I’m sick of the insane prices on what really comes down to chunks of steel. I’m talking skid plates, rock sliders, roof racks, bumpers, etc.

I’d love to get a catalog of any DIY links or threads and collect them all here for future reference. Any hole patterns you’ve used to make your own mounts? Post it! Ideas for awesome upgrades? Give us a link! Let’s make this easier to fab our own stuff for these freaking expensive LR3’s!

My contribution that I hope to do myself soon is a DIY aluminum roof rack, from extruded aluminum from somewhere like 8020.net, to try and mimic the frontrunner slimline II rack. If anyone has great ideas for strong mounts to the roof, hook it up!

Roof rack link:

 

I too refused to pay for a new rack and was lucky enough to find a front runner slimline 2 rack at a local junk yard for a D2 in good condition. After totally tearing it down to fit in the LR3 for the ride home I determined it was way to wide (56") and oddly sized in length at 77" +/-. Originally I was going to go with the same plan as you and extruded AI.

So after a lot of measuring, I cut it down to be 50" and go from the rear antenna to just before the forward roof drop. Problem being it had no mount for the roof so after a lot of consideration I fabricated my own with a standard cop saw, bench vice, drill bit and tap. Grabbed some stainless flat bar from the local hardware store at 1.25"W x 36" and cut it down in 6 sections. Then bought some 90 degree stainless angle that was 1.25" as side by 36" or 48" and cut down 12 equal sections to make a 'S' drilled a bazillion holes in everything and bolted together mounts that slid in the roof rails.

Got it all mounted and it was solid as a rock. Was worried it could sheer or otherwise come lose but fate proved the design was tough enough to withstand a crash the next day. Which sucked but was also really cool it held.

Attached some photos of the mounts

Templating the mounts.

Test fit.

Finished, but rough mounts.

Sprayed with bed liner.
for reference in hopes it could help someone else not have to do the mental hopscotch when building their own.

 

WOW, that was a great post. Thank you.

 

Glad that helped David.

I totaled the LR3 in the crash mentioned above but the rack stayed strong. Its now bolted to my new LR3 and just survived a 2,100 mile trip in 5 days. It's a beast!