5:08 you sir are a gentleman and a scholar, and your completely no nonsense approach has made a fan out of me

What a great solution I've spent the past three evenings speed viewing YT videos of roof racks / bars for a Citreon relay with the same roof pins and they all had one issue or another that I didn't like. Your fixing brackets are ideal. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and skills

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Hi Darren - sorry for the delay in my reply - we've been on the road. Thanks for watching. You may find this useful too kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp19vMdmpMjfo7g.html - my clips are in their second season and so far no issues at all !!! Be well and stop back.

Thanks! I’m currently working on mounting a couple of adjustable solar panels on my Promaster. Your clip design is a work of elegant simplicity. Liked and subscribed.

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Yo David !! Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing. The clips have been one of the best things I did !!! To save you looking there is much more detail on these videos .... kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJWf1th7mM3NctI.html and kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp19vMdmpMjfo7g.html good luck and come back and share you make out. You may find an easier method. Merry Christmas !!! Dave

Hi Dave, this is exactly the sort of explanation I have been looking for, I recently bought a Peugeot boxer long wheel base which has the same stud system. I shall have a go at fabricating your design of brackets and see how I get on, I then intend to use extruded aluminium for the main body of the rack. Many thanks for such a detailed and thorough explanation and best regards from the Uk

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Hi Mark !!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment. Yes - your studs are just like mine. You may also find this video helpful ... it's the one I made as I designed and built the roof clips - kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJWf1th7mM3NctI.html ... and this one has more details I missed explaining the first time ... kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp19vMdmpMjfo7g.html ... and lastly this one is about the roof rack I built on top of the clips ... kzread.info/dash/bejne/pp-tyrazm9ynf6w.html. All in was under $ 300.00 (Canadian) and not that hard to build. Let me know how you make out - it could help others who think things are too hard. Be well and stop back ..... Dave

I love your videos. You are so methodical in your approach/explanations. I have a couple of ideas, one of which involves a length of flat rubber instead of the washers, which will compress as you tighten the bolts, but if I make a video I will certainly credit you for the idea. I have another idea, but I think yours is better tbh. Thank you so much for explaining your whole thought process.

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

David - thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate the kind words. I would suggest caution in using rubber instead of the washers. The purpose of the washers is to provide a firm seat for the top clip as it sandwiches the roof pin between itself and the bottom clip -(the "C" channel). As long as the washers are slightly narrower than the pin, the top clip can be pulled down tight. It will deflect, at least mine did. I would be concerned the rubber would compress creating even more deflection. Just my 2 cents - be well my friend - if you make a video please send me a link :)

@peapod2083

2 жыл бұрын

I was going to make the rubber deeper than the ducato fixing. My thought process being that as you tighten the bolts the rubber squashes, but not too much., because the rubber provides some resistance over a larger area than the washers. The rubber allows contact between the two pieces and compresses around the van fixing.... giving it even more support. I was thinking the rubber would also dampen down any potential vibration. The van isn't being delivered for about 5 months, so I have lots of time to think about it..... keep up the great work

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

@@peapod2083 - i’m not sure I agree. But my opinion and couple dollars (pounds) will get you a cup of coffee. Let me know how you make out.

Superb explanation, Dave, and thank you for following this up, especially with the diagrams. While I agree Fiamma’s version is excellent for its own products, I think yours is a work of genius and can be put to a wider use. It’s simple and it works. I think we’re trying to make something as strong as yours but without the complicated bits of the Fiamma version. I’ll be interested to see what our lovely metal fabricator says as well as our tilting solar man. Lots of food for thought, eh? Watch this space!

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jane. Keep me in the loop if you will / I think what you want to do can be done very simply if approached the right way. :). Thanks for watching and engaging.

That answers my previous question.

Great explanation, I also watched your earlier video when you go through the design and fabrication of your clips. I think you came up with a great design that is relatively easy for us DIY’ers to build. You noted that you didn’t find much information on those roof studs on the Promaster, so we really don’t know if they are designed to carry the load of the roof rack (your design) or transfer the load to the roof (Fiamma design). Enjoying your presentation style, looking forward to future videos.

