One thing that I found out while shopping for roof racks for my Vanagon is they can be very pricey. If you are like me I have a relatively strict budget I like to stick to. After many hours of research I figured that it would be cheaper and easy to build my own roof rack. This way I can customize it to my specific needs.
For this project I did have to order gutter mounts to secure to the van. I ordered them from the NRS website. They come in a package of four, but you can buy them individual as well. I purchased the remaining parts from Home Depot. Most hardware stores should carry the following material:
- 2 – 1 inch x 1 inch x 6 foot square steel tubing
- 4 – 3/8 x 2.5 inch full threaded bolts
- 4 – 3/8 nylon lock nuts
- 4 – 3/8 steel washers
Once I secured the gutter mounts to the van I put the square tubing on top and marked where the holes should be drilled. After both tubes were marked I drilled out the holes with a 3/8 size drill bit. Next I took the bolt and washer and put them through the tubing and the top of the mount. I used a 9/16 wrench to hold the top of the bolt steady and used a 9/16 socket to tighten the lock nut from the bottom.
When I first put the gutter mounts onto the van I was a bit unsure because they didn’t seem very sturdy. As both of the sides were bolted down the bar drew them inward which tightened up the mounts quite well. If you are looking for a cheap, easy and customizable roof rack set-up I would recommend giving this a try!
http://www.nrs.com/product/3200/quick-n-easy-car-top-racks-set
Note: These mounts will only work if your vehicle is equipped with rain gutters.
Vanagon Nomad 