Headache Rack Build

[Farrier]

I've built a rack for virtually every truck I've ever owned, so when I bought a new 3500 Ram in January, I've been chomping at the bit to get one built. I build them heavy to protect the cab/window because I'm regularly hauling a ton of hay in the back. I often have 20' sticks of PVC or lumber thrown over the rack also.

It consists of:

- 3x3x.250 angle
- 3x2x.250 tube,
- 3/4-9 flat rolled expanded
- 1" solid rod and various parts and pieces.

I'll also be adding brake/turn/markers/ and backup lights. This has been a challenge though because most trailer lights are either 2" round or 6x2" oval. The gaskets that hold these lights are just too tall for a 3" face. I ended up finding some 1-1/4" and 3/4" round LED's from Maxxima.com that will finish nicely on a 3" face. For the backup/work lights, I bought some square 24w LED's from Superbriteleds.com and I'll build a frame for those to mount in. I really wanted to pony up the money for some Rigid lights but I just get myself to spend $400 on lights.

I started on this weeks back but I got bogged down with other projects, so it's only been the few days that I could dedicate any time to it.

First I cut and tacked together the 3x3" angle. The rack and 1" round will mount to this. The angle runs on top of the bed rails across the width of the bed and the full length of the bed in sort of a U shape. It really strengthens the top bed rail and protects it from **** that I accidentally drop.

I try really hard to hide fasteners so I tend to drill/tap a lot. To mount the angle, I tapped 1/2-13 holes, cut the bolts to length and then welded them in place, completely hiding the fastener.

 

[LXCam]

That's some big tubing. I built my own rack for my first utility truck out of 3x2 and man was it a beast in appearance, structurally too but did I mention appearance. Lol.

As for the lights have you looked at any of the aftermarket LEDs for brake lights and such for bikes. They make some really skinny stuff that bright as hell. I think I kept a catalog for a company that has an insane selection of stuff like this I got at SEMA last year. If I can find it I'll be back, but I bet they'll have several things you could use at a decent price.

 

[LXCam]

Well I didn't find the one I had in mind but here's a couple places for you.

Rigid Industries LED lighting and NVEL

Also this joint was mentioned in another thread. Looks like they have some stuff that could be frenched in to look cool.

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Lights.aspx

 

[Farrier]

Headed off to the steel shop to grab some steel. Scored a 1/2 sheet of 3/4-9 expanded while I was there.

I cut some test angles with wood 2x4's to see what matched the cab the best. For Ram trucks, 15 degrees was spot on. I then went to work on the 3x2 tube with my band saw and started laying pieces out on my welding table.

I set the top rail perpendicular to the side supports to give it a different look. I used a piece of 2x2" angle for the bottom. My plan was to run the wiring behind it, but then I changed my mine after I welded it tight, so it's staying in place. I'll run all the wires internally instead.

Cut the stingers for the top and rough cut the expanded to get the general shape.

 

[Farrier]

Well I didn't find the one I had in mind but here's a couple places for you.

Rigid Industries LED lighting and NVEL

Also this joint was mentioned in another thread. Looks like they have some stuff that could be frenched in to look cool.

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Lights.aspx

Thanks for the help. I ended up buying lights from Maxxima. They had some 1-1/4" round, red LED's that fit the 3" tube nicely.

 

[Farrier]

Cut some plate to plug the holes in the stingers. I have a porta band mounted on a SWAG table which makes short work of odd and ends pieces to cut.

 

[Farrier]

Just adding more pics.......

The rear backup lights are from Superbriteleds.com. Here's a link to the ones I bought:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-work-light-lights/led-work-light-5-14-square-27w/1225/

Not a Rigid light by any means, but I think it will do the trick.

The mini LED's are from Maxxima. I'll have two red, 1-1/4" lights for turn signals, 3 center mounted red, 3/4" lights to make up for the 3rd brake light that's now covered up, and two outside amber 3/4 LED's for marker lights.

All of the wiring will be hidden inside the tubing. Planning on tapping into the rear trailer lights wiring harness to run the turn, brake and marker lights. At least that's how I wired my old 3rd ten Dodge Ram.

The backup lights will operate via a switch mounted in the cab, and powered through a Painless fuse/relay block.

