Suburban Overlander #6: Roof Rack & Lights

While the next logical thing to tackle on this build would be the interior bed platform and cabinetry, I don't always run on logic.

I was frustrated that I've owned this truck for nearly a year already and, even though I've spent hours sweating on it, it didn't look much different. At overlanding meetups it just looked like I chose the wrong parking spot.

So I decided a more overland-y roof rack was in order.

There are aftermarket options. And they are pretty nice, using the full length of the roof, all aluminum, etc.

But at a $1800 price tag.

I wanted to see if I could get all or most of that functionality and appearance but spend less. This is no Toyota or Jeep, you understand...:)

My initial goals were to:

• Make more of the roof length usable
• Have more of a platform that's more flexible than just a couple of crossbars
• Have space for solar, awning, shower room
• Also have space for a cargo box of some flavor that would store an inflatable kayak and the associated gear
• Give the truck a more off-road appearance
• Add places for additional lighting 
• Be reconfigurable if need be

As equipped, the stock rack is pretty horrible - especially considering this is a 3/4 ton truck. I guess after giving the 2500 series Suburban a beefier frame, rear leaf springs, higher displacement engine, beefier transmission, and better axles, they figured you'd just tow what you couldn't carry.

The rack doesn't even sit high enough to allow you to carry a wide piece of lumber without rubbing on the crowned roof. 

After I removed it I couldn't believe how lightweight it was. I actually think they intended you to put items within the rack, sitting directly on the roof instead.

A common mod for 2500 Suburban owners of this 00-07 generation is to find a roof rack from a 1/2 ton model that came optioned as a Z71. The Z71 package added a rear locker, skidplates, larger and different wheels, leather seats, etc.

It also came with an actually-functional roof rack. The Z71 rack is beefier and sits higher off the truck roof, allowing for a flat/wide item to lay across the rack without touching the roof.

The rack even has a rear roller-bar to aid in loading long items from the back. 

And the Z71 is a direct bolt-on upgrade for a 2500 Suburban.

I didn't initially love the look of it. The rear corners always looked too big and kinda doofy. But then I found out the factory intended to put lights there - before the highway safety commission stepped in and killed the idea.

By adding lights to those corners the size now makes sense to my eye and I don't mind the look.

2500 owners often find Z71 racks dirt-cheap on Facebook Marketplace. I thought I had as well, but the seller flaked out. I ended up using Car-Part.com and found a rack at a junkyard in Minnesota willing to ship.

I paid more, of course. While the Z71 rack still isn't heavy, it's bulky.

And two of the crossbars were unexpectedly rusty. But they seemed solid enough, so I recovered them as best I could and gave everything a fresh coat of paint.

With the upgraded rack in place, my next goal was to create a platform to install on top of it.

I'd looked at using 80/20 aluminum but once I started adding up the costs it was too much - I might as well have just bought the complete aftermarket rack.

Somewhere I came across the Makerpipe products. They sell a series of connectors to create structures from common EMT conduit. I planned out and measured a full-length platform and ordered supplies.

I quickly found that the Makerpipe approach worked well in my apartment-living context. I can cut and assemble with hand tools only. No noise. No waste. And no power. 

Perfect.

I built the rack I designed, including a pull-out towel drying bar. 

Turns out, the Z71 rack isn't quite 100% flat. At the rear, by the rear corner housings, the rack does bend down a bit. 

I initially tried to bend conduit to fit those spots, but ended up with a mild redesign to accommodate that rear bend and the rear corner housings. 

In trying to use "all the roof" I extended the platform nearly two feet past the forward-most crossbar. 

The conduit wasn't stiff enough. I could reach up and flex those forward corners up and down quite a bit. 

I had two choices:

1. Make a basket instead of a platform. 

Adding a parallel run of conduit and connecting with uprights would probably lead to a stronger result.

2. Shorten up the platform.

Lots of overlanders have baskets. But I don't understand the point of them. Anything you put up there is going to get tied down. And the basket sides make getting stuff up there that much harder.

I'd planned to mount solar panels in that space. But between planning to use a DC-DC charger and the price of folding "suitcase" or "blanket" solar panels coming down, I decided I could do without fixed solar on the roof.

So, out came the tools and I proceeded with V2.

I trimmed the rack back to terminate between the Z71 forward feet - about 8" ahead of the foremost crossbar.

