LOW profile rooftop rack

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Fozzy

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@Fozzy
How did you run your wiring for the aux lights?

I’m going to end up with 4 circuits on the roof. Right now I just have the rear lights. I’m going to use some of the 5 wire flat pvc coated wire when I am done( all in one bundle). And build a Deutsch Plug in case I need to take the rack off. All the Toyota guys run their wire through the A-Pillar door gasket. The aluminum Fords have a weird way they seal and that was not an option. I ended up running the wires from the roof to the back drivers side rear and ran them down through the hatch opening and down the trim pieces to the frame. Then ran them all the way to the front.

Under the hatch and down the trim.050445abf92da9ecaa78ea2430f4a8a2.jpg

Down the trim to the right side of the lift strut.
8ac20168fe7f893a50469a09215eb04b.jpg

Came out between the body and frame. Top of picture is the front of the Expy, bottom is the rear. Looking straight up to the underside. Ran to the front of the Expy and up into the engine compartment.
30ac9caafda7b460c95cc18e31158f46.jpg

Anyone have a better way, let me know. It might be my quarantine project if things get bad.


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Fozzy

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Id be certain to encase those wires in some wire or split loom

You will not get split loom through the trim or under the hatch. I don’t really want to cut a hole in the roof. But the 5 wire set up will be plenty protected. It has a thick PVC coating holding them all together then each wire is coated. Then loomed to the front. Switch Pro protects everything. The loomed wire will not stand out in the pics.


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Artie

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The Yakima rack has the same channel size as the Rhino Rack for the accessories.

The channel may be the same size but the Rhino accessories don’t fit. Well, the eye bolts don’t. If you remove the slat you can get the anchor into the slot but that would only be acceptable if you never want to move the eyebolt you another slot.

I don’t know about the other rhino accessories but I assume it’s the same anchor for them as well.
 

Fozzy

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The channel may be the same size but the Rhino accessories don’t fit. Well, the eye bolts don’t. If you remove the slat you can get the anchor into the slot but that would only be acceptable if you never want to move the eyebolt you another slot.

I don’t know about the other rhino accessories but I assume it’s the same anchor for them as well.

RoadnRack has a bunch of the Rhino gear on one. Yakima doesn’t make many accessories yet. Are the back plates to wide or long to go in the entry groove? Here is a pic of the Rhino’s backing plates. There is two styles depending on the accessories. The entry groove is smaller than the small backing plate.
da82045d66278eed7c5e2336a40b7087.jpg


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Artie

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RoadnRack has a bunch of the Rhino gear on one. Yakima doesn’t make many accessories yet. Are the back plates to wide or long to go in the entry groove? Here is a pic of the Rhino’s backing plates. There is two styles depending on the accessories. The entry groove is smaller than the small backing plate.
da82045d66278eed7c5e2336a40b7087.jpg


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I’ll upload a picture of the Yakima back plates tomorrow, they are similar to the small one on top and I think those pictured would work. The ones that came with the Rhino eyebolts is different than those pictured. It’s got one hole and is as long as the second one pictured. I’ll check out that site you referenced.
 

Fozzy

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Artie,

I went to the rack store today. The large Rhino eyebolts have the large backing plate. Rhino has a longer opening to get them in. They said they do the same thing you did. Put them in with the end off. Once in they slide on the rail. A properly set up platform will have 2-4 eyebolts in each rail so you never move them from rail to rail. They are way more heavy duty than the Yakima or Rhino small eyebolts. Then you can adjust what you need and not have to repack the roof. Same with the shovel and side Maxtrax holder. You install it and never take it off. The small eyebolts and single single mounting backing plates are identical to the Rhino Racks. So when the Yakima platform first came out that’s what they do and still do as they don’t have as many accessories yet. Sorry for misleading you. They do work but are a little bigger pain to use. They did not tell me that, but I actually bought more eyebolts as what they say is true. You really need them on all the rails. My Maxtraxs and awning brackets lock three of the eyebolts from moving down the rail. I just put 4 more on so I have a more usable system.

