Ladder rack on a K5?

[jonrpick]

Anyone done it? I'd like to be able to carry a 28ft fiberglass extension ladder. If that's too much, I could settle for a 20-footer, which I'm planning to buy. Keep in mind, each ladder is 1/2 of that length when non extended.

I think I can pick up some side work in my line of work, on my off days. I'd need to use my personal vehicle for that though, hence the question.

Would such a ladder rack involve drilling into the sheet metal on the roof of the cab? Having to drill into the fiberglass top is assumed.

 

[black rust]

Although I have nothing useful to add, that would look pretty damn cool. I'd guess at 28-footer would be a lot of overhang on the front.

 

[colbystephens]

i've been toying with the idea of building a roof rack for my rig, and while my ideas won't work for you because i've got a permanent soft top... consider this (tho it's not really that good of an idea).

on the chrome bumpers there's those rivet-looking bolts that attach the actual bumper to brackets which then go to the frame mounts. these are those cage-type bolts, you know, with the square shank at the base near what sort of looks like a rivet head. anyway, what if you built a ladder rack that mounted to those, both front and rear? this way there's no holes in the hard top, you would have a sturdy rack (no bouncing/flex that would hit the cab of the rig), and you could build into the uprights another access ladder to get to your equipment that's up there. another advantage is that it would be removable with out having to plug holes in the hard top.

so - someone else expand on this idea with a more creative solution.

 

[lectric80]

My father-in-law had a setup like colby is describing, he used it to haul the teepee poles to the rendezvous. Basically he had a set of brackets on the front bumper that just screwed into a couple of sockets, then a cross brace went across the two at the top. Same design on the rear, but he used a permanent support that he just dropped the top onto, if that makes sense. You could do it either way, and never tap the fiberglass or sheet metal. Much better idea than having anything on that top.

 

[Big Blzn]

I'd just go buy one of the nice Thule type of roof rack and attach it to the fiberglass part of the top. When the ladder is not in use it does double duty for trail/camping supplies.

 

[troutbum_mt]

Anything is possible. I bought a 78 K5 with a roof rack and I climb all over it. It would EASILY handle such a ladder. Best of all, this looks like a "diy" made jobber if you have a welder. Here's a pic:

Mine has plywood on top but I would recommend using expanded metal. It bolts into the metal bows which supposedly exist at the front and the rear of the fiberglass top and easily supports 200+ lbs. Strapped down to the front bumper and the rear trailer hitch, I know this thing could easily carry a ladder like that. Heck, I did it on my Jeep Cherokee with a stock Jeep rack.

 

[jonrpick]

Thanks guys. I'm looking for a bolt-on deal, preferably something designed for a K5.

The ladder rack I use now has a lift-and-lowering mechanism for getting the 28-footer on and off the work van. Anybody seen such a beast for sale?

 

[70jimmy]

I have seen the type that looks like an inverted L. The short leg of the L goes over the roof not out toward the road and it had short pegs to keep the ladder from sliding off and there was a second ladder holder on the side of the uprights (basically little L brackets on the uprights), the rack attached to front and rear bumper and had a center support that came off the space between the pickup bed and cab (this could be made to come off the frame of a K5.)

This type doesn't even touch the top or interfere with it.

I have seen a wheelchair lift used in the bed of a pickup for doing the lifting, or you could use this type of a lift, like a cherry picker.