I mounted the revised rack using six 2 & 1/8" muffler clamps. The clamps grab the conduit and the original Z71 crossbar, right at where the crossbar ends at the sidebar. 

When we traveled full-time we carried four bikes on the roof of our 2002 Chevy Truck. I was always amazed that we never heard any noise from them. One reason was that I'd put a wind deflector on that setup. 

Between that experience and just from a visual point of view I knew I wanted a deflector on this setup as well.

I looked at making one and buying one. Buying one looked expensive. Even used Yakima versions were like $100. For a piece of plastic and some metal straps?

Making one looked fussy. Shaping and cutting plastic, etc.

I found a Facebook Marketplace deal that had two deflectors, two bike rack mounts, two sets of crossbars, and two sets of towers. All Yakima, and all for $100. 

I used one of the deflectors, cleaned up the rest of the Yakima stuff and reposted it to Facebook. I got the same $100 for it, so my deflector was "free." Ish.

With the rack mounted, I had to wire up those corner lights. I also decided those gaps between the truck roof and Z71 rack were large enough I could sneak some skinny LED lights in. They'd be in a protected spot and help with our goal of camping in rustic forest spots, away from campgrounds.

I bought two pairs of skinny LED fixtures - which made for six lights to wire total.

I had three challenges.

1. Mounting

I wanted the side lights back in the space between the rack and truck roof. They had to mount up to the bottom of the rack rail. But I didn't want to pull the rack all off again.

My first thought of using steel zip ties almost worked. But they weren't quite tight enough.

So I bought some strap steel, mounted the lights to sections of strap steel, and then put VHP tape between the strap steel and rack metal. I then reinforced with the steel zip ties.

2. Wiring

Getting power to the roof of a vehicle is hard. Thin wires can tuck behind trim. Or there are campervan "ports" that go over a hole. A hole that you have to drill. And then once the wires are inside the cabin, you still have to tuck them behind trim or under carpet.

I ended up deciding that all the wiring was going to go into the engine bay. So the shortest route was coming from the roof, down next to the windshield, then tucking into the cowl at the rear corner of the hood.

I don't love it. Even though I found a rubber "wire hider" trim product I still worry about a branch snagging the wires. Or adding wind noise. Or what happens if I need a new windshield?

But I wasn't ready to drill holes in the roof either.

Came out well enough:

3. Switching

Over the years I have added switched things to cars a number of times. The work always ends with me laying upside down under the dash trying to route wires, find places to make holes for switches, and wondering where to mount fuses. That was OK as a 20-something, but not a task I was looking forward to as a 50-something.

These days, a bit of technology solves this problem.

These little 12v wireless switch panels are awesome. They have a main box that mounts under the hood. You wire the main power and grounds in, then wire each of your new lights to a provided circuit. 

Once all connected, you pair the box with an included wireless remote, and you're done!

No more laying under dashes...no more destroying your dash. 

They provide a bracket for the remote, but I just put some double-sided velcro on it and found a place on the dash to stick it.

I bought some 6-connector wire, and created a wiring harness for the lights. Each got a connector so I can remove a faulty light if need be.

I worked as much as possible on the workbench, and tested my connections at each stage of the process. The last thing I wanted was to be up on the roof of the truck and find that one of my connections wasn't good.

When it was all done and working I then hauled it all out to the parking garage for installation. With some sweat, dozens of zip ties, and black tape, I had working lights.

Since I had extra circuits, I bought and installed some ditch lights for extra-good overlandyness.

It all came out pretty well, I think.

In and around all of this work I also changed out the headlights, fog lights, and backup lights for LED versions.

And I did the "four-on" headlight hack that allows your low beams to stay on with the high beams. All around a much better at-night driving experience!

• Ditch Light brackets: https://amzn.to/3LYKPrH
• Ditch lights: https://amzn.to/49IhX0z
• Switch panel: https://amzn.to/4onH8cD
• Six conductor wire: https://amzn.to/48B3sKS
• Wire hider: https://amzn.to/4p0kojN
• Side lights: https://amzn.to/44mfzck
• Backup Lights: https://amzn.to/4ouhCm3
• Low/High Beam: https://amzn.to/4pGjIAe
• LED Fog lights: https://amzn.to/3KtAS4S

(All affiliate links)