Roof Rack Flooring - The Chicken Coop Solution

[IceWalker]

This one has been going around DiscoWeb over the last few weeks so I thought that I would cross post.

http://www.clearspan.com/webapp/wcs/...s=31810&isDoc=

URL is a bit long.

There have been quite a few folks that have already bought this stuff - It's inexpensive as well and everyone is reporting that iit works really well.

regards

Jeff

[alanh]

Jeff,

Interesting looking stuff and a good price too if it can be obtained locally.

How thick is that flooring? I don't seem to have found anything that gives that dimension.
Is it stiff enough that you could use the holes for anchor points with the right hardware?
I'd like to have a 'floor' in the back of my rig that has a bunch of holes or something in it
so I could have an anchor point wherever I want to tie down gear.

PS
If you create your URL like this '[url = link ] text [ / url ]' where you substitute your link and text,
you'll avoid the long visible links and see only the text. Just take out the spaces in the url = and
/url parts.
I had to put those in so it didn't think I was putting in a link so all you'd see is text.
If you put your mouse over the URL button above the text entry field when posting, it shows you what it should look like.

I hope this doesn't turn out too hacked up since I put in carriage returns to avoid the super long lines.

Alan
KE7AXC
2000 4Runner

Post Edited (Alan H.) : 10/22/2005 7:02:47 PM (GMT-8)

[IceWalker]

Hi Allen - I just worked out shipping on this stuff to my place in New Hampshire 3 sheets come in at $14.50 so not too steep for shipping.
AFAIK the sheets are something like 1/2' think. Here's a couple of pictures of the stuff installed on a discovery - if they come out.

Jeff

[alanh]

Thanks for the information. I'm going to have to add this stuff to my projects list.

Alan
KE7AXC
2000 4Runner

[Ursidae69]

Please let us know if you have any audible whistling at speed due to the porosity of the flooring. I'm thinking of going with a sheet of treated ½” plywood for the flooring in mine. </o:p>



2004 Tacoma Extracab TRD
2001 GMC Sonoma ZR2 (Sold at 153k miles)
Please Tread Lightly
KE5DNP

[GoodTimes]

Chuck, personally I would avoid using any wood products on the outside of your truck. You live where it snows and rains. Even treated plywood will be expensive in the long run. IMO, just bite the bullet and get some aluminum diamond plate so you don't have to do it again.


olllllllo <---- If you can read that, roll me over.

KG6OWO

Price is soon forgotton, quality is not.

[Ursidae69]

The diamond plate would be heavier than the plywood by a lot I think. I'm still debating this one a lot. The diamond cross-hathched matieral might be lighter but the holes might whistle.I've heard that it or other flooring that has holes in it whistles bad. Not sure how true that is though.


2004 Tacoma Extracab TRD
2001 GMC Sonoma ZR2 (Sold at 153k miles)
Please Tread Lightly
KE5DNP

[HongerVenture]

Ursidae69 said...
The diamond plate would be heavier than the plywood by a lot I think. I'm still debating this one a lot. The diamond cross-hathched matieral might be lighter but the holes might whistle. I've heard that it or other flooring that has holes in it whistles bad. Not sure how true that is though.

Steel diamond plate would be heavier, but not aluminum diamond plate. Aluminum diamond plate would be much lighter than 1/2' treated ply (that is some heavy wood!). Not to mention aluminum wouldn't rust.

I would think that with the Clearspan (stuff with holes) you may get whistling. However, if you put a plexiglass fairing over the front of the roof rack you can divert the airflow so it doesn't flow over the flooring of your roofrack and hence no whistling.

Joel

-Toyota T100 SR5 4x4 XtraCab-
-WHITE-

[Ursidae69]

I called for prices today. A 4x8 sheet of aluminum diamond plate (1/8th inch) is 210 bucks. It would look cool as hell, but I think that is too much $$, especially considering the cost of a custom rack already. More decisions... The price is so good on this chicken coop flooring, it might be worth a test run.





EDIT:


I found a local salvage place with 4x10 sheets of 1/8th aluminum for 1 dollar per pound. Not bad. But still sort off flimsy. The chicken coop flooring looks rather sturdy.










2004 Tacoma Extracab TRD
2001 GMC Sonoma ZR2 (Sold at 153k miles)
Please Tread Lightly
KE5DNP

Post Edited (Ursidae69) : 10/25/2005 12:00:27 PM (GMT-8)

[BajaXplorer]

Chuck


Just finished reading the 7 page thread on the chicken coop flooring over on Discoweb. Does not appear to be a noise problem with the stuff. Certainly has me interested in trying it as cheap as it is.


BX





I'm lost, but I'm making good time. (Yogi Berra)