how strong is the tops?

[FORDAHOLIC]

i am thinking about building a rack to carry my spare 35 on top of the roof. i know you can buy them, but if you can make one why not? my question is, will the fiberglass top hold this kind of weight? or do i need to do some reinforcing on the under side to be safe? or is there some places better to mount to then others?

 

[BUBBAS 666]

I don't know from experience in putting a rack on there, but I do know I've taken my top off a few times.

When I took it off, that thing was stout.

It seemed to be able to hold up to a lot, so I don't see why it wouldn't hold up to a rack with a spare.

I don't know how it'd handle on the road though... if you'd feel it or forget it's there... I don't know.

That's just what I think!

-Bubbas 666

 

[BUBBAS 666]

Sebronc posted a topic a while ago with a couple of links to information.

Here's the link to the post... Roof Rack Post

Here's the link to a write up... Off-Road.com

Hope this helps!

 

[Seabronc]

I wouldn't get up there and walk around but I'm sure it can support a tire and rack. A little reinforcing, like plated inside will help. The top is a double walled fiber glass structure. Wear a dust mask while drilling it since you will have fiberglass dust flying around.

If mounting directly to the top, I would fabricate the feet with a square plate about 4" x 4" and have the same size plate inside to bolt to in the four corners of each plate.

Good luck,

>-

 

[miesk5]

& to give y'all an idea of the top's construction; Structure pics in 80-96

Source: by Chris B

 

[Seabronc]

& to give y'all an idea of the top's construction; Structure pics in 80-96 Source: by Chris B

http://chrisb.users.superford.org/Bronco/Projects/Cutting_of_the_Top/Cutting_of_the_Top.html

Neat, so it looks lime the double wall stuff is only along the sides. How much metal was in it?

>-

 

[miesk5]

yo! Dunno, will ask Chris soon; lost his e mail addy in my PC crash...btw, the horiz metal looks like it could be used to attach a swing-up rear window for those who want to go that route

 

[miesk5]

Chris, as usual replied VERY quickly; he said; ...It was about an 1/8-3/16" thick if that helps.

 

[shift1313]

if you are making your own rack , id say carry the load out to the edges of the top where they roll over. this will be the strongest part rather than the flat section.

 

[jtg]

if you are making your own rack , id say carry the load out to the edges of the top where they roll over. this will be the strongest part rather than the flat section.

I agree with shift1313. The flat part of the top is pretty thin, how ever you can reinforce the flat section by laminating a flat section from an other top to the in side. I've done this to a couple of tops that I have shortened and it males a big difference.

Here is some pics of a cut up top and inside laminated of a shortened top.

 

[Krafty]

I wouldn't get up there and walk around but I'm sure it can support a tire and rack. A little reinforcing, like plated inside will help. The top is a double walled fiber glass structure. Wear a dust mask while drilling it since you will have fiberglass dust flying around. If mounting directly to the top, I would fabricate the feet with a square plate about 4" x 4" and have the same size plate inside to bolt to in the four corners of each plate.

Good luck,

>-

Yeah I have definatley stood, sat and slept on the top of my bronco, standing sure put alot of pressure on one spot that cause the top to flex a bit but they are very strong, I was about 200lbs at the time.

Also I took my bronco into an underground parking garage and hit a few pipes. the pipes compressed the suspension, dinted my metal roof, and ripped off the cb antenna. bu the fiberglass top only scratched the paint off of it. that was the force of the entire suspension system pushing back on it. I never went in there again. and my cherry bomb set off some car alarms, its was funny later.

stock broncos will fit no problem for those who got worried, mine is lifted about 3 inches on the front and 4 on the back and had 33's at the time.

 

[Bronco_Willis]

I have a friend that built his own rack for the top. He keeps his spare tire, jack, and a locking tool box up on it. It was a bit of weight for the top and he didnt trust it much. So he decided to have a roll cage built for the rear with four bars on the top press against the top to help support it. A lot of extra work but it helped him out a lot