Jump to content

Roof Rack Replacement Suggestions


v6tx
 Share

Recommended Posts

Replacing my used CURT rack that had some bends and damaged mounting hardware.  

I'm amazed at how much drag and drain on the MPG the rack adds as well, even when empty.

 

The 64" style with the 4-6" height is great for me because it provides multiple mounting points for a Rotopax can as well as recovery gear.  I simply drilled in a Kolpin mount to the side plates.

(I had considered using Kolpin mounts to hold my boards, in lieu of lashing straps at one point.) A jerrycan is a must for me given my fuel economy and drives through remote areas of NM and TX.

 

I really want a slimmer rack but that would negate my Rotopax setup (unless there is a rear ladder manufacturer I am not aware of)

 

r50r51.png

kolpin.png

 

Any suggestions?

 

Edited by v6tx
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always liked some of the Rola units, but without some sort of lower crossbars or mounting options, they always looked goofy sitting above the OE crossbars.  Beyond that, I'm not much help for alternative basket options.

 

However, if you're looking for a lower profile "base rack" design with a ton of mounting provisions, consider some of the aluminum extrusion racks out there.  They're pricey, and while some probably won't even fit our trucks without custom brackets, Prinsu universal racks (https://prinsudesignstudio.com/category/universal-top-racks/) and Smittybilt Adjust-a-Mount brackets (https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-AM-4-Mounting-Bracket/dp/B00AQFE8BG) might be a viable option...albeit a $900 one, after tax, shipping, and some additional hardware.

 

To that extent, my buddy @Rockit and I are in the process of making our own base racks out of extrusions that are made-to-order (cut-to-length and machined for assembly).  I was planning to start a new thread on the topic when both racks were complete, but maybe some info here/now might spark some ideas.  Cost-wise, we're also well under half the cost of the Prinsu setup, with a result that'll fit our exact needs.

 

These slotted extrusions are great because you can mount practically anything, anywhere, and there are already a bunch of off-the-shelf accessories for Rotopax, Hi-Lifts, etc (Prinsu has a full line-up of them).  I'm fabbing up all our mounting and accessory brackets, like awning mounts and lighting tabs, but also have some ideas for other items.  But these racks are far more versatile options than any basket I can think of.  They're also lightweight, extremely strong, and corrosion resistant.  Cost is a little higher than an off-the-shelf basket might be, but the versatility makes it worth it.

 

For Rockit's QX4, we're doing a 50"L x 42"W x 2"H rack using 2"x1" and 1"x1" quarter-round extrusions, with the LH side being 72"L for full awning support, like so:

 

QX4-rack.png

 

I made some brackets that'll get the rack about 1" off the center of the roof (the height varies because of the curvatures F/R and L/R on the roof), and around 1.5" at the corners.  The brackets are also slotted so the rack can be raised another inch if we need clearance anywhere, or to level it out:

 

Since I have an SE roof rack, mine will be a drop-in rack that's 52"L x 36", and uses 2"x1" and 1"x1" extrusions:

 

SE-Rack.png 

 

2-BB8-B597-2877-45-AF-84-B2-16-C3-D9-A82

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, hawairish said:

I always liked some of the Rola units, but without some sort of lower crossbars or mounting options, they always looked goofy sitting above the OE crossbars.  Beyond that, I'm not much help for alternative basket options.

 

However, if you're looking for a lower profile "base rack" design with a ton of mounting provisions, consider some of the aluminum extrusion racks out there.  They're pricey, and while some probably won't even fit our trucks without custom brackets, Prinsu universal racks (https://prinsudesignstudio.com/category/universal-top-racks/) and Smittybilt Adjust-a-Mount brackets (https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-AM-4-Mounting-Bracket/dp/B00AQFE8BG) might be a viable option...albeit a $900 one, after tax, shipping, and some additional hardware.

 

To that extent, my buddy @Rockit and I are in the process of making our own base racks out of extrusions that are made-to-order (cut-to-length and machined for assembly).  I was planning to start a new thread on the topic when both racks were complete, but maybe some info here/now might spark some ideas.  Cost-wise, we're also well under half the cost of the Prinsu setup, with a result that'll fit our exact needs.

 

These slotted extrusions are great because you can mount practically anything, anywhere, and there are already a bunch of off-the-shelf accessories for Rotopax, Hi-Lifts, etc (Prinsu has a full line-up of them).  I'm fabbing up all our mounting and accessory brackets, like awning mounts and lighting tabs, but also have some ideas for other items.  But these racks are far more versatile options than any basket I can think of.  They're also lightweight, extremely strong, and corrosion resistant.  Cost is a little higher than an off-the-shelf basket might be, but the versatility makes it worth it.

 

For Rockit's QX4, we're doing a 50"L x 42"W x 2"H rack using 2"x1" and 1"x1" quarter-round extrusions, with the LH side being 72"L for full awning support, like so:

 

QX4-rack.png

 

I made some brackets that'll get the rack about 1" off the center of the roof (the height varies because of the curvatures F/R and L/R on the roof), and around 1.5" at the corners.  The brackets are also slotted so the rack can be raised another inch if we need clearance anywhere, or to level it out:

 

Since I have an SE roof rack, mine will be a drop-in rack that's 52"L x 36", and uses 2"x1" and 1"x1" extrusions:

 

SE-Rack.png 

 

2-BB8-B597-2877-45-AF-84-B2-16-C3-D9-A82

I’m very interested in this setup for the SE racks as I’m currently looking for options to store a spare tire up on the roof. I was probably going to go with the Rola with a Yakima basket spare tire mount. The Yakima mount is lockable which i need because I have to street park in the city but requires some modification to work with the Rola. Looking forward to more info on this because you’re right the Rola looks a little goofy on the SE racks....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, The_Oregonian said:

I’m very interested in this setup for the SE racks as I’m currently looking for options to store a spare tire up on the roof. I was probably going to go with the Rola with a Yakima basket spare tire mount. The Yakima mount is lockable which i need because I have to street park in the city but requires some modification to work with the Rola. Looking forward to more info on this because you’re right the Rola looks a little goofy on the SE racks....

