what were we thinking?? Roof rack

3113 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by gon2srf, May 30, 2008

jokerizwild

Discussion Starter · May 30, 2008

Hi All--

So stoked to buy the New Trail Edition.

Got the roof rack to cary surfboards. Was told by the dealer that the bars were exchangeable. i.e bottom rail to top etc...

Well get the truck home grab the boards and guess what they are not interchangeable at all. Plus what's up with the plastic ends??

Question:
Why only one long rail and again why only one? What can you do with just one? (Dry a towel)
Called the dealership and there response was well we don't sell them separately.

Lovely 800$ for some thing that is utterly useless and cuts MPG's too..

Anyone know or have any luck securing another top rail. I don't want to go spend another few hundred to make something i have already purchased work :boohoo:

Please if you know something please help. Thanks in advance

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gon2srf

· #13 · May 30, 2008

You can move the bottom crossbars to within a foot of the front of the rack. Use one of the bottom bars which are longer. I used the OEM crossbars to carry 4 boards all over Baja, no worries. A better set up is an aftermarket rack like Gobi, ARB, Wilderness Trails, etc. You can also use the Yakima crossbars on top of the existing rack or with the stealth mounts that someone here on the forum (Fjoel) produces. The OEM's do work though.

This picture shows the crossbar forward and holding a 6'8" fish. I never had to adjust anything and I was pretty tough on the rig this day.

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gon2srf

· #14 · May 30, 2008 (Edited)

Kramer said:
Okay I just went out to give it a deeper look.
The cross-member on the top was shorter than the ones on the bottom. So I took one from the bottom and put it up top, expanded all the way out and with it all the way forward it comes very close to fitting. Not quite, but close enough to tighten things down. But now I cannot get the original top cross-member to fit on the bottom. So I'll get out a tap and dye set. There's plenty of room to add an additional screw hole on the underside of the the cross-member(s) which will allow me to connect the clamps and give me enough play-room.
Things should have been this way to begin with but I guess since it's a dealer (or port) add-on they just slap them up there without much thought or consideration.

Question. Does the top cross-member scootched (nice word) all the way forward cause a lot of wind-noise? Or am I going to have to move it back and out of the way each time I'm done with it?

You figured it out.

I don't remember much noise until I added lights, then forget about it. :lol:

I used these Thules for up to 3 short boards or 2 longboards. $60.00 and super easy to use. They fit the OEM crossbars.

Here is a picture of a set up 60" Yakima cross bars U-bolted to the aluminum OEM rack. This is a rock solid setup.

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