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Effie - thanks for watching and commenting. You are correct we don’t know. But because these studs are designed to effectively hold the rack down (Fiamma clip) I am comfortable they can hold up the load I have on them. I understand the physics would be different between the two in a crash - but if the crash was significant enough to cause damage I think the roof rack would be the least of my worries. Be well my friend.

You are the number one...! Good very very good Bye of the Italy

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Hi 4Risate !!!! boy that's cool that found me. Thanks so much for commenting. Stop back

Hello again Dave. I probably found the reason for my problem. I decided to use 5/16 inch bolts instead of 1/4 inch, because I was using steel channel struts because the aluminum was so expensive. I went back to the hardware to and compared the head depth of both, and of course the 5/16 had about a 1/16 inch thicker head. So I just purchased a bunch of 1/4 inch stainless steel hardware and I'm going to give it a try.

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Leo - that may make all the difference - what size and profile of steel channel strut are you using ?

Been looking around and prices of roof racks are still absurd. I think I'll go with something similar to what you've done here. Common sense design. Perfectly adequate for mounting solar panels, very lightweight and cost effective.

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Roadghost88 - thanks for coming by and taking the time to comment. This system has been copied by builders all over the world which really makes me smile. You may find this helpful kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJWf1th7mM3NctI.html and this kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp19vMdmpMjfo7g.html and this spring I installed an awning ... went like it belonged there .... kzread.info/dash/bejne/poOCpbGtcsLUfdI.html Good luck and please share with me what you end up doing - it's in the conversation that we all learn... I hope you stop back and join the community .... Dave

Lots of comments on your videos about galvanic corrosion but it's only a serious problem if the contact area is moist and it will be worse the more chloride the moisture has (salt). The ratio between aluminium (anode) and stainless steel (cathode) is relevant too - if there was more steel and less aluminium the corrosion would be quicker and worse, e.g. a huge steel boat hull with a tiny aluminium sacrificial anode in salty sea water. In the case of these roof racks, it's a huge amount of aluminium and a tiny amount of steel, and that is why you won't see much corrosion, if at all.

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Hi Elliot - you sound like a person who knows a bunch about this type of thing. I agree totally with what you're saying. I am not the least bit concerned but I will keep an eye on it when I do my yearly inspections .... I hope you'll stop back. Be well ,,,, Dave

good vid, looking at ideas to make a light weight low roof rake, in the UK, these t bolts are called , Roof Rack T bolts, this system looks good for my design, but making/finding the brackets is going to be fun,

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Crazycrab !! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. YOU can make these roof clips for less than $15.00 Canadian - they’re simple. My first tutorial is here. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJWf1th7mM3NctI.html. If you visit vanofaction.com there are several others as well. ( I’m on the road with just my phone and copying - attaching links is pushing the envelope). They have been duplicated all over the world !!! Let me know how you make out.

@crazycrab8578

Жыл бұрын

@@VanOfAction will do, but it will be in around 2 months or 2, slow worker, :)

@crazycrab8578

Жыл бұрын

@@VanOfAction Seen cheers :)

Hello Dave, this looked like a fine approach to attaching a roof rack. I purchase all the material and made a test piece. That was tricky but doable. Than I took the test piece and tried just the C channel. It fit the T pin perfectly. The stem of the T pin is 1/4 inch. Than I put in the bolts and got a rude surprise when I tried putting the Channel on the T pin. The heads of the bolts were touching the roof and no matter how I tried I couldn't make it work. Exactly as you experience when trying to mount your piece with the channel pointing in. But my channel was pointing out and it still would not work. You might mention this possibility to your readers.

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Leo - thanks for your comment - And thanks for sharing - we're all in this together. I think there can be a fair bit of tolerance in the factory when they are sealing the roof panel lap joints. If you used 1/8" aluminum C channel and 1/4" bolts there should be lots of room between the underside of the T pin and the top of the roof.......... UNLESS .... there is too much gunk / mastic / or the sealant they install in the factory for when the metal panels come together. Maybe your's has more than mine. I noticed that some of the bolts were closer than others but all fit. First I would recommend you try every T pin - you may find they're to all the same. Second I would put the bolt in a vice and grind just a little off the head to see if it'll slide on. I'll be making a more detailed video about these clips next week and will talk about that. Thank you soooooo much for sharing. Be well

I think the fiamma bracket is mainly used for the fiamma awning

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Hi John. Yes the Fiamma brackets are designed to receive the awning. It appears that Imthey send the same brackets if you ordered a roof rack. Thanks for watching and commenting.

thank you for sharing, question about the channel that you are using for the clip, any thoughts on using a lower profile channel, instead of 2" maybe a 1.5"?, thank you.

