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How to Build a Ski Rack for Your Sled | Sisters, OR United States | 01/06/09, by powderjunky

Snowmobile ski rack
There are a couple of ski racks for snowmobiles out there, but most are too expensive or require the skills and tools of a blacksmith.  Seriously, I'm not going to pay $300 for a simple contraption that allows me to strap skis to my sled.

Here is a really easy and cheap way to make a durable and sturdy rack that can carry at least two sets of skis, all for under $35 dollars. The best thing is you only drill four tiny holes into your sled and the rack can be removed and reattached whenever you please. This rack is really simple and leaves a lot of room for you to make your own modifications.

AVERAGE COMPLETION TIME
2 hours 

COST
Around $35.00 

MATERIALS
2 Aluminum Square tubes: $10/each
4 bolts: $1.00/each
4 nuts: $0.50/each
4 washers $0.50/each
1 heater hose: around $5.00

Necessary Tools
Drill
Wrench
Marking Pen
Tape Measure
Hack Saw

Optional but nice tools
Electrical tape
Clamps
Power Hack Saw


How to build a ski rack for your sled video. This is a big video so allow some time to load.


Step 1
Take the aluminum bar and figure out how long you need it to be. You want at least 7 inches of overhang on each side. Ours measured 33in total. Cut the bar to your desired length, and repeat for the second bar. File down the edges where you cut so you don't cut the heater hose later.

Step 2
Mark on the bar where the overhang on each side begins. Drill a hole to match your bolt size four inches in from each overhang point. These holes will be where we bolt the bar to the snowmobile. Four inches is just a suggestion and your sled will determine where you drill.

Step 3
Clamp the bar on to the part of the snowmobile you wish to attach the bar to. Drill matching holes using the already drilled holes in the aluminum bar as guides. Make sure you are not drilling into anything important. The further away you can mount each bar from each other, the more stable the rack will be.

Step 4
Now cut a section of heater hose to the length of each bar.  Drill matching holes in the heater hose. Insert the bar into the heater hose. Use WD-40 to assist in this, or as we did, cut one side of the heater hose to make it much easier to wrap around the bar.

Step 5
Insert the two bolts. Wrap the heater hose in electrical tape if you want.
Attach to sled and screw on washers and nuts using a hex wrench until tight. For the back bar we want to have it a little higher than the front one to create a little tilt. We use large nuts (oh yeah!!) to raise the back bar.

Step 6
Use ski straps or rafting straps to secure skis.
The finished ski rack on the snowmobile


Depending on your sled you may need to come up with your own modifications, but hopefully this will help you get started in the right direction.

Got any questions or suggestions? Let us hear them in the comments section.

Send us your images of your own sled racks to contact@skiingthebackcountry.com and we will post them here.



That's Our Opinion. What's Yours?

Jason wrote on 01/06/09 at 7:15:54 pm pst:

That rack looks nice and simple. Good work!


George wrote on 01/07/09 at 09:12:46 am pst:

Similar to mine. Hardware stores rock!!
Great tip. Perfect for the current economy!!


SkiBabe wrote on 01/09/09 at 11:49:40 am pst:

where will your dog go?


Steve B. wrote on 01/14/09 at 2:23:05 pm pst:

Good idea, but how are they fastened? Are they solid? If your willing to experiment with a brand new $12,000 machine and risk making the tunnel look like swiss cheese go ahead. I run Knight Rider Racks for my snowboards and they work very well. CFR works great for skis but cost a lot more. $300-$500 is not that much compared to most snowmobile accessories. Lets face it, snowmobiling isn't cheap, if you want to do it right, don't waste time and money on a half ass set-up.


powderjunky wrote on 01/14/09 at 3:24:14 pm pst:

Obviously if you are buying a 12,000 dollar machine you probably aren't in the market for a home made ski rack. However four little holes in your sled ain't gonna ruin it.

It is super sturdy and works just as good as most of those other racks at a fraction of the cost.

In an ideal world, we would all be fit, rich, and retired. However I don't think most BC skiers have that kind of budget or need that powerful of a sled.


John wrote on 01/14/09 at 3:41:07 pm pst:

@Steve B,
All your questions are answered in the article, read first than comment.


Jason wrote on 08/22/09 at 11:17:35 pm pst:

Nice!


HALLN wrote on 09/03/09 at 10:27:06 am pst:

Very nice set-up. Lightweight design, simple. Good job on the vid. I created my own lightweight set-up using a set of 4-wheeler gun racks, a set on each side. I'm a snowboarder so I mount the boards up on edge like your first example, and back far enough so as not to get in the way of my boots.

I'll try and send some images.


powderjunky wrote on 09/03/09 at 4:50:24 pm pst:

Nice Halln,
Send us some pics and vids, and we will throw up an article! Send it to info@skiingthebackcountry.com


AKSkiing wrote on 11/19/09 at 5:20:59 pm pst:

Way cool. Here is one mod that might cost a couple of bucks but probably not too much.

If you can find tubing that will nest inside each other you could mount the larger section to the sled as you show but only have it extend to the edge of the tunnel. Then have the smaller section that will slide inside the other and have it slide in and stick out the required distance. You would then have a single hole drilled horizontally through both tubes and you could insert a pin with a spring retainer. Then it would be super easy to remove when not skiing.

Thanks for publishing this cost effective approach to getting into the back country!


powderjunky wrote on 11/19/09 at 7:35:15 pm pst:

AKSkiing,
I like where you are going with this
Can you email me some pics or a sketch? I think I understand but I'll be honest, I'm dumb as bricks.

Contact@skiingthebackcountry.com

I would be really interested in adding this to my sled.


AKSkiing wrote on 11/20/09 at 11:41:39 am pst:

Let me work on this. I will take some pics as I build mine based on your base. I'm also thinking that the slide in peice should have an upright on it so the skiis can be mounted on edge. Or do you think that they ride better flat the way you show? I'm also thinking the base would have two holes so that you could have a stowed position and then slide it out to an in use position. It will work a lot like the way a hitch for a truck fits into a receiver.

But its all based on your intitial plan.


powderjunky wrote on 11/20/09 at 12:23:16 am pst:

Cool beans, take lots of vids and pics and we can post it as an article. I tried a variation of the rack above with resting the skis on edge, but the devices I used to hold the skis on edge looked like they might stab me in the head if I ever fell off my sled! I also thought I got better solid connection when attaching the skis to the rack if they rested how they are shown in the photo above. I am not really too handy so I am real excited to see what you come up with!


David wrote on 01/06/10 at 5:58:32 pm pst:

Perfectly simple. Thanks for sharing and saving me a lot of money.

Lander, Wyoming


Laura wrote on 01/16/10 at 9:42:31 pm pst:

That is sweet, perfect answer to my question. Thank you for this post!

And as for where to put the dog... how 'bout UNDER the sled. She barks a lot and bites me when I start it. haha, just kidding! kinda.


SkiWaheenie wrote on 01/16/10 at 11:02:51 pm pst:

My dog barks at the snowmobile when it starts too! I think he thinks it's a growling animal? And if he runs away one more time, I might just put him under the sled. Yeah right, but I do wish he would just listen better!


Snake wrote on 04/22/10 at 9:27:47 pm pst:

Awesome idea. I'm going to do this to both of my snowmo's. My friends are to. I'll modify it a little so I can put a snowboard on edge. Thanks.



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