I'm in the process of installing a rack & solar on my Sprinter. I'd seen others using the Unistrut for the rack, but you are the first to show using the thick rubber pads/washers. I was planning to use them too, but wondered why I hadn't seen other folks doing it. It seems like a great solution to protect the van while also raising the side rails so the cross bars will clear the roof. I also noticed that you mounted an awning track under the side rails. Those don't seem to be sold in the US, but it seems like a much more affordable option compared to the $1500 mechanical awnings that are popular here. Can you recommend a vendor for the fabric part of the awning? Thanks for sharing your rack build. 👍

Really interesting video, especially how you linked your awning rail in too. Thanks Jon Cox 👍🦊

cool thanks

Nice video, I did the same recently but used aluminium strut, I have used the same inside the van for tie-town rails and as a mounting for modular storage. Unistrut is such a versatile product.

@RichBakerSound

4 жыл бұрын

Paul Dawson indeed your right, can i ask where you got the aluminium channel? We had troyble finding that in lovkdown!

@pauldaws

4 жыл бұрын

@@RichBakerSound depends where you live, I'm in Australia, most Aluminium extrusion suppliers have it here but they call it "Strut channel" or some other generic name.

Really informative. Keep it up 👍

Great video, glad i found your channel. i look forward to seeing the rest of your build.

@craftyvanlife602

3 жыл бұрын

thanks, sadly have been working away a lot recently and not made too much progress

Just wanted to say thanks for this video, was very useful for the inspiration for our own roof rack and gave us lots of ideas for fitting something similar to a Transit 🙂

@damarisantana6196

2 жыл бұрын

You all prolly dont give a shit but does anybody know a way to log back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot the login password. I would love any tricks you can give me.

@damarisantana6196

2 жыл бұрын

@Zahir Ivan I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out now. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

Thanks for the video and great ideas. One question, does the Unistrut whistle or howl at highway speeds?

Best video yet for the roof rail installation. Is the slotted track which you fitted below the unistrut for an awning of some sort ??

@craftyvanlife602

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I made the video because I couldn't find anything like it! And yes the rules in the UK state that you must have an awning rail to be classes as a camper! So I fitted one while I was at it.

Thanks for showing your process - and that site is going to really useful for our diy roof rack deck. What is the weight for your 3m steel struts?

@craftyvanlife602

4 жыл бұрын

we used 'Light' duty galvanised Unistrut which i think is about 4.5kg for the 3meter piece so maybe we added 12 kg with h cross rails, also from Light duty 21mm unistrut.

Hi, do you still have the pieces left over?!

Hi Great video Where did you get your awning rail to fit under the unistrut Many thanks

@craftyvanlife602

2 жыл бұрын

I believe it was just off eBay, as that was the only place we found it in the 45 degree angle. Search awning C channel

Hi guys thanks for top advice and a great video. If I may ask where you got the rubber washers from ? Also is there enough clearance with the 21mm struts ? Or would u say 41mm would be better ? Thanks in advance xx

@craftyvanlife602

3 жыл бұрын

I used 1" tap washers from screwfix in the UK and that work pretty well. 21mm unistrut is ok at the front and back but int he middle its very close to the ridges. I didn't like the look of the 42mm channel so just use a square washer to bing the height on cross peices up in the centre.

Good work man, you got a parts list of what you bought ? I got do mine this week

@craftyvanlife602

3 жыл бұрын

To be honest I cannot remember the total parts, apart fro the screen grab in the video. and someone fro the comment mentioned you can get some of it in aluminium

Hi guys, great video and tips too. Can I ask where you purchased your awning rail from that sits under the rack, many thanks.

@craftyvanlife602

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Yes should have mentioned that also as it really took some finding! difficult to find one long extrusion that has that sort of Z shape. Lightning Leisure in the UK

@marcharwood5292

4 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 Thanks guys, had our sprinter delivered last weekend so got lots of work ahead of us 😁

@lollyjenkins

4 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 I can't see any specified for Sprinters/Crafters - was it this product you bought? www.lightningleisure.com/acatalog/VW-T4---Mercedes-Vito-Awning-Rail-185.html#SID=11

@craftyvanlife602

4 жыл бұрын

@@lollyjenkins Yes thats the one, sadly there is not really any advertised for Sprinter as far as I could find but these work fine when yo use a rubber washer or similar in the centre of van where the ridge is the highest

Great idea guys! Can you advise what other items your purchased along with the Unistruts, was it just nuts bolts and the rubber washers? Did you have to cut any down to size?

@craftyvanlife602

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, thanks. yes bolts and washers an then the specialised captive nuts is pretty important for mounting things to the unistrut afterwards. we found that the 3 meter length fits perfectly to our MWB Crafter so we just ordered it in 2x 3meter lengths

@lollyjenkins

4 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 Did you have to custom purchase the horizontal struts or cut your own? Also that metal underneath the strut on one side was that some sort of awning hook?

@craftyvanlife602

4 жыл бұрын

@@lollyjenkins We just cut our own, we ordered 4x 3 meter lengths. 2x 3meter full lengths for the rails, and then we cut the cross pieces at i think 1580mm each so really could have everything with 2x 3meter and 2x 2meter. easy cutting with a hack saw. and yes on the left side we installed an awning channel at the same time.

@lollyjenkins

4 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 Great! i have orderd some 6m lengths as i have a 4m long roof so will use the off cuts for that, cheers.

Where did you get the "slide" thing that's under your unistrut?

@richardholborn2557

2 жыл бұрын

5:27

Hi do you still have the spare left over bolts etc. I'm in London and planning on doing same set up for my van. Thanks

@craftyvanlife602

2 жыл бұрын

Yes absolutley, all were packs of 100x so at least 80x over everything left. I'm SW16

@AboveGroundLevel.

2 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 ok great. Do you have a email I could reach you on? I could collect sometime next week if arrange a time best suited for yourself. Thank you.

Great Video - gonna use this technique on mine. Tell me - are those Renogy mounting brackets that you use to fix panels to unistrut?

@craftyvanlife602

3 жыл бұрын

indeed, we got 2 renogyside by side and then 1 long ways

@willparry6547

3 жыл бұрын

@@craftyvanlife602 do the brackets make a good fit with unistrut?

@craftyvanlife602

2 жыл бұрын

It's ok, but only aluminium so not the best, but works fine for us.

Shouldn't have painted it