How to Build a TRUCK RACK - DIY - Made From Unistrut

[@JusCrank]

Glad I found this vid! Attachment options are endless with this setup!!

[@ShailaindraSharma]

Hi... I generally do not post my comments very often. However, In this case I felt like appreciating the details that have been covered on its construction... As well as the meticulous explanation given on "How to Approach it". I am going to implement such a thing on my truck myself, and this idea struck me about a week back. I had slotted angle bars in mind, and was searching for such ideas implemented already. This certainly is more refined and more sturdy than what I had in mind. Will definitely give me a better result... Cheers to the creator. 👍👍👍

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you!

[@kcrr2w]

Unistrut and Extruded aluminum are the adult Tinker Toys. Cheaper DIY than name brand racks. Add some rubberized paint coating and you're all set.

[@forgottenknowledge8917]

Now all you need is some checker plate sheet metal, airstruts, and hinges to cover the sides and back. The hinges and airstruts are so you open the sides and back. Then cover the top by bolting down checker plate and you have yourself an awesome truck box/rack

[@UnknownSoldier885]

Had my doubts at first. But that actually looks more sturdy and probably stronger than some of the store bought ones. I love it

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! And you can mod everything if you want to add on to it because.. well... you made it! haha

[@GothicOutlaws]

And here I was wandering how to build a rack for a pressure washing trailer... Brah... Thx... You gave me some great ideas... This is the most usful video I have found so far!!!

[@MaxDominguez-p3n]

Sir thank you for posting this. I have a job coming up where I'm hauling 1/2 inch pipe 1000 miles and I was going to need unistrut at the job to hang the pipe. I was going to buy a ladder rack and a roof rack to haul everything because I don't want to haul a trailer. Now I don't have to buy a ladder rack because I'll use the unistrut from the truck rack build and my customer is buying the unistrut. So after we arrive the truck rack and pipe come off and I don't have the expense of renting renting a trailer or buying a truck rack. I don't do alot of pipe hauling or need a rack on a regular basis. Thank you again!!!

[@km066]

Fantastic results! Thank you for sharing!

[@A-meen-Fisher]

This idea would probably work good on kayak or jet ski trailers too. Thanks for the idea

[@larryboyle590]

You've got me thinking about doing this on my trailer. Build this to mount a roof top tent high enough to put my quad underneath. Could build 3 separate racks so my sons and myself could head north to ride and camp. Glad I found your video.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! Hope your plan goes well!

[@badsamaritan8223]

Awesome simple design. I'm currently planning out a full diy truck rack/camper shell for my truckbed trailer with a built in hoist that can slide out over the tailgate to lift heavy stuff in. Your build gives me lots of good ideas on how to start.

[@randompensamientos9802]

I love that you painted it black. Looks way better that way.

[@gregblackburn4280]

"Never too late to learn and create." Nice motto. I think this is a worthwhile build.....only improvement would be to mount a pulley / hoist system to the garage ceiling so it could be stored intact and put on / removed easily.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks! And ya your idea of a hoist system sounds great!

[@lorrielane6126]

Wow!!! Dude you are a genius, you have an engineer’s brain. You got something here, something you should get a degree in. Thanks for the video, and keep them coming.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! I actually have a degree in advertising so nowhere near related haha

[@philipattard9018]

It's a great tutorial as I'm planning to use Unistrut channels.I have discovered this stuff as I plan to build a rack for our box trailer.Cheers

[@gregoryf9299]

Thanks for sharing! Been looking at t-slot options but good to learn about Unistrut. Also putting the cardboard on roof of the cab: brilliant simple touch to keep in mind!

[@hfarms5779]

I am also thinking of a unique rack so like seeing DIY solutions. I wonder if it needs an angle brace near the top for lateral strength.

[@Bradmobile0157]

Looks like you made a nice set up capitalizing on those resources. I like the intricate designs.

[@fym6058]

You are awesome. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@RogerBrown]

I enjoyed everything about this. Thank you for showing me what's possible with Unistrut!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

No prob! Im glad it was helpful to you!

[@brettm1118]

This is exactly what I was thinking for mine! I used 1/2" (3/4?) years ago on my pickup shell and it worked very well. I used 4 hockey pucks for spacers to account for the curvature of the shell.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thats awesome! And ya unistrut is amazing!

[@TheAajsanchez]

great DIY video, good pacing and info is dropped correctly.

[@forgottenknowledge8917]

I'm using Unistrut to make a roof rack for my van. Unistrut works great, 3/8 bolts are easy to get.