 

The SE rack is riddled with challenges in general, but I can easily see a flat rack solving your problem there...and it'd be far easier than lifting a tire another foot higher to get into a basket, and really would keep everything very low.

 

I'm hoping to be able to supply some brackets for DIY racks once we've got these racks ready for show-and-tell.  I'm expecting the remainder of my hardware tomorrow, so I should have mine finished by week's end, and hopefully Rockit's too if I can get everything mailed out tomorrow.  The racks are pretty much constructed as standalones, so it's just a matter of attaching them to the OE rails.  For now I'm using 3/16" steel plate, but aluminum would be the way to go.  We're also doing a lot of countersunk plates to really keep the looks clean.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is fantastic and inspiring for a build.  I had considered a fabricator in SoCal that does custom work as well the next time I make the drive up there.

The pricing is definitely more than I was expecting, but understandable as I do want something thats a one and done investment.

 

Recently on a junkyard trip, I saw the pre-2001 QX4s had lower and flatter crossbars (as opposed to the more pronounced curve on the 2001-03 QX4s) and was tempted to snag some just to reduce the height but that seems like a waste of time and effort at this point.  Do keep us posted on this build you have going.  Looks great so far!

Edited by v6tx
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, v6tx said:

Recently on a junkyard trip, I saw the pre-2001 QX4s had lower and flatter crossbars (as opposed to the more pronounced curve on the 2001-03 QX4s) and was tempted to snag some just to reduce the height but that seems like a waste of time and effort at this point.  Do keep us posted on this build you have going.  Looks great so far!

 

If it's the crossbars I'm thinking about, those are just "luggage bars" that just keep stuff directly off the roof.  I used a pair of them under my original DIY rack for additional support, but because they have plastic caps to attach to the rail, I wouldn't use them for much more than that.

 

It's also possible to make a simple low-profile crossbars using some basic materials and hardware, though.  For example, 1" x 1/4" flat bar can be cut and tapped to make simple channel nuts for the lower rail, which would offer more strength than the OE M6 rail nuts.  The channel opening is wide enough for 1/2" hardware, but 3/8" is plenty.  The top of the rail slopes at 5º, and across the entire rail length, it ranges from about -1.5º to +1.5º if memory serves.  So, as long as you can overcome those numbers, you can make anything.  Easiest way is generally to slot or oversize some holes, which allows for leveling things out.

 

This is the bracket I did for the QX4's rack:

 

BC70-CE1-F-613-D-4-F0-E-B518-B6-AA45786-

 

This will keep the rack about 1" off the center of the roof, and up around 1.5" at the corners of the rack.  It's using some simple hardware for attachment, and parts are slotted to raise it up or level it across a long range if needed.

 

However, this design could easily be made to sit lower, even practically resting on the rail if desired, and could be done with aluminum extrusion or steel tube.  Using extrusions here, though, opens up a ton of mounting options.  Something that would be super simple here is an L-shape bracket that attaches to the end of tapped tubes, and is slotted so that the bar can be leveled.  Alternate designs would be near-flat bracket, that attaches under the extrusion like shown, and a the 5º bend to account for the rail.  There'd be a slight pitch to it because of the arch of rail, but a washer as a shim would probably resolve that.  Really, there's a ton of options here, and at least with extrusions for this, you'll know you can get the bottom of the basket to only be about 1" off the roof. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently on a junkyard trip, I saw the pre-2001 QX4s had lower and flatter crossbars (as opposed to the more pronounced curve on the 2001-03 QX4s) and was tempted to snag some just to reduce the height but that seems like a waste of time and effort at this point.  Do keep us posted on this build you have going.  Looks great so far!

I think there are actually 3 versions of Load Bars plus the luggage bars that @hawarish mentioned. The 2002-4 are the strongest & most robust. For some reason, the 2001 & I presume other mid years have a system very similar to the 2002+ but just not quite as hefty. The earlier “low profile” load bars are notably weaker. There have been members who have had those fail on them. I looked at them in detail but was disappointed in their quality compared to my ‘02 LE. If you go that route, I’d consider using 3. The luggage bars test on the roof & are really more of a protection against bags or suit cases than a true load bearing bar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Coming from the part-time 4Runner world, flat racks can be surprisingly expensive.

 

Prinsu & Frontrunner (less so Easy Awn) are the primary vendors of lateral running aluminum bars or slats. Rhino makes a longitudinal slat version that has nice wide slats & it reportedly quieter due to being longitudinal.

 

T-nuts, including some that drop in & twist to lock let you put all kinds of stuff on these flat racks. Just check out Amazon & apply to standard mounts & you’ll avoid the outrageous fees for the proprietal mounts. Also, there is rubber strip you can pop into the slots if you want that for protection or friction. There are different series with different sizes for different applications so it’s useful to know which series you need. I couldn’t find a great description of it but Wikipedia touches on it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-slot_structural_framing

 

 

eb560b9b5e43bd46a371d2227d5f9fe6.jpg824eef399b9c54ed13f95d4385c173bd.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have & use the Rola Rack on my Pathy. I think it looks great & it’s very economical. It’s steel requires upkeep in a way that aluminum would not & its surprisingly tricky to use with tie downs - primarily because of it’s 1.5” thick perimeter bar which fits nothing. I’ve come to use soft loops on the bars themselves to make it work.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...