DIY Aluminium Roof rack

[Derek777]

Good afternoon everyone,

I am new on this forum.

Want some advice, has anyone made their own aluminium roof rack? The point of looking at DIY is sure it will save money, but also just like building my own stuff if possible and customise if possible.

Want to know what sections one uses and where to find them and the connections here in Cape Town area.

Kind regards
Derek

[niclemaitre]

Can you weld aluminium? If you can't I would suggest that you make up the rack as you would like from sections, and then get someone to weld it for you. Those connect-it fittings are definitely not suited for roof racks.

The weight advantage of aluminium is also less than people think. It is less strong than a steel section of the same diameter/wall thickness, meaning that you have to use thicker sections for the same strength as steel, negating the weight advantage mostly. It's real advantage is that it is corrosion resistant, but galvanising achieves that too.