[@clinttuch5674]

I've been wanting to do this. I am a mechanic and I know how to use uni strut as well but I loved seeing it put together. Gives a great starting point. Looks good man

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank You! It's been holding up well

[@jeremywheeler8417]

Thanks for the video. I just got my first truck and I had interest in building a soft top using a rack like this. I'll definitely be saving this video for when I'm ready to build. You're stronger than you look. I'm lucky to manage one pull up.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks! Hope this video helps you in the future

[@coachgeo]

dat's a big guy for doing a front lever. kudos man.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

thanks haha

[@gulayatbp8261]

i did mine on a utility trailer as a rack for my rooftop tent. those uni struts are easy to use.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Very nice! Ya uni struts are amazing

[@bigotonbrand]

Whoa! Much better than i could ever do. Good job!

[@gasgiant7122]

Greetings from UK. Meccano for grown-ups, not sure if you had Meccano kits in USA but as kids we used to love building stuff, great tutorial & really helpful cutting list👍👍👍

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Oh man ive never heard of Meccano, i'll be sure to check it out! Thanks for the support!!!

[@joeyandlucas2013]

Very Smart brother great job

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you!

[@WorkingViews]

you could make a whole camper like that with a roof rack built in. add some trim and it would look factory. nice job

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! That was certainly the idea for future plans with it

[@CmdrALF]

I love this build. Do you know roughly how much it completely weighs? How does the truck handle while driving?

[@berrtt1146]

I’m curious aswell I’m loooking to build one myself I’m wondering if there’s a lot of wind noise and how much it can support

[@tonylopez5014]

Well done! Making my own.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! Have fun doing it! And the best part is that you can mod it any way you want to afterwards

[@stevenn8449]

Very well thought out! Not overly complicated but looks pretty damn sturdy. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@AmericanPatriotANomad]

I love this I need mine as strong and sturdy

[@stevewilcox3474]

I have been searching for ideas how to build a 14 inch tall box to attach to my RV that goes over the the ac to allow me to use the full with and length of my roof for solar panels. Your design is great all I did different was add cross wires between the legs for squaring and support. a similar store bought unit was over 3k. Thanks

[@crissgen]

Thanks for the video , i like the way you made it , simple ,efficient ,

[@JA-wp6cj]

Nicely done. Maybe add cone nuts and eye hooks in the horizontal cap rails for additional tie down locations 🤔

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks! That's a good idea!

[@misterbulger]

Thanks for the inspiration. I want to build one for over my camper shell so I can carry 20ft sticks of pipe and rebar as well as attach tool boxes/storage to the sides

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Youre welcome! Spreading the love and inspiration is what we are all about! Hope yours turns out well

[@leer5888]

Did you get to do it? How did it go?

[@misterbulger]

@@leer5888 ended up buying a big old flat bed dump bed f350 with a big headache rack lol before i break my Titan. I hate always cramming 10lbs of crap into a 5lb bucket... last straw was trying to haul a bunch of concrete blankets they are just too bulky to jam in the camper shell. F350 has over 3x the bed space open top 8x8.5 with sides that pop off. I still have the Titan but it's just got bars on the camper shell now but I just dont trust the weight limit just bolted to the fiberglass. Fine for hauling my little john boat or a few sticks of PVC but that's about it. The Titan is such a clean build I didnt want to start hooking all my work stuff to it. I never want to go camping or anywhere fun, take the lady out with all my tools jammed in there. The F350 uses 2x the gas but hauls over 3x the stuff for less trips so that's how I justify it. I was gonna just buy a dump trailer but the whole truck was cheaper with low-ish mileage lol. Now I'm looking at a bigger trailer and a mini excavator, diesel transfer tank, also possibly a lift gate. F350 opened a whole new book of opportunities for dirt cheap. I'll probably obtain all that gear for less than a certified pre-owned vehicle that's not even set up the way I need it too which is crazy to think.

[@AscensionPainting]

This has inspired me to do a similar build myself. Curious how the rack has held up and if you’ve modified it since the build? Also, if you’ve taken it on the highway/top speed you’ve hit.

[@noDOejOP]

will most like use your layout for a mini truck camper build thanks bro

[@craftworksbyg6440]

No problem 👍 Have fun with it!

[@jeremyrobschilling]

Hi how has this held up and how much weight would you guess you normally carry on it.

[@victorschiavo2201]

How is this holding up today? Looking to do something similar on my truck, thanks!

[@CrusadingSamurai]

I like your build. One question I have is how does it handle to being on city and dirt roads? Does it stay sturdy? Do you often find yourself tightening things down?

