Recommendation for DIY roof mounts?

[kemxns]

I want to go lower profile than the cross bars to mount some stuff. I wonder if anyone has used U-bolts and some silicon tubing/shrink wrap (to wrap the bolt preventing metal on metal)? Maybe there are other ways I can get 6 mounts for <$50? I’m not shelling out for the awesome, but insanely priced, custom DCE things.

Just curious what others have done before I go spend some time in a Home Depot parking lot testing stuff

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[R1Thor]

I've been thinking about designing a 3d printed version that can be later milled from billet if needed.
My original concepts ended up looking a lot like the DCE versions, but I'm not going to release those due to IP concerns. DCE did a great job with their version.

So the question is: how much load do you foresee needing to manage? Because if we go with a unibody version, it'll be sort of 'suspended' about the tie-down point, and material choice will be very important.

 

[kemxns]

I've been thinking about designing a 3d printed version that can be later milled from billet if needed.
My original concepts ended up looking a lot like the DCE versions, but I'm not going to release those due to IP concerns. DCE did a great job with their version.

So the question is: how much load do you foresee needing to manage? Because if we go with a unibody version, it'll be sort of 'suspended' about the tie-down point, and material choice will be very important.

I'm looking to support a few hundred pounds of static load. I want to mount a low profile roof rack. The rack itself is Chinese and "rated" for 150lbs but I'm sure that's a WAG and not based in reality (I'm actually confident the rack is much stronger than that if supported properly). I'm looking for a removable solution but I mean, "removably with tools and a friend," so it doesn't have to be as easy as the OEM cross bars.

My current plan is to repurpose two 1x6 hardwood deck boards I have as the base that I'll bolt to the Rivian roof, with some sort of washers or spacers to get me some flex and clearance. I'll bolt the roof rack to that wood. I'll do at least the 4 outer corners and if it's super easy I'll do the 2 middle mounts as well, although I doubt that's strictly necessary.

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