Camper Roof Rack Build with Black Aluminum Profiles

Introduction
We are Donny and Chantal, and we are working on building an off-grid camper based on a Volkswagen Crafter, which we plan to use for a journey to Central Asia soon. For this adventurous trip, we built a custom roof rack using aluminum profiles. This rack accommodates tiltable solar panels, a Fiamma awning, a Teltonika Wi-Fi antenna, LED bars, extra rear lights, mounts for sand tracks, and even a rooftop terrace! In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to create your own custom roof rack using aluminum profiles from Aluxprofile.nl and the necessary mounting materials.

Why Choose Aluminum Profiles?
Aluminum profiles are ideal for camper construction due to their perfect balance of weight and strength. They are lightweight, strong, and rust-resistant, which is especially important for external components like a roof rack. Additionally, they are easy to customize and reusable, offering flexibility for future modifications.

Materials Needed:

• 4040 aluminum profiles
• Mounting materials: T-nuts, bolts, and connecting brackets
• Finishing: end caps and cover profiles for extra waterproofing

Step 1: Preparing the Roof
Before starting, ensure the camper roof is clean. Treat any rust spots with rustproof paint to prevent dirt and moisture from accumulating under the rack's mounting points. This will help prevent rust formation—don't skimp on this step!

Step 2: Mounting the Aluminum Profiles
Install two 4040 aluminum profiles along the long edges of the roof to form the base of the roof rack. Use the standard rails of the Crafter to secure the profiles. For direct mounting on the roof rails, you can use T-nuts and hex bolts. If you’re mounting the profiles through the roof, ensure a watertight seal, such as with bitumen sealing tape.

Step 3: Adding Crossbars and Components
Attach crossbars made from aluminum profiles to the mounted side rails. These crossbars will support solar panels, LED bars, and other components. Use corner brackets and T-nuts to securely place the crossbars wherever you need them. This customization makes a roof rack so practical—you can, for example, position a crossbar around roof hatches and maximize the roof’s usable space. Thanks to the T-slots, you can easily add additional accessories later, such as a Wi-Fi antenna or lights.

Step 4: Mounting Solar Panels
Attach the solar panels to the crossbars using T-nuts and hex bolts to secure them without any play. We opted to make the solar panels tiltable for better energy yield. With aluminum profiles, you can mount almost anything, and they are strong enough to safely support the panels.

Step 5: Finishing Touches
Complete the construction by installing end caps on the profile ends and pressing cover profiles into the aluminum grooves. This prevents water from collecting inside the profiles. If necessary, drill a small hole in the end caps for water drainage. Thoroughly check all mounting points and tighten them again after the first few trips.

Step 6: Adding Extra Features
For additional functionality, we added front and rear lighting to the rack, as well as a rooftop terrace. Thanks to the flexible mounting system with T-nuts, sand tracks, the Wi-Fi antenna, and even a future StarLink antenna can be easily mounted wherever we want.

Conclusion
Building a custom roof rack with aluminum profiles is a sustainable and cost-effective way to add storage space and functionality to your camper, tailored entirely to your needs. By choosing lightweight and rust-resistant materials, you extend the lifespan of your roof rack and leave room for future modifications. With this step-by-step guide, you can easily create your own custom roof rack, ready for any adventure!