To attach anything to my Ranger Sports bar should I clamp it, self-tap into the tubing or run a bolt thru the tubing? Has anyone done any of these?
Footprints said
02:28 PM May 11, 2016
Suggestion. My understanding is that these bars do not have a very thick wall material. The correct way to attach solidly to thin walled tubing is as follows:
Assuming that you wish to drill completely through the tube with a 5/16 inch drill to suit a 5/16 inch bolt you then need to have a piece of tubing which will fit neat over the bolt then measure the outside diameter of that tubing and drill a hole to enlarge one only of the previously drilled 5/16 inch holes, this will then allow the bolt with tubular sleeve over it to fit inside the tube of the sports bar Simply mark and cut the small tube to lengthe which will be equal to the outside diameter of the bar less the wall thickness on one end
Simply place bolt in through the side which is drilled 5/16 then insert the small length of tubing in through the larger hole and onto the bolt then attach item to the protruding bolt
With the use of the anti crush tube the attached item will never come loose
This procedure is used when attaching tow bars to vehicles
Should you not have a large enough drill bit for the larger hole to accommodate the crush tube you can use a small round file to enlarge the hole
I hope I have explained it clearly enough. Cheers Allen
blaze said
03:37 PM May 11, 2016
look up rivnut on google , use the the right thing for the job, neat and tidy
cheers
blaze
Desert Dweller said
04:17 PM May 11, 2016
When we bought our new Navara 4x4 ute last year we had a Nissan canopy fitted to it before delivery. The shiny ''chrome roll bar'' was removed. They asked us would we like to keep it & sell it on Fleabay, we said yes. The tubing wasn't much thicker gauge metal than a beer can. Sports, nudge bars are probably made of the same rubbish. I wouldn't be drilling holes in it as that would make it weaker than it already is. Clamping's probably the way to go.
LLD said
05:39 PM May 11, 2016
Looked up rivnut. Looks like a metal version of a plaster toggle. I actually have some of these www.ebay.com.au/itm/Cadmium-Plated-Flat-Back-Clamp-3-3-1-8-/251886182978 but getting things level is not easy as the bars face all directions, none being parallel, vertical or horizontal. Probably won't drill. Will persevere with the exhaust clamps and some rubber / leather wrapped around the bars.
BaupleNut said
06:16 PM May 11, 2016
Sports bars are only bling, there mounting points aren't capable of carrying any weight.
PeterD said
07:50 PM May 11, 2016
What are you wanting to attach to it?
LLD said
09:11 AM May 12, 2016
Agree that sports bars appear to be just bling - fashion before function. Although have seen a few with a rear bar for carrying pipes, ladders, kayaks etc.
I was planning to put a small shelf across the top of the tonneau. A piece of angle iron running length ways between the two bars on each side so I have something to put a shelf on. It's the angles of the bars that will probably halt this project.
BaupleNut said
10:53 AM May 12, 2016
The sports bars I have seen are mounted on a bit of moulded plastic to the inside of the tub, if this is the case with yours I wouldn't try it. Although I have seen corrugated iron pop riveted to a vans roof in Queensland.
To attach anything to my Ranger Sports bar should I clamp it, self-tap into the tubing or run a bolt thru the tubing? Has anyone done any of these?
Suggestion. My understanding is that these bars do not have a very thick wall material. The correct way to attach solidly to thin walled tubing is as follows:
Assuming that you wish to drill completely through the tube with a 5/16 inch drill to suit a 5/16 inch bolt you then need to have a piece of tubing which will fit neat over the bolt then measure the outside diameter of that tubing and drill a hole to enlarge one only of the previously drilled 5/16 inch holes, this will then allow the bolt with tubular sleeve over it to fit inside the tube of the sports bar Simply mark and cut the small tube to lengthe which will be equal to the outside diameter of the bar less the wall thickness on one end
Simply place bolt in through the side which is drilled 5/16 then insert the small length of tubing in through the larger hole and onto the bolt then attach item to the protruding bolt
With the use of the anti crush tube the attached item will never come loose
This procedure is used when attaching tow bars to vehicles
Should you not have a large enough drill bit for the larger hole to accommodate the crush tube you can use a small round file to enlarge the hole
I hope I have explained it clearly enough. Cheers Allen
cheers
blaze
I was planning to put a small shelf across the top of the tonneau. A piece of angle iron running length ways between the two bars on each side so I have something to put a shelf on. It's the angles of the bars that will probably halt this project.
The sports bars I have seen are mounted on a bit of moulded plastic to the inside of the tub, if this is the case with yours I wouldn't try it. Although I have seen corrugated iron pop riveted to a vans roof in Queensland.