Content Wrapper

[SanFrantastico]

Thanks, FJoel. I was really wondering about those things. I guess I got lucky because at the beginning of this project I tugged on one with needlenose pliers and it cracked and partly broke off. If I had pulled it out, I guess I would have lost the nut! So when the first one broke, I decided I should trim them. I trimmed them flush with the roof for x8 plastic thingys and never lost a nut. I think I would have been a lot more conservative about it if I had known what they were for!

Bad Voodo - I'm glad you like it. I was really happy that it turned out so great. I think your idea for a tent platform could take a fair amount of extra work. The front and rear connection points are lower than the middle connection point, so you'd have to have adaptors in three different heights for the front, middle and rear if you wanted a flat platform for your tent. The top of the middle adaptor would be flush with the roof. You could maybe measure how much extra height you'd need for the front and rear by using a level.

The aluminum is plenty strong. I wouldn't worry about that. But the Yakima Landing Pads are just made out of plastic. I'm not sure if they could take the weight and stress of a person moving around on top of them. Also, I'd be a little worried about the leverage placed on a tall adaptor like the rear one, which could be 6 inches tall or more. You might have to add bracing and stuff... I don't really know. For a tent platform you may be better off with one of those burly steel racks. Sadly, not as minimalist though.

For my car I'm working on a interior sleeping platform with storage underneath for my snowboard and gear and a couple of other features for backcountry snowboarding/camping trips next winter. Are you in Contra Costa County, CA? If so then Techshop is a good resource for you, too.