HandsomeRyan
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazda P5
A while ago I had posted that while I like my P5, I often find myself running errands and hauling stuff more suited to a larger vehicle. This week I needed to go get 60' of steel bar stock for a welding project. I decided to make a front mounted "ladder rack" that is removable without tools for supporting the front end of long stuff carried by the roof rack. Works like a champ.
The rack with six 10' steel rods on it.
A view from the cockpit.
First I went to the junk yard and picked up a new front tie-down off some other car. This is basically just a piece of 1/4" plate steel with bolt holes and a loop at the bottom for tying down the car during shipping. I removed the stock tie-down and installed the junkyard piece after modifying it so the holes would line up and it hangs a bit lower. To that I welded some 3/4" square stock and some reinforcements. I drilled 2 holes in this tube to make what amounts to a small trailer hitch receiver tucked up under the front bumper of the car.
For the rack, I used some tubing that telescopes into the reciever tubing and made a "L" shape with holes that lined up so the piece can be pinned/unpinned just liek a trailer hitch. The top uses a small "goalpost" shape to keep stuff from sliding around and an eye bolt for securing the load with a bungee cord.
I hauled 60+ lbs of steel at highway speeds with no problems. and best of all the rack comes right off leaving the car looking completely stock when not in use. I can try to get some pics of the "receiver" portion of the rack later today.
Happy Hauling,
-Ryan
Edit: Can't tell from the pics but the vertical piece does _not_ touch the front bumper.
The rack with six 10' steel rods on it.
A view from the cockpit.
First I went to the junk yard and picked up a new front tie-down off some other car. This is basically just a piece of 1/4" plate steel with bolt holes and a loop at the bottom for tying down the car during shipping. I removed the stock tie-down and installed the junkyard piece after modifying it so the holes would line up and it hangs a bit lower. To that I welded some 3/4" square stock and some reinforcements. I drilled 2 holes in this tube to make what amounts to a small trailer hitch receiver tucked up under the front bumper of the car.
For the rack, I used some tubing that telescopes into the reciever tubing and made a "L" shape with holes that lined up so the piece can be pinned/unpinned just liek a trailer hitch. The top uses a small "goalpost" shape to keep stuff from sliding around and an eye bolt for securing the load with a bungee cord.
I hauled 60+ lbs of steel at highway speeds with no problems. and best of all the rack comes right off leaving the car looking completely stock when not in use. I can try to get some pics of the "receiver" portion of the rack later today.
Happy Hauling,
-Ryan
Edit: Can't tell from the pics but the vertical piece does _not_ touch the front bumper.
