So, I've spent the better part of 16 hours over the last two days in the shop cutting, grinding, welding....etc, etc. I've got two light holes cut out on either end of the rack and have two super LED's for those holes. I am thinking that I want a total of 5 across the back(white LED's) for work lights. Spend many an evening down at my scrap pile loading up the trailer or messing around with a flashlight in my hand.

I'm gonna put a switch in the cab and actually thinking about putting a switch outside somewhere....why? Lazy...or dirty hands, something like that. I don't see the need for red lights on the back, if the idiots behind me can't see the red lights supplied by Dodge then they deserve to eat my drop hitch. What are your thoughts? I'll have two at the ends, two in closer and one in the middle, which would give me a total of 60 individual LED's. Here are some pics for a visual......

 

Are you taking orders for these????? NO, serioursly. I like it a lot!!! I agree with you on the lights! Very nice lookin rack!

 

very nice and handy. my only suggestion would be some that you could swivel, we had some on our drill rig truck on the headache rack and they were really handy. Awesome, I too will order one how much keep up the good work

 

I like having brake/tails on the rack, but that's just personal preference...

looks like it might be kinda hard to see behind you w/ that thing though

 

Actually Forrest you can see pretty well. If you look through it out into the driveway for a minute or so your eyes start to get all weird but just glancing, like in the rear view it's great. I thought about the meshed type metal, but I have used it before and it bends easily. This stuff I picked up at a scrap yard, they sell some of the stuff brought in. Anyhow, it has small holes in it, LOTS of them and welded in place like it is, it is strong. I just did'nt want to do the typical bars layed horizontally across the whole width. I haul scrap and figure that a hood could possibly slide forward through the cross bars and do in the back glass.

I might at one point build these for sale. It's kinda hard though, it was built specifically for my truck. I am still working on the mounting portion of it. Keep thinking about using the stake pocket, but without my truck here to get some measurements its proving difficult. It's all custom made, the pipes on the sides were individually cut to length and fitted before welded. The angle of the outer legs is 18 degrees, about the angle of my back glass and cab. No plans or written ideas, just decided to make it If I built them I'd need to get the mig welder I have been wanting....kinda hard to do all this with a stick! Got the bandsaw and everything else....plasma cutter would be nice too!!! I'd say the price of these would rival Ranchhands products. Just A LOT of time to fab it up...make it how you want it. If I did do it I think it would be custom work. Tell me what functions you want it to serve, how you want the bars on the back etc, that may justify the price.

 

Oh yeah, got some sqaure work lights off a CAT and have been eyeing them up to mount for some lights that you can move towards the sides or wherever.

 

Coming from a fellow fabricator, that looks excellent. I love the LEDs but I will have to say that you can see better with standard bulbs using them for work lights. I think if you're gonna put 5 lights on there, make the center light a red 3rd brake light.

 

ahh, so that's like a really fine perforated metal? interesting! you think it's gonna take paint alright or will that close up all those holes?

taking a 2nd look, I can see how you can actually see through it. pretty cool!

 

I'll probably hit the grid parts with several cans of rustoleum in spray cans, that way I can put it on light enough so as not to block the holes and just do several hundred coats. Bad part is, I bought two lights and then got them in to check out how they looked. Thought, heck I'll throw a battery on one to see. Noticed three wires...... Plugged it up and it was yellow???? Look at the box....tail and turn?? What did I do???? So back to town tomorrow to exchange them...I was wondering how bright they will be. I have a LED flashlight and it is bright, but it sucks at 20 feet, not like real lights. I was kinda wondering if these were gonna be they same way.

 

Nice job!!! You know, those two center panels would look really, really cool with a rams head cut in one and a Cummins emblem in the other. Step on the brakes and the "wow" factor would go out of sight!

 

Looking good! I would add some flood lights on the top that would rotate some too.

 

Looks like you've got a future as a fabricator - keep up the good work!

If it was mine, I'd weld a pintle mount for the .50 cal right in the center...

 

yeah, then people would know it was a Cummins powered Ram... wait a minute...

 

Well spent several hours on the "project" today. Looked high and low for white led's and when I found them.....they were not that appealing at $60 EACH. So, my local TSC had some plain jane 6" oval, normal lights...REALLY liked the 6" red oval led's...but, not for $35 each!! So ended up with the cheapies and 3 2" rounds...thought about a couple more but after I got them installed I decided that 3 was enough.....kinda like kids

So now I'm getting ready to ship it over to my paint and body guy.....oh, wait minute...that's me?? Need to kick him in his tail and get it done... here are some pre-paint picks with lights installed. Oh yeah, went with my big FREE CAT worklights, mounted on the sides so they can rotate fully out to each side AND I made it a wrenchless design so when I want to rotate them I don't have to fumble around looking for a wrench. Just twist my little rig, rotate the light and resnug the nut.....I love doing this stuff!! Wish I could find a job like this!! Oh yeah, and a view thru the screen, mesh metal stuff....look through it for a minute

 

I know, I know, before anyone says it......that gas can don't look to safe in this picture with all the welding/sparks etc....but I assure you it was outside during the project.