[Cautrell05]

Thanks for the response, and I welcome any input throughout the build. In regards to the rack mounts, there's a lot that hasn't been shown yet. The four bolts you see in the bottom picture holding the bottom straps up are for mockup purposes. Once I got it in the shop here this past summer those got fully well the to the bottom of the cross member all the way around. And there's also two short angled braces welded in behind the rack going up to the crossmember to give it some support. I'm kicking myself because I didn't take more pictures at the time. The plans are that once I finalize my AC compressor mount there's going to be another ear that welds in above the rack so the bolts are in double shear, and then the big chunky front edges that are hanging off the front are going to get rounded and be mounting ears for the back edge of a skid plate/brace that runs forward somewhere up by the sway bar mount. I'm not totally sure on that yet. The skid plate is needed for my gravel roads. This style of rack as opposed to the mustang 2 rack mounts pretty much in line with the lower control arm bolts, and the county likes to windrow gravel when they maintain our road. If I do hit an unexpected spot I really don't want to go and plow gravel with the rack. The double shear mounts on the bolts realistically is enough to hold it in place cuz that's how Ford did it with the rangers originally. Having the front edge mounted to some braces with a skid plate on it should just help make it more or less bulletproof.