way out. Went with 700lb capacity, but they go up higher than that. They call this one 120% pull out.

 

Sponsored

Dryfly24

Well-Known Member
First Name
George
Joined
Feb 7, 2019
Threads
47
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
4,157
Location
Las Cruces, NM
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Rubicon, 2016 Indian Springfield
Occupation
Retired and loving it
I love mine. Rebel Offroad Full height, but it is very much give and take. I've accepted that I wont be putting anything too tall in the back anytime soon, but...I do haul 12' 4"x4"s on occasion. They obviously don't fit in the bed so I put them on top of the rack. I also hunt and use my rack as a way to hoist wild hogs into the bed. It's a good place for hanging some accessories, but everybody is different. I wouldn't get one for the sole purpose of mounting a tent. I considered a topper, but the rack works better for me. Currently have a marine shop that builds Bimini and sails constructing a rain cover for the rack. So it will basically be a topper I'll just have the option to remove the cover if I want. Best of luck, I wrestle with the decision for a while.
That’s a great idea having that shop build you a rain cover over the rack. You got me thinking about possibilities…

As to the OP’s question, for me it is all about camping.

We camp a LOT and I need it for my 23 Zero Walkabout 62 RTT plus all the assorted gear that goes along with it. Without the rack the bed would be so crammed I wouldn’t have the room for everything.

Having said that: I hate it when I’m not camping. I really enjoy just having a plain truck without all that crap permanently on. I wish someone would come up with a really secure system that was basically a quick disconnect for easy removal.

What would be ideal would be a set up like that one guy posted where he can just remove it with a winch and hang it from his garage ceiling when he’s not using it. That one really has my wheels turning…
 

Dryfly24

Well-Known Member
First Name
George
Joined
Feb 7, 2019
Threads
47
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
4,157
Location
Las Cruces, NM
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Rubicon, 2016 Indian Springfield
Occupation
Retired and loving it
Because there's know knowledge to expand on. You either need the additional storage or you don't.

And it has nothing to do with camping.

Why is camping the only reason to have a rack? Maybe you need it to carry tools or kayaks or in my case bikes.

Could be any number of reasons.

Again if you can't think of a reason you need the extra storage then don't worry about it because it doesn't matter.

Sounds like you're looking for someone to give you a reason to waste money on shit you don't need. If you want one cause you think it's cool then just buy it already and stop trying to find an excuse.
Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 1629367217492
 

ACAD_Cowboy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Francis
Joined
May 1, 2019
Threads
22
Messages
1,414
Reaction score
1,960
Location
NY
Vehicle(s)
15 jkur
Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 20210812_190646
Hooter's needs have changed and as his life evolves so does his rig. Different solutions to different challenges.
 

AverageDad

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
May 19, 2021
Threads
4
Messages
127
Reaction score
236
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland
Occupation
VP of Operations
I don’t have a bed rack, but I want one. For me, a mid-height rack offers more versatility. I mostly use the bed for hauling camping gear, lumber and trash. I could still do that. When I do (rarely) have something tall, I can remove the rear bar. It also will allow me to have a RTT that is partially below the roofline for less drag and, most importantly, would allow me to pull into my garage with the RTT on. That will allow me to hoist the RTT to the roof, making it a one person job and keeping me from riding around with the RTT on all the time.

Bed racks don’t make sense - until they do. For me, I think it’s the best option.

Now if I could just convince the Minister of Finance that I need to buy a rack and an RTT. ?
 

Sponsored

XJADDICTION

Banned
Banned
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Threads
11
Messages
821
Reaction score
1,669
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2020 JT SS Max Tow, 2005 WK Hemi, 2013 Mustang GT
Occupation
Surgical CSFA
Since I have the Max Tow... ? thats just a joke.

So many have said it depends on your use. I have people that want to give me their opinion all the time about this Jeep. I’ve owned a bunch, but his JT seems to attract the nut jobs.

- with no rack when new “that is the ugliest truck I’ve ever seen” well, it’s mine and I bought it for me not you, plus where else can you get a convertible truck?

- “that thing is useless, I thingy the Honda Ridgeline was THE fake pickup, but yours wins fake truck of the year” yeah, well the Ridgeline is a car with a pretend bed and this is a truck with Ram 1/2 ton suspension in the rear, a real bed and... it’s a convertible.
- from my wife and many others
“That rack looks stupid, makes an ugly truck uglier”

My Answer, My Jeep Truck;

- the bed is pretty small and putting my solid axle expensive mountain bikes in the bed mean leaving the tailgate down or hanging them over the tailgate. These are both not acceptable for me.

- I kayak and Canoe often

- I go to pickup lumber, don’t always want to pull the trailer, I’ve carried 16 foot deck boards and a 6x6 post up there on my rack system.

- I want secure storage that works with a locking tailgate. I still haven’t built the drawers yet, but have full length flat board slides to pull stuff out of the bed.

- I leave all of my mountain bike tools pumps stuff, fishing gear, and a whole tent camping set up in the bed all of the time. I camp whenever I want to (even straight from work) just throw ice in he cooler and grab food (I have dry food and always have a water purification system) I keep a backpack of clothes in the truck all of the time. I also have headlamps, helmets, bike shoes, my job site PPE, bike lamps, rain and cold weather gear, etc all in the cab under the rear seat.

- I also ride dirt bikes (motorcycles) and pull a trailer for that. I am getting a hitch mount for the Honda 250 XR soon so won’t always need my trailer for that either.

- THEN... what if I want to all of this at the same time; Canoe, Kayak, mountain bikes, dirt bikes, 4 wheeler, or jet skis, wakeboard boat... on and on.