 

[Farrier]

Now that the backup lights buckets are built, It's was time to finish cut the expanded metal and weld into place. I used 1/2" angle to make a back stop all the way around the inside perimeter of the headache rack. Makes a solid surface to weld to and cleans up the edges of the expanded metal.

I cut the holes today for the outside marker lights, then welded all the joints up and took her outside to grind off a few welds.

Last pic is a look at my bird scratch welding with a Lincoln 256 on 75/25 gas.

 

[Farrier]

3x3" angle frame mounted to the truck bed with the rack tacked into place. I made sure to space the rack far enough away from the cab so that I have ample room to clean the rear window. On my last Dodge, the rack sat so close to the cab, I literally lost skin every time I washed the window :eye crazy:

You can also see the square tube tacked to the rails towards the back. Helps a lot to install/uninstall the rack as needed until I'm ready for paint...

Pretty close to the finish line. This Sunday, I'm hoping to get the 1" solid rod cut to length so can get this thing closer to the sand bolster next week.

 

[larry4406]

Nice build. Why is the mesh omitted in the corners?

 

[Farrier]

Nice build. Why is the mesh omitted in the corners?

That's where my backup/ work lights will be mounted.

 

[bigcreek]

That's looking like a nice headache rack you are building. Sturdy son of a gun. That's good. Here is one I built for me about 3 years back. Totally different style but its a headache rack. I cut this one from 1/4" plate and made the frame from .25 wall, 1.5" sq. tube. It is very sturdy. The big dots on it are from battery acid that got on it by accident. Only thing I wish I did differently is put some lights in it like you are doing in yours.

 

[bigcreek]

Two other things as well is Ive heard some people say they don't like the "horns" on top of the rack sticking up on either side but they have really come in handy for when things are leaned up on the rack over the cab making sure it doesn't slide off the side. Ive hung cable and such on them. The other thing is the circles I cut in the corner brackets/braces have really been useful for tying things to and attaching bungees to. One thing you cant see in the picture is the flat bar which runs along the bed flush with the top of the bed where it bolts to the bed sticks out inside the bed past the side wall about 3/4" and it has holes in it and that has really been helpful for tying stuff off to. So much so that I at times thoughts of extending it the length of my bed rail just for that purpose.

 

[bigcreek]

What kind/brand of lights will you be using on your build?

 

[Farrier]

Bigcreek - I wish I had access to a CNC. That is a true work of art.

Agreed on the tie down points. I have some 3/8" rod that I bent into half moons that's welded onto the rack. Just can't see them in my pics.

 

[WoodsTruck]

If it were mine, I would use use loops under the angle that runs down the bed for tie down points. I stop by my Ace store and pick up all the cut chain links that are a nice size and shape. Since they can't sell them, they give them to me for free and wonder what I will do with them. I had a similar rack on one of my work trucks but had a cross box in it. I welded some chain link pieces right where the angle came out from under the tool box so I had something to anchor to when tying things forward in the bed.

 

[brownbagg]

that way overkill, just the weight will have effect on the body and mpg. You could of used thin wall tubing of the same size and it would hold all the weight you could put on. That thick wall HSS is mainly for structural steel on bldgs.

 

[LXCam]

Looking good OP

that way overkill, just the weight will have effect on the body and mpg. You could of used thin wall tubing of the same size and it would hold all the weight you could put on. That thick wall HSS is mainly for structural steel on bldgs.

You're joking right?...............never owned a 1 ton truck before have ya

 

[Farrier]

that way overkill, just the weight will have effect on the body and mpg. You could of used thin wall tubing of the same size and it would hold all the weight you could put on. That thick wall HSS is mainly for structural steel on bldgs.

Welp, being I can left the heavy end by myself up to a height of 34" to set on my welding table, your argument holds no merit.

 

[Farrier]

Got the 1" solid rails tacked on today. Next I'll be working on the cradle that my Pro Tech chest box to bolt to. I keep the chest suspended off the bottom of the bed so I can fit full 4x8 sheets under the box.

