# looking for ladder rack ideas



## THRemodeling (May 22, 2011)

im not new to welding but this spring i may build my own full ladder rack for my truck. Im looking for ideas and styles if anyone has built their own or had one made for them.


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

I made mine out of stainless tubing. Well I designed it and my uncle did the welds. I had one made out of steel 1'' tubing before but the water got inside after about 10years and would leak rust on the dodge. The truck was already rusty, but this was adding insult to injury.

Anyway, angle iron I think would be the best. Easy to paint and cheap. I also had a wire mesh front about 6'' high to keep lumber from sliding forward. I added some pipe to store shovels and rakes to keep the bed clear.

One thing to watch out for if you plan on adding highside tool boxes, make it long enough to install them. Otherwise you have to go to a shorter box. Which means less tools out of the weather and in the bed.


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## JonM (Nov 1, 2007)

I own this one by Kargo Master...It is a great rack, the only fault is the powder coat..I had to paint it again after only a year.


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## QCCI (Jan 28, 2013)

Go to the equipment and vehicle thread and look at the pics. I have some on my trucks and I think some others do as well


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I've had square tubing, about an 1 1/4". Need lots of gussets. Screen helps too. It did tear my bed eventually though even with angle iron so I added cripple legs down to the bed.
I know some guys who use C channel with round tube inside for the top half and angle iron for the bed.


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## All City (Feb 22, 2013)

For years we used 1" square steel, the 4 down legs attached to 1/4" bed rail that runs the whole length of the rail. Very strong but we had to repaint every five years or so. The last couple we went to System One aluminum.


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## THRemodeling (May 22, 2011)

this is my truck now but when i had the back hoop on and a ladder on it my front box lid wouldnt open all the way which seriously annoyed me so the new one will be taller. Also when the ladder was on it it was over my bed space and not over my boxes so i couldnt stand up.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I know some of these guys love their system one, but I prefer custom steel any day of the week - these racks are over twenty years old with no serious rust what so ever. If you have somebody make them for you, have the rear bar "removable" and don't forget a window screen. Drill holes at the base of your uprights for drainage so they don't accumulate water, hence rust. 

Very strong indeed!


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## THRemodeling (May 22, 2011)

i cant justify the cost of a system one or similar premade rack. i dont mind the repainting part of steel and i can always add hooks and such if need be. superseal, is yours all angle iron i cant tell and what size is the material? Also do you have any close ups of how the rear bar hooks in and is removable


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Let me see what I can come up with here...cross bars are 2" x 1/4" round tubing - rear bar is strutted with 1" x 1/4" flat bar, Nose over the cab is 2 1/4" x 1 1/2" rect. tubing, uprights are 2 1/4" x 1" channel - rear uprights have flat stock welded to the channel to provide the slot for the rear bar, front cross braces are solid 1/2" square stock and side runners are a mix of solid 1" flat bar and 1 1/4" x 1/4" angle iron.

Whole thing is set down on 4" x 3" x 1/4 angle iron...don't quote me but i think I got it close.

Here's a shot of the rear bar and a couple others...


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

system one and be done with it...oh.. wait:whistling


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

The last one I made I used 1¼" suare aluminum tube, light weight, strong, and rust free.


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## 11678 (Jan 11, 2007)

The steel one's on my 85 needed something every year. I put System One racks when I got my 98 F-150 and never had to do a thing to them, sold truck in 05.


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## QCCI (Jan 28, 2013)

Built


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## QCCI (Jan 28, 2013)

Built these a few years ago with rectangular tube steel


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I like my KargoMaster. Even after nearly 15 years of hard work, it still gets comments on how nice a rack it is.


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