carymccarr
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any chance you could load a pic? trying to decide what to do...thanks
LOW profile rooftop rack
- Thread starter Dakota4ce
- Start date
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any chance you could load a pic? trying to decide what to do...thanks
That’s not offensively high in my book. Looks sharp AF, actually.
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It’s about 3” higher than mounted to the factory cross bars. I just measured it. I thought it was 4”. I bought it all locally at a place called Rack N Road. They sell Yakima, Thule, Rhino and a few others. The sales guy was really pushing the Yakima bars. I wanted the Rhino as I’m one those guys that like stuff to match. He knew I wasn’t that happy when I saw it. He said drive it a week and if the rattle was still there or I absolutely hated the higher bar he would install the lower cross bars. He didn’t think the wind noise would change much. But it did and the rattle and banging where gone from the flexing stock bars. So I thought it was worth it. I can still get in the airport parking garage so that is good enough. I would buy the Yakima platform but the Rhino had a better size for me. Mine is a 76”x54”. The Yakima is either a bit longer or wider. I can still open the sunroof and there is no rack in the way. The rear seat glass you do see the rack. And it doesn’t stick out past the roof line. I saw a Tahoe today that had the wider platform and it kinda looked dumb sticking out past the body.
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I did the measurements you listed on one of your previous posts and agree, 76 inches for the MAX for sure, mine is a regular length and the 60x54 Yakima is in the sweet spot. I would not want one out past the body as well.
StealthyBulldog
Full Access Members
What do you think about 68x41? Is the 41 too narrow? It's really just from a looks standpoint, not for any true functionality.
It’s only 6.5” in from both sides. I think it would look ok. It would be inside the rails. Where the 54” is just outside the rails. There is some function to the wider racks. More room for cargo and if you want to hang anything off the side rails it will not hit the car rails. My awning and shovel would not work very well with the narrow rack. And I could not put my Maxtrax on the roof side ways with the side rack rails as they are 45” long. If you add the side rails you loose even more space. So it really depends on how you want to set it up for your needs.
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41 inches is fairly narrow... that’s about the same width as the sunroof so it would sit inside the rails by a couple inches on both sides. 54 inches is just outside the rails but still inside the width of the vehicle. I don’t know about the length as that is really a personal preference and dependent upon which length vehicle you have... MAX or the regular length.
AKentPhoto
Full Access Members
Personally... if it is just for looks I would recommend the shorter fatter one. It will look more substantial and be further away from the driver seat (noise). But if you are planning on just using it on the factory rails and use a touch car washes having it inside the rails might be nice...
AKentPhoto
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@Fozzy
How did you run your wiring for the aux lights?
How did you run your wiring for the aux lights?
PHIL NOWASKI
Active Member
Front Runner was able to use 4 existing holes & the rest had to be new holes.
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.
Down the trim to the right side of the lift strut.
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.
Anyone have a better way, let me know. It might be my quarantine project if things get bad.
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bushpilot
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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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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.
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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.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.
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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.
The small Rhino Eyebolts
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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.
The small Rhino Eyebolts
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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,
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.
The small Rhino Eyebolts
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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!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.
The small Rhino Eyebolts
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