I own a pickup truck and got a bit tired of all my gear (masts) being diagonal in the bed of the pickup. So, I built a 'conduit' holder (much like what electricians and plumbers have) and mounted it to a bed rack made by Thule. The rack is called the Xsporter Pro and has 2 channels on the bottom and top. The goal is to store most of my masts in the truck for the season. Hope this helps some one someday.
1. You'll need a conduit kit + a 6 inch PVC pipe.
2. The conduit kit. Note the U-bolts are for mounting through a rack cross member. I didn't want to drill holes in the Thule 'channel' aero rack.
3. Glue the end parts onto the Pipe. I opted for glueing and not drilling holes.
4. Since I was mounting the PVC underneath the rack (Wanted space for a board on top), I had to use carriage bolts with the square portion to fit into the Thule channels. I built an aluminum bracket to 'hang' the pipe. Using a vice, blow torch and grinder, I was able to fabricate a bracket.
5. Here it is mounted to the rack
6. Mounted and installed. It doesn't stick out the back too badly.
7. I have mostly Ezzy RDM masts in here (3 mast sets total) . I have room for more masts to spare.
8. Another view.
9. Stickers for effect! I also have a small carabiner to prevent any accidental opening of the door.
I hope this helps someone somewhere someday. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope this contribution was worth it.
looks good. Do they rattle around much? Maybe some padding between them or store them in their bags..
Select to expand quotesboardcrazy said..
looks good. Do they rattle around much? Maybe some padding between them or store them in their bags..
Thanks. I don't hear them at all. I thought about padding but I don't I need it. That said, I'll look into getting some bags.
Select to expand quoteMastbender said..
Color code the ends of your masts for quick and easy pairing.
I thought of that. The nice thing about Ezzy masts: they are color coded on the sides. Every mast has a slightly different color & size printed on them.
Select to expand quoteIndecentExposur said..
Thanks. I don't hear them at all. I thought about padding but I don't I need it.
they're obviously rubbing against each other and causing abrasion on the masts .. obviously you wont hear the rubbing when you're inside a car with road noise and engine noise.
if they're old masts, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts, and you replace every season and don't care losing an extra $150 each year, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts and you want to keep looking nice and new, then your plan needs improvement.
Select to expand quoteJakeNN said..IndecentExposur said..
Thanks. I don't hear them at all. I thought about padding but I don't I need it.
they're obviously rubbing against each other and causing abrasion on the masts .. obviously you wont hear the rubbing when you're inside a car with road noise and engine noise.
if they're old masts, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts, and you replace every season and don't care losing an extra $150 each year, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts and you want to keep looking nice and new, then your plan needs improvement.
You make a good point! I'll be putting these in mast bags.
Select to expand quoteJakeNN said..IndecentExposur said..
Thanks. I don't hear them at all. I thought about padding but I don't I need it.
they're obviously rubbing against each other and causing abrasion on the masts .. obviously you wont hear the rubbing when you're inside a car with road noise and engine noise.
if they're old masts, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts, and you replace every season and don't care losing an extra $150 each year, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts and you want to keep looking nice and new, then your plan needs improvement.
You make a good point! I'll be putting these in mast bags.
Select to expand quoteJakeNN said..IndecentExposur said..
Thanks. I don't hear them at all. I thought about padding but I don't I need it.
they're obviously rubbing against each other and causing abrasion on the masts .. obviously you wont hear the rubbing when you're inside a car with road noise and engine noise.
if they're old masts, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts, and you replace every season and don't care losing an extra $150 each year, then i wouldn't worry about the extra abrasion.
if they're new masts and you want to keep looking nice and new, then your plan needs improvement.
JakeNN, you were right. After a few weeks of driving around and use, I started seeing abrasions and accelerated wear on the masts. I've acquired a few mast bags.
^^ Can you show a pic of masts in bags in conduit? Do they all fit? Ive wanted to make something similar for ages. But havnt bcoz of rubbing wear. Have seen a multi mast bag. Similar to an olskool cloth tool roll/ wrap. Guess this would also work.
I need SDM 2x460 n 490, RDM 460 n 430 to all fit in at once.
Select to expand quoteIndecentExposur said..
I own a pickup truck and got a bit tired of all my gear (masts) being diagonal in the bed of the pickup. So, I built a 'conduit' holder (much like what electricians and plumbers have) and mounted it to a bed rack made by Thule. The rack is called the Xsporter Pro and has 2 channels on the bottom and top. The goal is to store most of my masts in the truck for the season. Hope this helps some one someday.
6. Mounted and installed. It doesn't stick out the back too badly.
Dear god, do not drive around like this. Some riceburner will see it and think it's the newest thing in Civic add ons. Next thing you know, there won't be a board or foil left on the shelves! 
(Well done, by the way. Just mind it at the drive thru window. )
Select to expand quoteIndecentExposur said..
JakeNN, you were right. After a few weeks of driving around and use, I started seeing abrasions and accelerated wear on the masts. I've acquired a few mast bags.
I had an idea ... How about stuffing a sponge tightly inside the tube at each end .. might be enough to compress them and keep them tight inside to stop vibration ... Maybe you could also get some rubbery paint stuff to coat the inside of the tube .. make sure the sponge is tightly squished in.
Select to expand quoteolskool said..
^^ Can you show a pic of masts in bags in conduit? Do they all fit? Ive wanted to make something similar for ages. But havnt bcoz of rubbing wear. Have seen a multi mast bag. Similar to an olskool cloth tool roll/ wrap. Guess this would also work.
I need SDM 2x460 n 490, RDM 460 n 430 to all fit in at once.
With bags I can stuff in 3 RDM mast sets. Without the bags, I had 3RDM mast sets and room for 2 SDM with the SDM masts inside one another. The abrasions were throughout the entire mast, mostly topical and looked like boom wear over time.
I can successfully pull the masts from the bags without removing the bag from the PVC pipe.
I think you can can get these kits for 8 inch PVC pipes.
Select to expand quotePaducah said..IndecentExposur said..
I own a pickup truck and got a bit tired of all my gear (masts) being diagonal in the bed of the pickup. So, I built a 'conduit' holder (much like what electricians and plumbers have) and mounted it to a bed rack made by Thule. The rack is called the Xsporter Pro and has 2 channels on the bottom and top. The goal is to store most of my masts in the truck for the season. Hope this helps some one someday.
6. Mounted and installed. It doesn't stick out the back too badly.
Dear god, do not drive around like this. Some riceburner will see it and think it's the newest thing in Civic add ons. Next thing you know, there won't be a board or foil left on the shelves! (Well done, by the way. Just mind it at the drive thru window. )
Funny. I was in Belize and saw this as a wing... errr something.
Select to expand quoteIndecentExposur said..
Funny. I was in Belize and saw this as a wing... errr something.
Oh, that. With the blue tinted air deflector on the front of the roof, that means they are an officer in the "Belize Dept."
I'll show myself out...
IndecentExposur well done and a great idea. I did similar about two years ago but using big stainless hose clamps, still going well, been across the Nullabor a couple of times and mobs of corrugated dirt roads without a drama. I like the cap you used, I'm just using the screw on with some 100mph tape.
Here is the manufacturer of the end cap kits.
www.buyersproducts.com/product/pvc-conduit-carrier-kit-576
In my ever quest for OCD organization, I have fabricated boom hooks to accompany the mast container.
