The Camper, Trailer or Adventure Vehicle Thread

I have a question about roof racks for people for our SUV.
We have factory roof racks that are quite skinny. Unfortunately the only way we seem to be able to widen them is by purchasing a full kit from one of the big players, which is out of our budget for the purpose.

Basically we want 58" bars to just somehow magically fit onto the current crossbars. Is this in anyway possible. I'm guessing it would involve some kind of MacGuyver type skills. Possibly some kind of coupling device? It would need to be able to support a cargo box and surfboards.

Anyone have any experience with stuff like that? Is it a bad idea?

Google says:

obvs my google skills arent as good as yours as I spent a bunch of time looking for that.
Thanks!
Any idea of the site for that?

obvs my google skills arent as good as yours as I spent a bunch of time looking for that.
Thanks!

Ya, I used a highly sophisticated Google image search.

"factory roof rack wide crossbar"

middle of the 5th row down

Some other pics at "diy wide crossbar"

This looks pretty good for the price, just throw in some 58" bars.

Any idea of the site for that?

Found lots of pages with instructions, but most require you to register to see the pics.

Here one that doesn't:
http://ahomemadefamily.blogspot.ca/2011/09/diy-roof-rack-cross-beams.html

Google "DIY roof rack cross bars" for lots more similar.

This looks pretty good for the price, just throw in some 58" bars.

Looks like it is pushing the crossbar up higher than required though.

I just bought a couple of 60" Thule bars (only) from Rack Attack or somewhere similar, then strapped them down really securely with a couple of cam-lock webbing straps - under a buck a meter at MEC plus another buck or two for the (metal) cam-lock buckle. Three or four wraps crisscross and around, and they were rock solid. Used it across the bed rails on my pickup as well as on our Pilot with no problems at all.

The thule bars themselves are relatively cheap for something strong and nicely coated, and by using those bars I was then able to bolt on any Thule accessory, ski rack, carrier, etc. that I needed.

Cheers

Cool.

http://www.tetongravity.com/story/adventure/how-to-build-your-dream-mountain-town-tiny-house

Promaster with a pop-top. Really digging these rebadged Fiat's that Dodge is offering.

The low roof 118wb version is about the same footprint as a VW Eurovan with a lot more space. The one in the picture above is 136wb low top with a Colorado Camper pop-top added.

Cool build styles after the VW Weekender version.
http://www.promasterforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37938

If you wanted a pop top GTRV in Richmond (and California) can do that.

They also do the RV interiors.

spent a few weeks down in southern utah recently, lotsa really nice adventure rig setups down there but the old tent is still hard to beat for the dirtbag lifestyle. Saw a few van's like CraigH's, that would be the ultimate setup as far as I'm concerned..

planning on spending a month or two down there next year and I think I'll invest in a plug-in fridge for the back of my SUV, any recommendations for something small and compact?

sorry big picture is big

thats some good livin trail worker.

planning on spending a month or two down there next year and I think I'll invest in a plug-in fridge for the back of my SUV, any recommendations for something small and compact?

Plug in fridges are battery killers unless you are charging your batteries several times a day. (Or at least the one I had was.)

For the overland vehicle types, people like the ARB:
http://store.arbusa.com/Fridges-C11.aspx

I use the Coleman expedition series cooler, they last almost a week if you buy an ice block vs. cube and try to minimize the number of times you open it and the time you leave the lid up.