LOW profile rooftop rack

[Fozzy]

I fabbed up and powdercoated some simple brackets out of angle stock that let me clamp thule square bars directly to the stock rails. It's about as low profile as you can get.

Post some pics and let us know how the wind noise is.


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[rs4-380]

Sorry, no pictures on the car. the brackets bolt to the holes on the inside of the stock rails. When I have it on the car I have a thule box on it, so wind noise is really driven by that. It's 8 simple 10mm bolts to take off, so I just take the whole box/crossbar/brackets off as one piece when I don't need it.

 

[Fozzy]

Sorry, no pictures on the car. the brackets bolt to the holes on the inside of the stock rails. When I have it on the car I have a thule box on it, so wind noise is really driven by that. It's 8 simple 10mm bolts to take off, so I just take the whole box/crossbar/brackets off as one piece when I don't need it.

View attachment 38963

I gotcha now. I have been thinking about something like that with custom cross bars out of tubing. I hate the look of the big rail clamps I have. But I have settled for the taller rack because of the noise and snow. It still sucks to clean the moon roof and lube the gasket unless I take it off.


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[DrPangloss]

Hi,

I have read and reread this a few times, @Fozzy It's unclear to me how you mounted the pioneer platform to the stock crossbars. I was on the phone with eTrailer, they say there is no fit kit or universal mount for crossbars, trying to sell me a new rhino crossbar set. How did you attach these to your stock bars?

 

[DrPangloss]

Alright, well I went with an 84" by 49" Yakima Lock N Load which came with a kit to mount to the stock crossbars. I'll update here when I get it on.

 

[Fozzy]

Hi,

I have read and reread this a few times, @Fozzy It's unclear to me how you mounted the pioneer platform to the stock crossbars. I was on the phone with eTrailer, they say there is no fit kit or universal mount for crossbars, trying to sell me a new rhino crossbar set. How did you attach these to your stock bars?

I think most people that have had trouble fitting their roof racks try to order theirs online. I went to an actual rack store where that’s all they do is roof mounted baskets, racks, rocket boxes,tents and awnings. They have all the parts and know what fits. I used the Rhino Rack universal mount that came with my rack to mount to the factory crossbars.

Picture of the piece that goes under the factory crossbars



Picture of the top mount. In this picture I have reused the top mount and it is now in a T-slot on my HD bars. When mounted to the factory rails the two long bolts went through the outside holes and into the mount pictured above.



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[DrPangloss]

The Yakima wants a third crossbar for best performance. I see a third place in the middle to attach a cross bar, but I do not see single crossbars available from Ford. Has anyone put a 3rd crossbar on their expy?

 

[joethefordguy]

Apparently, there are some vendors that are in business for ... wait for it. ...

PROFIT!!!!

How dare they!

 

[Fozzy]

The Yakima wants a third crossbar for best performance. I see a third place in the middle to attach a cross bar, but I do not see single crossbars available from Ford. Has anyone put a 3rd crossbar on their expy?

The rear factory crossbar is just a little shorter than the front. Probably why you can only buy them in a pair.


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[Shaffer9]

Somebody on the forum got a single as a third...can't remember where from.