The “I’m too cheap to buy it so I’ll make it” thread

Metalmagic

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Please share projects on your Ranger that you have decided to make or build instead of buy. Here’s mine.

I wanted a bed rack for my truck but I find they are way more expensive than I’m willing to spend. I am also a certified and experienced welder and fabricator so I’ll make anything I can if it means saving a buck. So I went on good old craigslist and found a guy selling a roof rack that clamps onto the gutters on a camper. Lucky for me he also had the brackets that are used to adapt them to something like a pop up roof. He had 58” cross bars and 78” so I took both.

As of right now I have welded the brackets to pieces of 1-1/2” angle. The idea is to make the brackets so they clamp to the bedside. This will make more sense when I update this small project
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Msfitoy

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Made my own Raptor lights...
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And matching rear markers...
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Underhood lighting...
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THLONE

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I have made my own phone holder out of a belt clip to dash fixture. Made my own key fob cover out of an old leather glove thumb. Over the years i have made hundreds of my own gadgets and mods for house, yards, vehicles, boats, even did surgery on my self. LOL
I find it unimaginable how people who cant even change a bulb survive.
 

TommyAtomic

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I find it unimaginable how people who cant even change a bulb survive.
WAIT WHAT??? Who told you those people survive? That doesn't sound right. Is that more of that fake news I keep hearing about?
 

THLONE

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The dems in Iowa are a good example. They do survive even in that frozen wasteland. LOL
 


AzScorpion

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i know i can buy this, but this is better

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Try adding some of those small Hersheys chocolate chips on the top of those. Those really top off a brownie. :inlove: Darn it now I need to make brownies.
 

rausa64

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Greetings,
Anybody buy or "make" some sort of cover to go over the gap between the bed and the gate? Pushing/pulling crap out of the bed seems like a break waiting to happen for the camera cable.
 
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Metalmagic

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After a lot of tweaking and sanding and cutting and remeasuring, I finally was able to get the adapters to clamp on to the bed correctly. Here is the finished product. I have to say it actually came out better than I thought
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Fawnbuster

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Greetings,
Anybody buy or "make" some sort of cover to go over the gap between the bed and the gate? Pushing/pulling crap out of the bed seems like a break waiting to happen for the camera cable.
Peragon bed covers makes/sells them I had one for my F150, I saved it and plan to trim it to fit my ranger
 

Cdveltri

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I also decided to make my own bed rack. I have the diamond back cover so I decided to attach the load bars to the cover its self since it's load rated. I ordered some black anodized extruded aluminum T slot from 8020 pre cut for the tracks and load bars. 8020 has TONS of different cross section options and brackets to make anything you can dream up. I am very happy with how it turned out!
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pa-fatboy

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Made my own bike rack.

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Nice solution! Where did you get the fork mounts that hold the bikes in place?

also, is the bar screwed into you bed on both sides to lock it in place? Have you thought of any methods to hold the bar in place without modifying the bed? I.e. pressure or utilizing the front tie downs somehow?
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