Headache Rack

Hello everyone thanks for all the past advice.

I have a question that may have a difference of opinions

What is the best headache rack to get open,three doors, roll up doors ? What would you all get or what would you change if you could. I live in Alberta Canada so I'm thinking the roll up doors may not be the best idea

Thanks

SDF

 

Use swing doors and make sure that there is at least 8 inches from the deck plate to the door bottom. Experience also says to make the hinges on the inside of the doors so that you are not tossing chains and binders around the door both on and off and a safety latch on the doors is a good idea . Rollup doors can freeze in -15c weather with salt spray on the road and can be a monster to access.
I have had the dubious experience of having to clear ice and snow buildup off full width deckplates to access my chains in my headache rack using a screwdriver and a 1 1/4" wrench while stopped at the Heather mountain chainup area before climbing Rogers pass at 3am.

 

There are pluses and minuses to everyone. I chose a three door with a window cutout. Do I really need to see out of my sleeper window?......no......not really. I like the way it is set up though. Only thing I would like is some gas shocks on it. So I'm not fighting the wind.

  Headache Rack (Cab Rack)

 

Definitely get a box with hinges toward the center. It makes all the difference not having to twist all the time throwing steel around corners.

 

No door. Wide open.

 

Mine. 3 door with a 24x24x60 box mounted on top. Burner fab full height 5 door cabinets are bad to the bone too though.

 

I have run a 3 door and an open... open is great because u have easy acces to the chains and binders and there isnt a door always in ur way.... The 3 door is great for keeping equipment out of elements plus u could store alot more crap in them than an open one, without having to tie it down.... Id go with a door

 

I have a 3 door enclosed, nothing fancy just a used Sturdy-lite. Truck had an open rack when I got it but no chain holders or chain boxes on bottom.
When I priced those it was just cheaper to buy an enclosed one used that popped up on marketplace. Definitely glad I put it on. I can keep quite a few things in there including small smoke tarp , felt etc in the center.
One thing that I really don’t like about it is each door has an upper and lower latch. If you look at Tug Toys his has one center latch. Mine with two is make it hard to open doors from ground. I’m 6’3” and on a good day I can release the upper latch. On a bad day (feeling old or cold) I have to climb on deck to open door. So if I were to ever replace it I would get single latch doors as long as they were good quality.

 

So what do you put in the upper box

 

I have a 4 door. I've had an open one in the past and how dirty everything gets I'd never own an open one again. I'd prob just do the 3 door next time as well. The top door doesn't get used enough. Mine is Bruner fab out of joplin MO. I've messed with the roll up door ones. Brand new them seem really nice. But I can only imagine how bad it could be in 2 years of heavy use. I'd be cursing the thing every day. They have one on display at Iowa 80