@VanOfAction

3 ай бұрын

Hi Dan - thanks for watching and taking the time to ask. I used the 2" material for 2 reasons. First- it's what they had in the scrap bin. Second - it was recommended to me by someone who has had roof racks before that the rack should be at least an inch off the roof to prevent whistling as you go down the road. The Promaster roof isn't flat, there is a crown in the center and with 1.5" stock I think you would be getting pretty close to the metal. Now I don't know if it would whistle or not - but I know mine does not...... Hope you'll join the community .... and stop back .. Dave

Your design is exactly what I need - thank you for sharing. Just one question - how are the T clips actually attached to the van structure- are they simply bolted in, or can they be removed and discarded in favour of a through bolt design which can make the entire rack system be easily removable, or even sectional? I hope you get my meaning. If that T anchor is removable it opens up a whole new design concept!

@VanOfAction

Жыл бұрын

Hi John. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I understand exactly what your question is and the answer is - I don’t know how they’re attached. But I do know they spin - or at least turn 90 degrees. So they will not “unscrew”. In terms of being removable - my clips come off quite easily. I took them all off this spring (one side at a time so I could lift the roof rack). To inspect before I installed my awning. I suppose you could make the racks in sections and have each chunk removable. Here is the first video about the clips design. …….. How To Make D.I.Y. Promaster Roof Rack Clips - solar panel roof rack van conversion - Van Life kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJWf1th7mM3NctI.html. Also on my channel there are a number about the clip and rack system. If you do copy it please let me know how you make out. Hope you stop back ……. Dave.

@johnmcdonald9977

Жыл бұрын

@@VanOfAction Hi Dave, I am looking at a totally different aspect than a roof rack. I bought a Vango Kel drive away awning a hole back, but the whole reattaching the link portion is very frustrating. I may go down the Solar route but for now I just need a simplified re attachment system for the awning/ extension. Basically it is attaching a tent to the side of the van. I am also looking at a very attractive system as shown on the "Back roads Van Runner" You tube video for simple awning/shade option. My van is a multi functional doubling/ trebling up for my fishing trips, family getaways, and grandkids trips. I have a lot of ideas, and will be getting very busy. I could have saved myself a lot of hassle fitting Unistrut using Riv Nuts, and I might still do. However, your system and it's simplicity is the best I've seen by far. Thank you for the response.👏👏

Looks great...do you use stainless hardware?

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Mike - thanks so much for watching and commenting The nearest hardware store is a 30 minute drive - I used what I had - a mixture that included some stainless. Over the winter my intention is to take a morning and switch out everything that isn't stainless. It should be a simple job. Be well - (you can see more of the build at "Van of Action .com"

And I like your design,I have started to make one but my carriage bolts didnt work too good as they just spin so i will try regular bolts,what size

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Yes John carriage bolts will spin as you tighten them down. Use a regular 1/4” bolt - you can slide a box wrench under the clip to hold it still. It’s tight - I ground a little off the wrench end to be safe. But I think it would have fit otherwise.

I mistakenly bought a 3" aluminum channel 3/16"thick for this system which I intendedto use the 80/20 -1.5" Series extruded bars, but he 3/16" wall doesn't fit under the roof clip. I have to file all 10 brackets to make fit.

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Ucandoit - correct the 3/16” would be too thick to fit under the clip. But for $ 13.44 I think I’d start over. The thicker material can be used for clips and brackets along the way. Be well.

Are you concerned that your fasteners may rust? Wouldn’t stainless steel fasteners be a better solution?

@VanOfAction

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Splintered Finger - thanks for watching and commenting - the SS / Aluminum debate seems to have many sides ...... I don't know anything about it. When I built my rack I used what I had on hand. People asked about rusting. After a year I did a complete inspection and so far nothing to report .............. the video is here kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp19vMdmpMjfo7g.html. It doesn't amount to many bolts to change is needed so I'll keep a close eye on it. Be well and stop back :)