Super Duty Headache rack

TJ's Performance

Ford Super Duty Head Ache Rack Project

I built this head ache rack from scrap I had left over from my Chevy Truck Dump Bed Project.

Updated Jan., 2010

Here is the start of the project. This is where I calculate the angle for the upright tubing I will be using 2 x 4 tubing.


Tubing for the upright with the calculated anlge cut.


Scrap I had laying around for the base plates.

Machining the stake pocket holes in the base plates.


After calculating all the anlges for the upright cross member I tacked it altogether.


Full weld. I also tacked the whole rack to the bench and fully welded the uprights to the lower bacse plates.


Trial fit. Seems to be good.


I needed to have threads into the top of the rack because I will be using a plate that will bolt to this. The plate will house my Ecco dual strobe light set up. So I set this up to weld a nut to the surface by using a bolt, 1,2,3 block and the nut I am going to weld into the top of the tube.


The nut is tigged in and ready to be ground flat.


All ground down and ready for the plate.


This is the plate bolted to the top head ache rack cross member, the outer 4 bolts are going to hold the strobe light assembly down. The only way to get to these bolts is that the stobe light assembly has to be taken apart. Just trying to add a little bit of theft deterrent.


Here is the head ache rack mocked up and the Ecco strobe light plate bolted and the light mounted. I also made another light panel that holds more lights. The amber ones are also whelen strobes and the white ones are 55watt tractor lights. The lights on the bench are KC Highlights I had laying around.


Here are some mounts I made for the KC lights.


The mounts are all Tig welded and ready to go.


The Lights fit perfect. Next up the expanded metal protector.


Expanded metal all welded in and painted with rustoleum and paint hardner. I sprayed it with a HVLP gun.


Welded 2 bolts together to allow the stake pocket bolts to tighten the plate and rack down.


Home made center console wired and ready for the lights and the plow controls.


Done.


Works Great.

Many other truck and plow guys ask me where I got my headache rack, when I tell them I made it they cannot believe it.

Here is a video of the strobes on the headache rack and the strobes in the front grille I use for snow plowing.