Yakima single eyebolts with Rhino backing plate next to it are the same but the color. The one I brought is for the Rotopax so the treaded hole is smaller.
c4083d2a8984c42066099ea38745fced.jpg

The small Rhino Eyebolts
18d047fe8a2d990ba63cc22858d33798.jpg


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Artie

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Artie,

I went to the rack store today. The large Rhino eyebolts have the large backing plate. Rhino has a longer opening to get them in. They said they do the same thing you did. Put them in with the end off. Once in they slide on the rail. A properly set up platform will have 2-4 eyebolts in each rail so you never move them from rail to rail. They are way more heavy duty than the Yakima or Rhino small eyebolts. Then you can adjust what you need and not have to repack the roof. Same with the shovel and side Maxtrax holder. You install it and never take it off. The small eyebolts and single single mounting backing plates are identical to the Rhino Racks. So when the Yakima platform first came out that’s what they do and still do as they don’t have as many accessories yet. Sorry for misleading you. They do work but are a little bigger pain to use. They did not tell me that, but I actually bought more eyebolts as what they say is true. You really need them on all the rails. My Maxtraxs and awning brackets lock three of the eyebolts from moving down the rail. I just put 4 more on so I have a more usable system.

Yakima single eyebolts with Rhino backing plate next to it are the same but the color. The one I brought is for the Rotopax so the treaded hole is smaller.
c4083d2a8984c42066099ea38745fced.jpg

The small Rhino Eyebolts
18d047fe8a2d990ba63cc22858d33798.jpg


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Thanks for the info. The rhino eye bolts I have came with a much thicker backing plate. Once I’m done fiddling with this platform install I promise to send a pic. I may have a clearance issue getting in and out of my garage if I leave anything attached to the platform. I gotta take some measurements. I was hoping to attach it straight to the towers but I’m half an inch shy of the required width so I had to go the same route as you did and mount on top of bars. I didn’t try to use the factory bars based partly on your complaints of noise and also the fact that the mounting surface on them appears to be plastic.
 

Artie

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Artie,

I went to the rack store today. The large Rhino eyebolts have the large backing plate. Rhino has a longer opening to get them in. They said they do the same thing you did. Put them in with the end off. Once in they slide on the rail. A properly set up platform will have 2-4 eyebolts in each rail so you never move them from rail to rail. They are way more heavy duty than the Yakima or Rhino small eyebolts. Then you can adjust what you need and not have to repack the roof. Same with the shovel and side Maxtrax holder. You install it and never take it off. The small eyebolts and single single mounting backing plates are identical to the Rhino Racks. So when the Yakima platform first came out that’s what they do and still do as they don’t have as many accessories yet. Sorry for misleading you. They do work but are a little bigger pain to use. They did not tell me that, but I actually bought more eyebolts as what they say is true. You really need them on all the rails. My Maxtraxs and awning brackets lock three of the eyebolts from moving down the rail. I just put 4 more on so I have a more usable system.

Yakima single eyebolts with Rhino backing plate next to it are the same but the color. The one I brought is for the Rotopax so the treaded hole is smaller.
c4083d2a8984c42066099ea38745fced.jpg

The small Rhino Eyebolts
18d047fe8a2d990ba63cc22858d33798.jpg


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here’s a screen shot of the ones I got, looks like they are for the pioneer rack system. They are boxed up and ready to ship out for the return so I didn’t get a picture. The Yakima eyebolts hit my garage door just enough that I should probably take them off if I plan on leaving the platform on indefinitely. The pulley system works easy enough that I’ll leave it off until I need to use it or if I find myself needing it more often. It does sit up higher than I would like but it’s no biggie since it’s not on all the time. Thanks for your tips!

C6CF0548-AC71-4BBD-8608-4DDB16623DFC.png

512CC4C8-7257-469D-A6C6-13A983D80F1B.jpeg
 
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