# Ladder Rack?



## Cole82

So I got a ladder rack installed today on the old ford. It's got a seriouse humm to it. Sounds like it is just the very front bar over the cab. Do all of them do this? Allso I know they put airfoil shap wings on bike racks for cars. Think that would help?

It's damn loud at 70mph.:sad:

Cole


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## SLSTech

No not all of them do it - it is cause by the air disturbance being just right

Changing the shape may work or adding a bug deflector might do the trick


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## seeyou

Has it got any open tube facing front. I had one that I had to plug the openings on the front to stop the noise.


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## Cole82

No there are no open tubes anywhere.
Here is a pic if it helps get an idea of how to fix it.


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## Five Star

Keep it under 70mph:thumbsup: problem solved:laughing:


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## We Fix Houses

I had the same problem but with a 3/4 ton van with the ones that attach to the gutter. Horrendous noise on the front one at hwy speed. Moved it back about 8" and most of it went away.

Its from the air coming from the w/s that the front of your rack is directly catching. Need to somehow shorten the front bar or add a deflector. 

I'd call the mfg for suggestions. I found info by Googling ladder rack noise - vehicle ladder rack noise ?

Seems like yours is not too adjustable ?

Addl - Here's one from Google pg 4 or 5 as said before http://www.kargomaster.com/item.asp?id=83

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Ladder_racks/Kargo_master/kargo_master_ladder_rack_accessories.htm

I was thinking along these lines - hose clamps and a shield ?


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## Cole82

Yeah have been doing a google blitz and looks like the front bar isn't supose to be round. Needs a wedge shape.

Yeah We Fix Houses that is what I found too. It looks like the more expensive racks have that piece allready welded on.


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## RadRemod

Cole
Thats the rack I got a few years ago on my 2002 ext cab chevy. Mine also is noisey at 60+ MPH and I believe i lost 1 mpg after installation too. However, I have learned to live with it as it makes hauling 20ft long trim much easier!


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## Cole82

HaHa so today I zip tied a piece of rectangle plastic on the front bar. Wouldn't you know it, it fixed it. Now it is barely noticable at 70mph. I'll have to do a more permanent solution but it worked.

Cole


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## Renegade 1 LI

Try tacking on a piece of angle iron. If it works you could make it look good.


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## Cole82

I adjusted my plastic piece and haveing it flat on the bottum side makes it dead silent. Not a peep out of that rack. 

Really am likeing haveing a rack. Had some osb and 2x4's up there and was able to pull my trailer and not have them inside the enclosed trailer. Would like to get some of those bolt on straps so I don't have to keep winding the loose straps up.

Cole


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## StreamlineGT

Careful having sheets of anything up there. I had a friend put ply on his ladder rack, got going on the highway, ripped the ladder rack right off, ruined the truck. Luckily it was on a saturday early morning, and didn't kill anybody.


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## Cole82

Here is what fixed the noise.


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## App-ironworks

I've built several ladder racks and yours, as you found, is a common problem.

For a permanent solution find a local fabricator and show them what you have going on. let them tack something on and test it before it's made permanent. It's all about airflow. 

While you're at it look in some towing products catalogs and you could find weld on ratchet straps, super handy having 2 or 3 ready to go when you need them. 

-Brian-
www.appironworks.com


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## Willie T

Here are some drag comparisons for you.

I built an airplane years ago, and was surprised to learn that a 1/4" round cross section wire produces more drag than a 2" teardrop shaped tubing.


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## TBFGhost

StreamlineGT said:


> Careful having sheets of anything up there. I had a friend put ply on his ladder rack, got going on the highway, ripped the ladder rack right off, ruined the truck. Luckily it was on a saturday early morning, and didn't kill anybody.


 
 I can only think of two things that would cause this...

One the ply was slid up too far on the truck and two the rack to bed connections SUCKED. I also have seen ppl CRUSH their bedsides with too much weight...










You can see my rack is welded to solid angle iron that runs from the front of the bed all the way back. That is attached with grade 8 bolts, three per side, PLUS you have the tool box holding it down. The Bolts all go through the pinch weld on the bed rails where is the double thick. My bed will rip off the truck before the rack comes off. The Angle iron also helps to keep the bed sides from crushing. A guy I knew had the front corners of his S10's bed crushed when his worked loaded two hundred some metal studs on there...18 or 20 gauge I can't remember. His rack only came down to the corners of the bed with no surface area to distribute the weight....


I got my rack for $100 of CL...I have had stupid amounts of weight on it....I have used it as a scaffold and I have jumped up and down on the front bar and it still hold up...:thumbsup: I love my rack.


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## Stforeman

"We fix houses" is right.

If the rack was past the direct line of the w/s or behind the direct line it wouldn't hum

We had this problem with the first couple of racks we built.

We tried several things...

The first was to wrap a 1/4" rope around the front like a candy cane. This worked, but looked horrible.

Then we tried bolting a piece of plastic to the front. This worked as well, but after a while the plastic would look like crap from road grime, etc. A couple of our customers up north claimed that the plastic strip cracked from cold weather.

Finally we decided to bolt a thin strip of aluminum to the front bar. It's 1/16" thick and does the trick. If needed i could mail you one.


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## Cole82

I would love to have one of your racks they are very nice. This was a cheap one to try out to see if I would use them and I can say I will never be with out one again.
Could you PM when you get a chance?

Cole


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## TBFGhost

I don't know how you worked with a PU and no rack....


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## Chasing Dreams

Cole, I have the same exact rack as you. I have had for a few years. The only drawbacks that I found is.....

The center and rear cross braces can't be quickly removed for large items.
If you are going to hauling some med to heavy weight up there, you are going to want to weld where the bolted clamp plate attaches at the center (where the two sections meet). This way the 2 pieces become one. I noticed the joints pulling apart with-in the first year. 

Other than that, my rack has handled everything I have dished at it.:thumbsup:


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