Guys looking for suggestions and opinions on a hood rack that i am prototyping on my jeep. I know this is not for every one but this is more of an overland jeep build not weekend rock-climber. So i got this idea from the light weight pioneer tool racks on the Humvee's. After some different mount and rail shapes and about 20hr searching the internet this is what I have built.
The hood will have to be drilled and it will mount on the hood sheet-metal strengthening members (the cross x). I am planing on putting some rubber underneath to prevent scratching. The rack is made of 5052 Aluminum with stainless steel hardware. The actual tool brackets which i will have pictures of soon will be clamp type, two tools per rail side by side made of 3/16 steel with handle nuts for easy removal. I am still figuring on how to make caps for the end of the rails out of aluminum. If any one has any suggestions please comment.

 

Cool idea.. but... I just don't trust the sheet metal on the hood. A few years ago, I brought my jeep to one of those auto car washes. At the end of the cleaning, jets of air dry off the vehicle. My hood was bending and flexing everywhere. I guess I don't trust the bracing inside the hood with heavy tools. Are you thinking about doing some other bracing under the hood?

 

I am still working on that next week the hood is coming off and i am going to figure something out. I drilled the holes so they will be-able to tie in to the jeeps reinforcement x they build into the hood. I will be using large heavy duty fender washers but I have a lot of extra aluminum plate so I will come up with some thing. The only jeep I have ever seen with any thing like this is the Jenkel Pegasus jeep but they built a flat spot in the hood to mount the tools but with my snorkel it would have been a pain and i don't have a great sheet metal tools. I was thinking of adding one of the poison spyder hood louvers as it looks like it would reinforce the hood but was not sure if the louvers would have gotten in the way. The whole reason I built this is to keep the tools on the outside and god for bid i get in to an accident not have a axe or sledge hammer flying around in the passenger compartment. I know i could have made brakcets on the tire carrier but with 35 inch tire 2 20l jerry cans a high lift jack and sandladders that is tool much weight on the orfab carrier.

 

Neat idea. I'm interested to see what you come up with.

 

I would upgrade my hood latches first. That added weight might pull hood up while traveling at higher speeds. Just a thought.

 

Nice idea !

I suspect that the hood is too weak and too flexible.
What may help is spreading the load & connections over a larger area.
For instance -- A casting of fiberglass between the hood and the aluminum will make the fiberglass follow the hood curve, the aluminum may sit flat on top of the fiberglass.
I'd then use 4 or 5 bolts along each side.

 

I added the drake hood pins about a year ago so that takes care of that issue. I am not familar with casting fiberglass but I will look that up

 

I concur, the "X" brace underneath should be a decent foundation, but only time will tell if it prevents flex from the significant weight of a sledgehammer.
I've seen steel hi-lift attachment brackets shear from constant road vibration, I know aluminum is easier to work with, I hope the boxed rails are up to the job. Maybe you'll need another rail with a dampner underneath the tool head to limit the bounce. All the best, it's a neat idea.