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Cheap DIY ARGs
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:32 pm    Post subject: Cheap DIY ARGs Reply with quote

I get a lot of questions about ARGs, more specifically combing the mounting points with a pop-top shock kit, which can work well, but for anyone that doesn't have ARGs mounted yet I think the best place to put them is under the roof hing mounting bolts and they can be made easily from a piece of 1x2 square tubular steel, and you can make more for your front load bar for a total cost of about $4, heres an image of the piece of steel and how it needs to be cut/drilled,

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is a pic of one installed on my van, although this one is a little different as I flipped it upside down and welded another piece onto it so the rack would be above my solar panel, but you get the idea,

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Another benefit of these besides price is that they also keep your rack and all the weight on it farther back so the roof is easier to pop.

With the rear bar that far back a rocket box may hang off the back a bit, but then you can stand on the rear bumper to get at stuff in the back of it, and stand on the tire to get at stuff in the middle front of it.

I know a lot of people like to mount them forward so they can stand on the floor with the sliding door open, but thats a pretty bad spot for minimizing effort needed to get the top up.

At any rate, maybe some of you can save some money with this idea Smile
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Inlet
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

only two holes?




edit: nvm I see what you did


Last edited by Inlet on Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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funagon
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know what "A - R - G" stands for.
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Artificial Rain Gutter

For mounting thule or Yakima racks to.
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climberjohn
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Warning, mystery TLA alert . . .
(Three Letter Acronym)
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bump.

With rack mounting season upon us I though I'd bump this to possibly save people some money.

For cutting the steel an angle grinder and a cut-off wheel work well, you can pick one up from any harbor freight for $20-30, probably the cost of a set of ARGs, and then you have a grinder left over which is a very useful tool to have around IMO. You'll need a drill too of course, but most people already have one kicking around.
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peasant
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool post. I'm thinking about putting a roof rack of some sort on my westy
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vanagonjr
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any recommended wall thickness for that square tubing? So glad I have not mounted my racks yet so I can take advantage of what I have learned here.
Thanks to JackBombay and others too.
John
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vanagonjr wrote:
Any recommended wall thickness for that square tubing?


12 gauge should be plenty. I just used whatever I had laying around for mine and it was probably closer to 14 gauge (thinner than 12 gauge). I never put a massive amount of weight up there, but have done 2 canoes around on the roof several times (about 150 pounds) and all was fine.
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GMByers
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just my opinion.

ILO - It looks odd and
ILU - It looks ugly
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GMByers wrote:
Just my opinion.

ILO - It looks odd and
ILU - It looks ugly


Function over fashion
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:35 pm    Post subject: Thanks Jack Reply with quote

Thanks Jack. I missed this last year. When I need Thule ARG mounts and found some I craped my pants on how much they cost. I payed almost $50 bucks 6 years ago. So if you do not have the fab skills expect to pay around $60 now a days.
Check http://www.rei.com/product/494360
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They, REI, have some others for $40, but they are a little different, "wide body brackets" looks like they would work fine though,

http://www.rei.com/webservices/rei/DisplayStyle/49...erralID=NA

But $40 is still very spendy for 4 metal brackets...
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bjrogers86auto
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:58 pm    Post subject: arg Reply with quote

Now that I to know what ARG means I can comment. hehe

It's amazing what you can come up with if you take some time to think it through. These are cool. I spent a little less at GW for the Yakima ARG's but still seems expensive for what you get. I didn't see this thread before I bought!

Got the shocks Mark...now can you melt our snow so I can get my van out?

Brian.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another great idea Jack. Too bad I spent the $$ about 2 years ago! Thanks for trying to keep us fully equipped on the cheap!
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie
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r39o
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

crowinghen wrote:
I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie

You buy metal like this where they sell metal, interesting enough. Google and you will be rewarded. Most bigger cities have metal supply houses. Look for the ones the specialize in surplus and scrap. You only need a little piece, like a cut off, which is exactly what these sorts of places have laying around. You buy by the pound. CHEAP.....
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:
crowinghen wrote:
I don't seem to have any steel tube lying around - where would I buy some?
thanks!
Susie

You buy metal like this where they sell metal, interesting enough. Google and you will be rewarded. Most bigger cities have metal supply houses. Look for the ones the specialize in surplus and scrap. You only need a little piece, like a cut off, which is exactly what these sorts of places have laying around. You buy by the pound. CHEAP.....


I guess I wasn't thinking--" scrap" being the key word here. I had already googled it--
thank you!

susie
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buildyourown
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It can actually be hard to buy shorter pieces of steel or aluminum.
Tube comes in 20ft sticks, buying less will cost you a cust charge. For only a foot or 2, check onlinemetals.com
They will sell buy the foot and ship and prices are reasonable.
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Dobie Dude
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Metal suppliers either keep what is left from custom length orders or recycle the pieces that are too small to be resold. If you look in their shop you will see a dumpster full of this sort of thing.
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