 

[Farrier]

I got the grade for the took box tacked up last night when I noticed something didn't look right. A tape measure confirmed my thoughts. The rack was almost a full 3/4" off from one side to the other. No one would notice but be, but I can't stand it. I cut the tacks from the 1" rails and removed them, and then loaded up a fresh cutting disc and cut the whole damn rack off :eye crazy:

After a tedious round of grinding and sanding, I was once again squaring the rack to the angle iron and re-welding it back in place. When I first tacked it, I had it sitting on the truck and I used the eyeball method...... didn't work out for me so well

I then went on to fab up the cradle when a buddy stopped in for a few silver bullets. I only had few but I didn't double check one measurement and cut pieces and inch short of it mark. It's not visible once the chest is loaded so I made a spacer to make for the difference. Not sure If I'm going to keep it that way or cut it apart and start over yet.....

 

[Griff93]

You're doing a really nice job on this. I have to ask, why the 1" solid for the sides?

 

[Farrier]

You're doing a really nice job on this. I have to ask, why the 1" solid for the sides?

Here's a sample of how my trucks get used

 

[darwyn]

Not sure If I'm going to keep it that way or cut it apart and start over yet.....

Man do I know that struggle.

 

[Zeke]

Nice build. Why is the mesh omitted in the corners?

That's where my backup/ work lights will be mounted.

I had the same question. Looks stout.

 

[bczygan]

I tend to not like overbuilding.

But sometimes, too much is just enough.

Bill

 

[Griff93]

You shouldn't need 1" solid bar for that hay. 1" .120 wall dom tubing should have done fine. It's also cheaper and lighter than solid bar. It's Yield strength is about double A-36. Either way, nice headache rack. We haul dirt bikes in the back of our truck a lot. I might have to do something similar and incorporate some good tie down points and something to keep the front tire straight.

 

[Farrier]

You shouldn't need 1" solid bar for that hay. 1" .120 wall dom tubing should have done fine. It's also cheaper and lighter than solid bar. It's Yield strength is about double A-36. Either way, nice headache rack. We haul dirt bikes in the back of our truck a lot. I might have to do something similar and incorporate some good tie down points and something to keep the front tire straight.

120 lb hay bale getting dropped from a 20' stack is another thing..... If I need to build a ROP system for my truck, I'll use DOM. Until then hot rolled A36 fits my budget nicely.

 

[csp]

Must be some damn big (or wet) bales to be 120lbs.

 

[Farrier]

Must be some damn big (or wet) bales to be 120lbs.

Standard bale weight for small square bale is 120 lb's. Large bales = 1100 lb +

 

[csp]

Must be a standard in your area. Ours run about 80 pounds and we size them as large as our stack wagon will cram into the stacking box. We put up 3000-4000 small bales and 350 rounds per year.

 

[Farrier]

Must be a standard in your area. Ours run about 80 pounds and we size them as large as our stack wagon will cram into the stacking box. We put up 3000-4000 small bales and 350 rounds per year.

Only 80lbs? Wow... What size are the bales?

 

[joe49]

80# here also.

 

[csp]

Bales are 14x18 out of a NH 575 baler. We make them about 44" long.

There is no "standard" for any size bale. Compression, moisture content, and crop all play a part in the bale weight. Even small bales can be 14x18, 16x18 or 18x18 and almost every baler allows for adjustable length. That said, I've never seen one heavier than 100 lbs. in 35+ years of haying. I'm not sure why anyone would want them to be that heavy.

 

[Farrier]

CSP - Our 3 string bales have always been over 100lbs. I guess just different farming practices.

If a person on the west coast buys by the ton, they will get 16 bales per ton every time. 125 * 16 = 2000

 

[Farrier]

Tomorrow morning I'll be in route to the sand blaster. Had a buddy come over to help me in the lil wife load the rack into place. I'm hoping to get it back this week so I can can fish some wires through and get the lighting ******* I already have an order to make an identical rack for another truck, but backup lights only. and without the full length rails

 

[bigcreek]

Farrier whats the latest with the headache rack, did you get it done?

 

[Farrier]

^^^ Got it back from powerdercoat yesterday. Started working on lights and wiring last night. Soldering connections takes a lot of time.....

 

[Farrier]

Got the running-brake-turn lights tied into the body harness tonight using the rear trailer harness and Weather pack connectors. Rigged up a test wire to see what the rear LED work lights looked like. Couldn't be happier!

 

[bigcreek]

Those work lights are awesome. I so wish I had put those in mine. Guess Ill have to make a new one someday. Boy those would sure blind someone riding your tail...