Attaching roof top storage... to bed rails?
I am in need of some more storage on my ranger. the box has a full length toolbox that takes up the bottom 10" and I have nowhere for a spare tire that will fit. I have a canopy I use in the fall/winter/spring and with it I can't even fit so much as a pedal bike in the box.
I am thinking of some sort of a platform on the roof but I'm unsure how to attach it. I was thinking originally of using square tubing from the frame around the box and up but I figure if I could tie it into the bed rails that would be much nicer, I'm just unsure of how much weight the bed rail could support, especially when the weight is distributed all in front of the bed rails (over the cab).
Thats what I really want to know and as far as my plan is to put flatbar along the bed rail for however far I need to make it strong (2' maybe). then run 1" square tubing up from the end and tie into 1" angle iron on top with plywood in the angle iron. I will run another piece of 1" square tubing front eh back of the flatbar to the top of the other tubing on an angle as well as some sort of reinforcement where the tubing meets the angle iron. So as far as I can see the bed rail is the weakest link. Any thoughts on its strength? or any other ideas for mounting without running steel from the frame and around the box of the truck? And the canopy still needs to fit when its done (canopy is 2" narrower than the bed on each side which is why bed rails are exposed)
Thanks
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1994 Ford Ranger Splash. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed. Tracked MPG's - Totalled
1995 Ford Ranger XLT extended cab. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed. 2" suspension lift, 3" body lift. 33x12.50r15 bfg rubber on american racing wheels. Tracked MPG's
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