New roof basket option

Hello again...

So I had an issue that needed fixing.  I wasn't excited about any of the roof basket options for the OEM roof rack - some were just plain ugly, some seemed flimsy, and almost all of them seem exceedingly overpriced.  I understand mods are pricy, and I expect that, but this is a bit out of hand.

On to the solution:  bought a cheap rack that looked like it might fit from amazon.  The Rola cargo basket appeared to have the correct dimensions, and I liked the somewhat matching tubular design, as well as a rounded front for the (later discussion) light install.

Basket:

http://www.amazon.com/Rola-59504-Vortex-Mounted-Basket/dp/B004R34HD...

I discovered that the dimensions were INTERIOR, and as we all know the OEM roof rack does not have parallel outside rails.  Of course it wouldn't.  That would make it too easy.   Needless to say, the rack was too wide - but only towards the rear.  I decided to do some chopping and welding.  It's a steel rack with probably 1/16" thickness on the tubing, so a little welding seemed plausible. 

Deconstruction:

I began by measuring as closely as I could what the dimensions needed to be, and then how much to remove from each cross bar of the Rolo basket.  By removing a "v" patern in the bars (the largest piece at about 3" iirc on the back, down to 1/4" up front) I could squeeze the entire rack into a parralogram and drop it between the rack side rails. 

I left the front large diameter bars and the first small cross member intact, wrapped a strap around at the hinge point, and cranked it down.  Welded the cross members back together, ground them down, painted with rustoleum primer and flat black paint.  Also welded the side joints where the two pieces of the rack mate. 

Mounting was done with some nice soft steel brackets purchased from ballistic fabrication.  The OEM rack side rails are 1.75" diameter, and the basket large tubes are 1.5".  Mount brackets to roof rack, adjusting camber to level basket, drill holes in basket tubes to fit, mount with stainless 1/4-20 bolts.  4 mounts is more than enough. 

Mounts: 

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/OD-Tube-Clamp-w-Mounting-Tab-Pa...

I can stand on this rack when mounted with no movement (except one cross bar that i apparently failed to weld properly...), and it is pretty straight overall. 

Pics to come soon...   I need to go take them.

- Chewy