Another Prinsu Roof Rack mount option (1 Viewer)

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dogfishlake

"Go on a living spree"
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I did the initial install of my roof rack, following pictures of others' installs here since there are no instructions (really not a huge deal, as I discovered there pretty much is one way to do it).
I noticed a few things I didn't like right away:
First, the hardware is too long. There are rubber caps supplied to cover the tops of the bolt assembly, but the mounting bolt is too long on the front and rear mounts for the caps to cover properly. The inner two can be capped, but the mismatch looks funny. I originally figured I'd just skip the caps and keep it industrial looking, but I found other issues.

Second, the angle that the mount bolt passes through the bracket is steep enough that the star lock washer barely makes contact on one side. I really think it will function this way, but it just looks sketchy (lots of my own home made stuff is sketchy looking too, but I'm trying to turn over a new leaf here).

Third and worst, the mount bolt goes up from the bottom, threading through the lower clamp and then up through the upper bracket. This hangs just low enough to interfere with door closure, mostly just the door gasket, but on at least one door, it actually just touches the frame - the straw that broke the camels back.

Here's a picture of the original assembly
SAM_0647.JPG
SAM_0648.JPG


My solution was to use a shorter bolt from the top, and something to compensate for the angle.
I found wedge washers from McMaster Carr that are made to square up I beam when using through bolts in it. They come in packs of 5 which is a bummer because I needed 6. Oh well, more spares. Next, I purchased stainless bolts (painted them black) , four 5/16-18, 1 1/2" long, and four 5/16-18, 2" long. The shorter bolts worked for the inner two brackets on each side and the longer two on the outer two brackets. I used the nuts with the star washers (I actually bought new stainless ones painted black, but you could reuse what you have) as jam nuts from the top once tension was set. The supplied fender washer comes next, followed by the wedge washer, then through the bracket. I found I did not need the wedge washer on the rear most mount, hence the need for only 6.
Pretty simple deal, especially if I had done this first, not after installing it the other way.
I can now use the rubber caps, and I think it looks much cleaner.
SAM_0646.JPG
SAM_0652.JPG
 
Heres the parts and a pic of the assembly without the rubber cap.
SAM_0643.JPG
SAM_0645.JPG
 
Clean, nice find on those angled washers
 
I used the aluminum leveling washers product # 92810A120
 
Very Nice, thanks for the write-up!
 
I like the mods. I've been wondering why Prinsu didn't do anything about the angle on the mounting bolts... Another fix I'd been thinking about was simply adding more bend to the brackets that bolt to the rack.

So, on the original setup are the long bolts threaded into and through the barrel nut from the bottom? Could you just use a stud threaded into the barrel nut from the top?

Also, why bother with the nut on the new setup? Can't you just set the tension with the bolt itself?
 
I like the mods. I've been wondering why Prinsu didn't do anything about the angle on the mounting bolts... Another fix I'd been thinking about was simply adding more bend to the brackets that bolt to the rack.

So, on the original setup are the long bolts threaded into and through the barrel nut from the bottom? Could you just use a stud threaded into the barrel nut from the top?

Also, why bother with the nut on the new setup? Can't you just set the tension with the bolt itself?


You could bent the brackets more. Part of the reason I didn't was that I already powder coated mine and while the powder will bend just fine with the part, I would mar it up because I don't have a brake. The rear left and right don't need any more actually, so if you go this route, just rebend 6 of them.

You could do a stud from the top, I just did a shorter bolt from the top. You likely would be just fine with an even shorter bolt (should be 1/4" shorter which would be tough to find, I think), I did the nut partly because the bolt would cause the bracket to turn once it was getting tight, and I just spent too much money on brand new drip mouldings and was trying not to mess those up. I could get it close with the bolt, then final tighten the nut. Also, the rubber caps fit better with the height of the bolt head and nut. Just working with what I had really.
 
Nice work. That would have drove me crazy too.

image.jpeg

^That is just plain awful looking. Maybe I'm off base here, but it looks to me if that upper bracket was bent to a angle higher than 90 it would seat properly. Would that be the case?
 
Yeah, that is pretty awful. Good thread, I'll be bookmarking it for my install in the next few weeks. That angle would've really bothered me if I didn't have a solution ready for it.
 
Nice work. That would have drove me crazy too.

View attachment 1327517
^That is just plain awful looking. Maybe I'm off base here, but it looks to me if that upper bracket was bent to a angle higher than 90 it would seat properly. Would that be the case?
It probably would be good that way. The rear two don't need near as much bend, but the other 6 do.
 
I have a brake in my garage so one of the guys that I helped install his rack thats exactly what I did was just custom angled each one. Took no time. Don't need a brake, could use a vice and a hammer as well. SS bolts are softer and not as strong as graded steel bolts FWIW.
 
I have a brake in my garage so one of the guys that I helped install his rack thats exactly what I did was just custom angled each one. Took no time. Don't need a brake, could use a vice and a hammer as well. SS bolts are softer and not as strong as graded steel bolts FWIW.
I still don't like the bolt from the bottom though, and I'd rather have the anti corrosion protection of the stainless bolt. I believe the chances of the bolt ever failing, or at least being the first point of failure are less than zero.
 
I still don't like the bolt from the bottom though, and I'd rather have the anti corrosion protection of the stainless bolt. I believe the chances of the bolt ever failing, or at least being the first point of failure are less than zero.

Yeah its highly unlikely. Just don't over torque it, it will snap.
 
Yeah its highly unlikely. Just don't over torque it, it will snap.
I put about as much faith in it torque wise as a grade 2 SAE
 
It's kind of splitting hairs, but I like the way the brackets are perfectly horizontal with the truck; and with the wedge washers, the bolts follow the line of the truck downward and out slightly like it is intended. I may grind a radius in the wedge washers so they flow nice though.
 
I ordered the wedge washers today for mine
 
I love my Prinsu, but for the cost the hardware is cheap as s&$!

The margins on that rack have to be super high, and good for them for figuring out the design, but surely there is enough margin in these to supply decent hardware.

Thanks for the good idea, I'll be fixing mine this way.
 

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