[@saltyhead4774]

Bro this helped a lot.. can't wait to start on mine. I needed one for my kayak. I like the racks you used because you can add more things to it..

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Glad this helped! I use this rack for my hard paddleboard!

[@db891989]

Like this is sturdy enough for the application I made mine for.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Oh yeahhh its sturdy!

[@ronbusa3735]

Great build turned out nice.. thanks

[@kenniegarner3848]

Look at all the tie down options! This is a great idea and cheaper.

[@dydjm]

Very impressed thank you. So gonna try this on my pickup. Thx for the video!

[@thejourneyofcorazonmagana1136]

This fantastic! Thank you so much much for sharing! How much did you spend?

[@megonzalez3572]

Nice build. Not sure if I missed it in the comments, but what was the total cost of materials?

[@steevensonjoseph7389]

Maaterialllllll!!! U got my subscription

[@youarehere1251]

Strong and cheap, my kind of guy.

[@bobwaters8185]

Did you use the full 10' length for the two main bars? Excellent info. You might have saved me a LOT of time:)

[@craftworksbyg6440]

I dont remember but I did have some length leftover that could be used for other mods.

[@h2s-i9o]

Still needs some gussets/angle brackets for structural support on lateral deflection

[@mikeevansgutierrezcasanas6234]

You are the man. 😎👏👏👏👏

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks!!

[@carlmetzger3971]

How much did the rack cost you to build? Where did you purchase the material? I like the idea and the methods. Please replay, I am considering making one myself. Hope I can make one cheaper than buying one already fabricated.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

About $300 at the time of filming. In the video I outlined everything. You can get the materials at Home Depot or Lowes, thats where I got my materials

[@mateodamian7833]

What are the measurements to your truck bed?

[@victorm1597]

Can you make a list of the materials used I want to mimic this design but to carry road barricades Thank you!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Sure! The material list is in the video, just pause it.

[@joshxd40cal]

Loved your video. I'm fixing to build a huge rack system on my M1102 military trailer. I'm making an Overland build!

[@totallypitted3447]

Looks solid!!! Thanks Dude!

[@NA-su3jk]

Seems pressure from sides might make it loosen up. Having a few legs that go down to truck bed would improve stability i think.

[@drew8642]

What is the ballpark total monetary cost figure for this fine piece of work?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

At the time of the video it was about $300~. The actual cost is in the video

[@sethbrodies]

have you ever mad one like this and a drop down ladder rack style

[@jucamvil]

Hey there. How was the paint job. It is not easy to paint on galvanized. What did you use?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

The paint held up but after a year the paint bejng exposed to direct air from driving started to wear off but for the most part it held

[@peterbarlow8912]

Wondering what all that heavy duty hardware and uninstrut material cost compared to buying a ready made rack. Craigslist had several today for $150 used.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

My build cost about $300 and the way I designed it allows for further modifications if needed and could be modular to fit whatever I wanted. That was the philosophy of my design and materials I chose. Sure you can get one for $150 but how easy would it be to modify or change it. I dont know how much you like to tweak stuff so it's all based on that really.

[@peterbarlow8912]

@@craftworksbyg6440 guess I paid maybe $250 for my all aluminum Hauler brand rack for an 8’ full size truck. It’s extrusions could be cut down to whatever if disassembled and reassembled.

[@robertmcmahon1221]

Good job.

[@joetorres4165]

Nicely done looks great going to build one for my f150 as well thanks for the information

[@propatriabellum]

Good stuff. I like your ideas and production style. Easy to follow and a great project. I put round pipe on my rear cross bar as a roller so sheets of plywood or whatever sorta load themselves.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks! The round pipe at the rear sounds like a really good idea!

[@whoozy2261]

This about to be a frame of a camper all I got to do is plywood it and seal it and insulate it perfect camper

[@gregmize01]

You just can't beat STRONG & CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!

[@CharlieAX]

Beautiful

[@BritneyLeigh24720]

Great build! Any idea how much it weighs?

[@Cause4Alarm]

Looks like a good build, but I just saw new video by another Channel Mixflip this week build one for under $100 with the same material Unistrut and Bolt clamps on for Toyotas for a bed tent pretty easy and also cheap. Just the two bars go on a cross without drilling into the bed if that's what you're looking for with existing rail system, and that's what I was looking for, but yours is good too for a universal use!

[@senditsillly1423]

awesome video!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you!

[@oldblueclaw]

I like your work boots.

[@dawnperazzo4013]

Is it noisy (whistle)?

