Conferr Rack

[LiquidOps]

ok... here's what i'm looking at doing...

Conferr rack on top (2dr XJ Sport) - want to mount tire up top, lights on front and back, and also my hi-lift on side. What dimensions do you guys recommend?

2" or 6" tall?

how long (they go up to 12')

how wide (3' to 5')

also... one piece welded style? or the Deluxe Bolt Together Style?

all input is greatly appreciated...

[LiquidOps]

I'm thinking about this one


4'x5'x6"

it does have more than just those 3 cross bars for support right??

anyone know?

ordering soon before my 30% off hook up goes away :)

http://www.conferr.com/catalog/images/40501_big.jpg

[2xtreme]

It really comes down to the "look" that you want. I personally recomend tires and hi-lifts to mount as low as possible (preferably in the truck if possible) but that is just my opinion. I wheel in a lot of heavily treed areas so the lower the profile the better for me. In reality to can strap anything down to a low profile rack (sides are only important if you want them to protect the hi-lift and lights, and even then they will provide very little protection). If I was putting the money into a rack I would want it to cover as much of the roof as possible (just inside the gutters and just short enought to keep the lights front and back inside the front and rear gutters, maybe 4-6 inches in the front to keep down the glare from the front lights on top.

just my thougts,
Michael

[CRASH]

I have the one pictured above, and it has carried everything from canoes to dead wild boar, to camping supplies. I've had about 400 pounds up there at one time or another.

I couldn't be happier.

It mounts to the OEM roof rails in 4 places per side, and the three cross bars are there to support your load, not for mounting.

Alas, mine will be for sale in October, since the new cage incorporates an external rack......

CRASH

[FELIX]

The one you have pictured, is pretty much the one I have. It's 4 inch high. ORGS customized it for me, w/ diamond grate decking, tire mount Hi Lift, & Max ax mounts. I love it. it works great for me I would post a picture, of it loaded down, but I don't have a host, if you want, I can email you one.

Rob

http://www.avatarsbymas.com/images/icons/avatars/ani/felix1-ani-av.gif http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ShadowROne/Bikes/99-750.gif

[LiquidOps]

yeah... please drop me an email... that would be great...

Steven@LiquidOps.com

rain gutter mount or rack mount? What do you recommend?

[FELIX]

3 Pic's sent, Hope you have Cable, or DSL, they're kind of big

Rob
http://www.avatarsbymas.com/images/icons/avatars/ani/felix1-ani-av.gif http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ShadowROne/Bikes/99-750.gif

[LiquidOps]

bah.... my email server is ghetto sometimes....

did the total size = over 2mb's?

if it did... please resend to

ocjesusfreak@aol.com

thanks

[bburge]

The one you describe is pretty much what I've got..

Get the 6 inch, the 4 inch look pansy... :D

I would also recommend welded one piece and gutter mounts. Don't mess with the factory mounts. The gutters are way stronger.

I've stood on mine many times (190#) not at all concerned. (Good view up there sometimes!)

Be prepared for the MPG hit; about 1.5 less for an empty rack. Stick your spare up there and probably make it 2...

bburge

[PhatXJ]

I found a Con-Ferr sitting in my neighbors backyard with no mounts or anything, just the box part. It had some rust on it. He let me haul it off for $40 :D

I built my own floor and tire mount for it. I also bought 6 Con-Ferr bulldog mounts for it. They cost me 3x the amount the rack itself did. If I would've known then what I know now, I would've just made my own gutter mounts, or even easier yet, had AJ (http://ajsoffroadarmor.com) buld some for me.

http://myweb.cableone.net/twizum007/temp/rack.jpg

As for the weight it can handle, that is not an issue whatsoever.

http://myweb.cableone.net/twizum007/temp/VirtueFlats_029.jpg

Having a tire up there pretty much sucks, and it's comming down as soon as possible and I would never mount a hi-lift up there. The less weight up there the better. It will just be used for to and fro camp sites and whatnot........not wheelin'.

[LiquidOps]

gutter mount is how I want to go.... The 3 bars in the middle are the only support?? What do I mount the tire too or anything else??

in other pictures i see several other bars running across those 3

[PhatXJ]

For the spare tire mount, I just built some plates that can "sandwich" more or less between the rack cross member (shown on Yakima rack prior to switch over to the Conferr) and then I welded a Coupler on it and ran some ready rod up through. Then I used a nut that I welded some "wings" on more or less to be able to spin it off. I used the factory plstic piece thingy to fill the hub hole on the rim to let the new 'wing nut' work with it.

http://myweb.cableone.net/twizum007/temp/DSCN1506.jpg


What that setup lets you do, is clamp the tire down real hard, with some good force. That way, all the side to side wieght (shear) isn't distributed on the mount rod, but more on the rubber part of the tire that is held down on the rack. Rubber on steel doesn't move very easily. It's worked real good for about 4 years now.

