Crossbars

Good morning everyone.

I’m looking at crossbars to add to my factory roof rails. I’m leaning towards LFD, but are there other brands to consider?

Also, besides potential rust prevention, is there any other reason to go with stainless over steel? Is there big weight savings with stainless?

 

OMAC, less than $100. Free Shipping

 

Thanks. I will take a look at these.

 

I installed the LFD set on stock side rails a month ago and like them.

Some observations:

• all needed hardware was included and they are quality pieces (stainless too)
• gauge of metal used is nice and heavy
• slotting on bars is useful for using carriage bolts from underneath to attach things
• they were well-packaged (many places send out loose metal pieces in cardboard boxes)

I've done a fair bit of metal fabrication and understand the thought and work that goes into it.

These are well made and I think they're a solid value.

No affiliation, just a happy customer.

Jason

 

Thanks Jason. Did you get the steel or stainless steel? Can you share a pic of it installed?

 

Rago Fabrication’s makes some … I don’t own these but they look pretty nice.
See Link:

 

Stainless.

Only have one.

Jason

 

Great picture! The rails are cool too...

 

Im pleased with how the Niserack brackets look on my rig.

 

I put the LFD bundle on

https://www.lfdoffroad.com/catalog/toyota/5th-gen/crossbars-5th/ruggedized-crossbar-bundle

And love it so far. Others had issues with clearance of the fairing. Look around the forum and you’ll find several write ups and pics.

 

I really like the look and function of the LFDs and bought a pair of them in stainless a while back. But the aero fairing touches the roof. Another guy that bought around the same time had his about a 1/16 in from the roof, which was close enough that the roof sheet metal started to vibrate onto the bar at speed, which gouged his paint off. LFD will ship it with a piece of weather stripping, but if the metal already touches you’ll have to push the roof metal down.

I mentioned it to LFD, and to put it kindly, they dont consider this interference to be a defect.

If the OP doesnt want the bar to touch, dont get the aero version of the crossbar. Just get the regular ones and live with a little extra wind noise.

Of all of the cross bars Ive seen, the LFD ones look the best, and are the most useful looking with the slots that come with it. I returned mine, but kinda wish I would have just asked them to swap the aero bar for a regular one.

 

Thanks, I did see the write up about the fairing touching, which concerned me. I like the LFD for functionality, how is the wind noise without the fairing?

someone also mentioned Rago, which look really nice too. I like the pre-tapped bolt holes, but they appear to sit lower, which may be a problem add attachments to it.

I don’t need to carry a lot of weight-not doing a tent or anything. I plan on adding some maxtraxx type things and maybe a box with recovery gear for when we go off road, but other than that maybe a piece of lumber every now and then.

 

following.

 

I've had the LFDs for several weeks now and their quiet as a mouse - of course that may change when I get around to taking them out of the box and putting them on the roof where they belong...

 

I recently installed the LFD cross bars. They are well made and easy to install. However, I had assumed (my bad) that being elevated from the rails would make it easy to reach under to install carriage bolts. Not so much. And if you want to bolt a cargo box down you have to figure out some way to hold the bolt in place since there is no "bottom" to the rail. T-nuts don't work because the rails are too wide. Overall I like the bars but if I had it to do over I get something made out of 80/20 stuff so make it easier to install/remove equipment from the rails. Maybe I'm just the dumbest kid in school.

 

@kwill - do you think a rack with T-Slots would be easier to work with to mount things? Considering the Niserack brackets with TNutz rails for easy customization.

 

Easy solution is to create captive nuts on the underside of the bars.



This also exemplifies one of the reasons to go with mild steel over aluminium.

 

Yes, I would probably go that route if I were to do it over.

 

Well, it's an interesting solution but not so easy of those of us who do not weld and/or want to haul different stuff at different times with different mounting points. The LFD bars are slotted to give you flexibility. Fixed points kind of defeat that option.

 

Look up "rivet nuts". They are a means to install a permanent threaded boss into a through-hole or blind hole without welding.

It is a shouldered sleeve, internally threaded, with a tail that expands on installation to grip the hole from the back side.

Some require an installation tool. These are usually for the trades or high-volume use. They can also be installed manually with an installer screw and box wrenches.

Many RV/camping equipment companies include them as part of their installation hardware.

Jason

 

Thanks, Jason. I've familiar with rivnuts and have used them for other applications. But, again, it defeats the flexibility requirement. I carry different stuff depending on the trip--region, duration, number of people, with or without trailer....

 

I hear you. I feel the same. Have been monkeying around with different carriage bolts and t-nuts in the meanwhile.

Anyway you slice it, perfect modularity doesn't exist and racks and accessories are a giant pain in the ass. ;-0

Jason