Roof Rack Decisions

You got it.

Mounting: No problem at all for me. We have the thule Sidekick, which has a flat bottom. I just took off the mounting hardware and used two factory holes to poke the 8mm bolts up from the Frontrunner rails. Then inside i used wide washers to spread the load and tightened the nuts once I had the Thule box situated left/right and fore/aft. I did exactly the same thing with my Rifle case, except I had to drill fresh holes since it didn't have any to begin with. I put the sealing/waterproofing stickers that Thule provide to cover the un-used holes and it's been very water/dust resistant so far.

No tent mounts needed for our application.

Also, what's great is that though they're only held by 4 bolts (which is plenty, IMO), depending on length, they sit flat on 4-5 wide rack rails, meaning most cases are MUCH sturdier fully loaded than when they're only mounted on 2 load bars.

 

Nice setup!

 

Thanks! It does what I need it to do.

 

I have to disagree with those saying it’s more expensive to build your own. I paid right at $700 to build my own, and I did it with aluminum, and was able to add my own design touches (like the custom windscreen and actual finished mounts). I don’t recommend it for anyone who isn’t already loaded down with tools and time, but if you have those (and you love building projects for your truck), this isn’t a bad choice.



My 110lb wife can carry my aluminum roof rack by herself when we have it off the car. She was stunned when she realized that. I’ll bet it weighs 1/3 of typical racks and still does everything I need

 

What kind of lightbar is that with your Sherpa?

I am in a very similar boat. I am cross between a Wescott and Sherpa. Wondering if the Sherpa panels fit with Wescott rack. I also like how Sherpa doesn't have any holes to apply caulking.

 

I went for the Nfab rack because it attaches to the present rack system and doesn't block the sun roof. Not my 4runner btw.

 

Another vote for Crestone

 

I went with gobi stealth no rise because it was low enough profile to still fit in the garage and offered the versatility I wanted. It's not cheap and lead times can be long (I think they've gotten better) but I'm happy with it. It's been on for a couple of years now with no leaks (no extra silicone or butyl tape, just regular install instructions) and I keep inspecting for rust, especially in welded corners. Not a spec of rust which speaks to their attention to detail and quality

 

Nice setup! Smaller load area but really seems like it’d work well with the sunroof. I also would think that it’d be pretty quiet/slick windwise.

 

I have decided on getting a Sherpa Crestone rack for my 21 Venture. What boxes and hardware for the boxes do you have attached in the pic? I absolutely love the ROAM boxes, but cannot see spending that kind of money right now for storage.

 

I will be getting the Crestone with a light bar as well. What length light bar is that on your rack?

 

Has anyone ran or heard of Rugged Bound? I love the way theirs looks - all in the same plane, but different. I have heard good things about them, but was curious if anyone has experience with them. Also the price

https://www.ruggedbound.com/collections/roof-racks/products/roof-rack-toyota-5th-gen-4runner

 

Never heard of them but this caught my attention.

NOTE: Proper installation for full rating requires drilling and partial dropping of headliner to allow access for inserting the 3" x 3/4" x 1/4" threaded stud plate under the ceiling. Using an installer familiar with Toyota work is suggested for someone unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the vehicle-specific work involved. The "no-drill" option uses the same hardware on top but simply uses mounting tape instead of 2 x M8 bolts. Full-length installation video and call-center support available for installation help for DIY customers.

 

Yeah I noticed that. From what I have read is they are "solid", but I am guessing because you are getting into that much drilling!

 

Removing headliner to add stud plate in ceiling sounds messy. I have heard of other roof rack installs gone wrong trying to attach to factory plate that slips. To fix removing headliner is required. Thanks for sharing I haven't seen this one and it's unique.

 

Yeah that's why I gravitated towards it. Looks like I need to get with my grandpa and use this design as a template, but do a custom rack that matches the factory mounting positions.

 

I am not keen on the drilling for achieving a "full rating."

 

Everyone has their own goals and risk tolerance. I agree not interested in drilling into roof.

 

To me that says "you risk it to get the biscuit - not us"

 

Good choice. Lots of folks seem to like that setup. Roam boxes are nice but very spendy. They also seem to have REALLY thick sides which cuts down on storage space.

take a look at harbor freight rifle cases. I wasnt convinced until i saw them in person. Very tough, nice latches and i put a TON of useful stuff up top without getting too heavy.

 

Totally agree on the harbor freight rifle box. It's close to a Pelican. Very impressed with it. It's got wheels on it too which makes sliding it on roof easier for going up and off the rack.

 

When I first started researching racks and saw all the full length no drill options I remember thinking “wait a minute. The rack has six feet, but only four of them bolt to the roof? Sounds kinda cheesy.” Of course now I know that hundreds of people have been using such racks without issue, but at the time it struck me as odd.

As an aside, the Camel Trophy Land Rovers have a roof rack with tubing that goes through the roof, down through the cabin, and through the floor to the frame. The roof rack can support the weight of the vehicle in a rollover.

 

I have a mental image of the desert strewn with inverted Land Rovers, like turtles on their backs.

 

I got a 44" lightbar

 

I'm also getting a 44" lightbar. It looks great.

 

I have seen them and like the build quality. That's the direction I will likely go with storage as well. Need to research the best way to attach to the Sherpa.

 

Please tell me that is Dunder Mifflin warehouse!

 

If you don't like ROAM's price, you won't like these any better I'm afraid. This is Pelican's new "Cargo" line, with their proprietary mounting brackets and they are great, but probably even more expensive than ROAM.

 

HA! You're right, it looks incredibly like it to me as well.

I took these shots of my pup last October on a road trip when we passed through Scranton (and yes, Alfredo's pizza was to die for. My mouth is watering just thinking about it):

 

Any build thread on this? Looks great!