[@dynamicdefensemartialarts3078]

How much time did it take you to shop for all the materials and build the truck rack?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Oh man I dont remember but probably a couple hours of planning

[@dynamicdefensemartialarts3078]

Okay so few hours are planning how much time did it actually take you to build it approximately?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

@@dynamicdefensemartialarts3078 I dont remember exactly but I would say 3 hours or so, if I remember right i did the build in one afternoon

[@javierlazo8415]

Very nice 🙂

[@toddplager8676]

THANKS MAN SO MANY GREAT IDEAS! I can even add to this thanks a ton bro!! Saves SOOOO much money!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

No prob! Cheap and modifiable for sure!

[@TheRainHarvester]

At 6:45, I tried attaching the unistrut to the bed rails, but it wobbles in/out of the bed a little. Does yours wobble? What did I do wrong? Thanks! I'm going to get this working!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Hey there! Mine does not wobble at all. Does the top portion of your bed rail have bumps or whatnot?

[@TheRainHarvester]

@@craftworksbyg6440 it has long ridges. I didn't connect the two sides via the arch at the top yet. Is that why?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

@@TheRainHarvester oh yes attach the arch and bottom and it shouldnt wobble anymore

[@djgenew]

How's the road noise? I used unistrut for a roof rack on my minivan and the road noise was a little loud. I bought 1.5" or 2" magnet strips and lined the inside of the strut to cover the holes which reduced the noise a lot.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

I haven't had much road noise at all, maybe going on a long bridge with high winds there are some whistling sounds, but nothing mechanical

[@senditsillly1423]

would this work the same with the smaller 14 gauge unistrut?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

It might, I wanted the rack to be little bit sturdier to be on the safe side. I would still recommend the gauge I used.

[@TheRainHarvester]

How much lumber can you put up there? Nice!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thanks! Im not too sure because I havent had the need to load up a lot of lumber yet

[@19wildmustang79]

Curious about how its held up since you installed it. Follow up video in the works?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

It's holding up super solid. No wobbling, no weird noises, haven't had to tighten anything yet. As of right now the paint is getting chipped away at by small road debris but structural integrity is still excellent. I am planning on doing a follow up video in the summer to show how well it has held up

[@windsongalaska7231]

Excellent video! I will be copying your design.

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! Feel free to do so and tell me how it goes!

[@tombrownrigg8794]

Nice work Dude. Good thinkin 👍

[@garyroe2226]

How could I do that and put my topper on my truck?

[@Xbolt1969]

Very cool .. thank you for the ideas

[@richburg8084]

Nice old school blue navy coveralls

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thats right lol

[@richburg8084]

I recognize them anywhere, I went through about a dozen pair of them as an AM. Retired after 23 years.

[@acqua9403]

How is it holding up after a year?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Solid! Have not had to tighten it either. Only thing deteriorating is the paint because of road debris, everything else is good!

[@ajonnieq2002]

GOOD JOB...

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jkwo2007]

Dude, showing a material list will make your video more valuable. For example, what are those heavy-duty C perforated channels formally called?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

I did put a material list and price at the time of recording in the video. Theyre called unistrut

[@jkwo2007]

@@craftworksbyg6440 Got it. Thank you very much.

[@go5582]

Hi handsome great channel and topic. .

[@NavigatingwithNafe]

How about an update. It's been a year, according to the post date, so let me ask how has this build held up for you? I'm very curious because of how extremely inspired I am. Please let me know ASAP because I'm making plans LOL... Thanks for sharing. 👍👍

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Its held up great and still stable. The only thing that wore out was the paint

[@goodfellazk4799]

Great job dude!

[@MyBizGuide8]

Slick Bro!

[@jeremyxman]

For those of you wanting to build something like this, but make it stronger and better looking, check out T slot extruded aluminum. It’s a bit more expensive, but it bolts together, is stronger, and better looking. Lots of modularity as well. Plus you can cut aluminum with a good blade on a chop saw.

[@mannyechaluce3814]

Priced it out, buying extruded aluminum cost as much and even more if you include time/labor than a fully built aftermarket bed rack :D

[@HFSIR]

@@mannyechaluce3814 how much did it come out too? I have a 4th gen Ram and let me tell you man there aren’t many options for me lol

[@DJefferson89]

That's a good call. The aluminum should be lighter too, better mileage is more important now than ever!

[@ThePhrozenOne]

which would be better for a kayak?

[@Zach-nv4ul]

Damn that looks legit!

[@craftworksbyg6440]

Thank you! Glad you liked it

[@chrisrogers8733]

Hey brother. What was your total cost of all your materials?

[@craftworksbyg6440]

At time of filming it was around $300. Exact price breakdown is in the video