- for me the bed is too small I am used to 8’ beds on diesel crew cabs I’ve owned. Now instead of three or 4 vehicles that I used to own... I have one convertible truck that does it all (with a trailer) and I think it looks badass IMOP... and that’s al that matters.

I have locks for everything, the mounts are all Yakima, and cable or chain locks. I have an enclosed trailer in my future to help with a hotel stay if I want. Sure anything can be stolen but that is what insurance is for.

I have thousands of miles on this set up, soon will change... well maybe a year or so as I am building another house next year. I want a system that I will build that will use a full work truck rack attached to a window frame mount with isolator bushings for the minimal flex between the bed and the cab, gull wing bed hard cover on hydraulic struts with removable light weight drawer system (so if I want an open bed I can get there easily, the work truck rack I have had removable 3” cross bars). I am thinking a slide out under rack for an RTT, some manufacturer makes one (it’s on back order forever) so I will make my own that swivels and has legs to level it. May even just have platform for the double cot tent... ?

He possibilities are endless for these trucks.

Thank you Jeep for making a truck that is fun to drive and gets the job done ... for me! ?


The twin cot tent bed is a game changer and fits up by the back window in bed Yakima rack rails. I haven’t used it yet.

I have $250 in this set up, ladder rack was free (I cut it down so it wasn’t so tall and is proper height for Yakima load bar on hard top)

50,000 miles on the JT and it is time for the fun stuff. A lift, 37’s , gears, lockers, aluminum bumpers and winch very soon.

Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack FCDF7A47-6154-45C5-90DD-83F9446FBF5A


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack C83607F6-3778-4E84-A586-88916326D1D2


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack A1C301BA-A258-4A18-B61E-10A1CA17E4C8


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack B37B70FE-F498-4953-8950-CB86E41B8431


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 339587FB-1DEB-4955-86BF-F20741ECCCE5


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack DAAFFEAA-5263-4020-BE63-A51E0F170246


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 00076BFB-1C6D-4721-B86D-DC0559282337


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 4042E799-8FB2-4A00-9C07-22BA23831791


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack B9D09F59-9EC3-47FE-A9BC-2625D3BF708D


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack D77D0C3E-86CB-446F-BE4F-B9778D214833


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack D942EA17-0936-43A3-831D-D24842CE2F78


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 3CC2AB4D-6D56-45AB-B7EC-7EA6DBFB9F80


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 833257CA-ED01-47AB-A331-69943CADB67F


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack AB081BB8-6F6D-458B-819C-B7D41F6300DD


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack A62407EC-4A79-4B8F-800C-BCD00DD6524D


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 232E1926-6533-4109-8272-F06598D41E16


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack E2EB25DA-137A-4597-BF87-2D7E6766C0E9


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 2242F41D-7345-4B1F-A147-55713BC36D8F


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack DDAAF8D7-4714-444B-9540-84607B716AF5


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 9E74F0AD-A44B-44FF-8B9C-36D28694D122


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack D90C50A6-0D05-4827-894C-F3DA685314AD


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 43AD97EE-A410-41E2-877E-8005444A6E90


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 102053F7-E099-4D40-B2F1-144F4D95955F


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack CC2FEF33-FF19-434B-A98E-C4C5B4BFDA2A


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack 69482FB2-BA16-40C8-AABB-824FE42A2D2A


Jeep Gladiator I don't understand the advantages of a Bed Rack C11B3E60-F1C2-4A9C-9ABD-B6AE5ACCFCEF
 
Last edited:

Dryfly24

Well-Known Member
First Name
George
Joined
Feb 7, 2019
Threads
47
Messages
1,426
Reaction score
4,157
Location
Las Cruces, NM
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Rubicon, 2016 Indian Springfield
Occupation
Retired and loving it
If you're going to shit post back it up or move on.
Wow! Sir yes Sir!

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I’m not the one shit posting on the poor guy’s thread.

So tell me, since apparently you make the rules around here; how long have you owned this site now?
 
Last edited:

ACAD_Cowboy

Well-Known Member
First Name
Francis
Joined
May 1, 2019
Threads
22
Messages
1,414
Reaction score
1,960
Location
NY
Vehicle(s)
15 jkur
Settle down now... everyone behave or so help me god you'll have to stand in the corner because I will have beat your ass so hard with my belt that my hands hurt.

One man said he didn't grok the rack thing, a number of us chimed in and discussed the hows and whys and wherefores of rack life. That man said thank you for the insight and while very convincing arguments, still not for me. And then the shit show started.

Are we all seriously getting grumpy as fuck about how we feel someone else should be spending his money on his rig? That ain't very jeeply now is it, IS IT?

Seriously, take the long look here, people are arguing about how someone else should be spending his money. IF you wanna take the ol'lady out for an anniversary dinner at jack in the box followed up by throwing empty beer bottles off the pier, honestly what do I care? You wanna buy her the biggest rock in the gaudiest setting, great. You wanna stay out all night and call her broke and hung over from your mistresses place for a ride, if that's what works.

Do I like racks? yes and no because it all depends on why you have it and what you are doing with it. Do I like racks on other peoples rigs? again it all depends. In my area there are plenty of dudes driving around in full expedition mode all day every day for no reason. You do not need your RTT, pioneering tools, LP tank, trac-mats and a zillion feet of rope and chain to commute to work on the expressway just the same as I don't need my plow, amber lights and area lights, baskets and snow thrower once the storm is over. But just like I don't say anything to Jungle Jim ready to cross the Darien gap, he doesn't say anything to Sir Grit's-A'lot looking like mad max in winter.

So everyone, calm down, take the breath, count to 10 and STFU.

Also, hooter is wondering if he needs to look at a LWB suburban for the 3rd row.
Sponsored

 
 







Top