[LiquidOps]

it figures.... the flooring I saw is extra

140 extra (100 my price)

http://www.conferr.com/catalog/images/FL4050_big.jpg

[PhatXJ]

You don't need that if you have a steel shop ANYWHERE near you and a hack saw.

[bburge]

I agree about the tire. I keep my hi-lift up there...

http://www.4footed.com/images/tds-2003/800x600/P3020025.JPG

http://www.4footed.com/images/tds-2003/800x600/P3010013.JPG

For flooring, I screwed down slats of cedar fencing, 8 inches wide with a gap between them for air flow and draining. Works great (but I woodn't mount my spare to it!) After they "weathered" they look really rustic. My girlfriend hated it when I first put them up there, but after some sun and rain; she really likes it...)

bburge

[LiquidOps]

I like the flooring you made for yours PhatXJ....

what did you use exactly? gauge? what did you use to mount it to the cross bars?? weld??

[JKTXJ]

I bolted down an expanded metal floor on my Garvin rack and unless you have a loud stereo, forget about it. It's loud! Rattles all the time. I think the only way to make it quiet would be to weld it down everywhere it touches a crossbar... I am taking mine out and weldeing in more square tube crossbars.

[PhatXJ]

Originally posted by LiquidOps
I like the flooring you made for yours PhatXJ....

what did you use exactly? gauge? what did you use to mount it to the cross bars?? weld??

It's just 1/8" expanded metal. I used several bolts with large washers to hold it down on all sides and corners. I used more than whats in that pic. Mine is not loud at all. Only way you can hear make a noise is if you slam the door real hard or something and you specificly listen for it.

[mikal]

i'd choose something shorter than the 6 inch. i sold mine because i couldn't fit in the garage. if i get another one it will probably be a 4 inch rack. i figure anything i wanted to put up there could be strapped down to 4 inches of rack. plus i like the looks of the shorter ones. also go with the gutter mounts.

[JJ13]

GO with the 4" it looks much better. BTW I just built a rack for mine as I gave my con-ferr away. I would be willing to sell the one I made if you were interested. It is made from 1" square tubing with a tire hold down, and an expanded steel floor. I can e-mail some pics if you are interested.

[PhatXJ]

My opinion.......the taller sides look better.

http://www.naxja.org/rigs/Aug/35s_1.jpg

[LiquidOps]

don't have to worry about hitting the garage... and personally I do think the taller sides are much sek-cier :)

Thanks for all of your input....

[JJ13]

I agree on the pic phat put up of the taller rack does look good on that XJ.. the ones running around town here aren't lifted that much, and the rack overpowers there rig. I made the one on my XJ 5", it looks allright. I would suggest repainting your con-ferr before putting it up. Mine rusted and the paint started falling off after 2 months...but maybe mine was a fluke.

[LiquidOps]

I've got a 3" lift

[65_Toy]

Originally posted by PhatXJ
My opinion.......the taller sides look better.

http://www.naxja.org/rigs/Aug/35s_1.jpg

Hey Phat,

You need to take a new pic like the above one with your cut flares... I need a new desktop to keep me motivated!:D

My 4dr is getting close to looking alot like yours, and I keep needing to remind myself why I'm spending so much money.

[TOZOVR]

http://www.authorizedvehicle4x4.com/RACK.JPG

here's a huge pic of my custom rack before we mounted the full length Thule Crossbars (instead of the stubs)...

The flooring is plastic coated steel shelving we got from the local Staples (they were throwing tons of the stuff out). SUPER Beefy stuff.

[PhatXJ]

Originally posted by 65_Toy
Hey Phat,

You need to take a new pic like the above one with your cut flares... I need a new desktop to keep me motivated!:D

My 4dr is getting close to looking alot like yours, and I keep needing to remind myself why I'm spending so much money.


Will do Toy :)

Since that pic, it's about 1" taller and cut flares :)

[65_Toy]

I've seen your Rubicon pics, the one with the other XJs behind it is my desktop now. That's the one that made me go 35's and trim my flares instead of going TJ flares (I have almost no ideas of my own:D )

Thanks,

[PhatXJ]

Originally posted by 65_Toy
I've seen your Rubicon pics, the one with the other XJs behind it is my desktop now. That's the one that made me go 35's and trim my flares instead of going TJ flares (I have almost no ideas of my own:D )

Thanks,


haha, cool! :)

Which one is it? This one?

http://myweb.cableone.net/twizum007/Rubicon/pages/Rubicon_041.htm

I've got all those pics full size if you want me to email you the full size one.

I will get some good clean poser shots of my rig when I get my winch and bumper on :D

[65_Toy]

That's the one.
Just think, you're famous in my network group here in Oklahoma...:D

Send it david.orth<at>dobson.net

Thanks,

[PhatXJ]

I will send it off when I get home tonight :)

[LiquidOps]

any final words before I place my order?