Roof Rack on a Gen1 4Runner (1 Viewer)

[WarDamnEagle]

Well I have made suggestions in a couple of threads (just resurrected one in fact) but thought maybe a new thread would be in order. Search doesn't bring up any threads other than the one or two that I've already posted in.

I would like to install a roof rack on my 4Runner and I'm thinking that it needs to be this one:

Truck Cap Wilderness Roof Rack (Off-Road Series)

I'm thinking that it would work very well. Just drop the headliner in the fiberglass shell and bolt through to the inside then reinstall the headliner. I've attached a pic from Garvin's website showing a good photo of the type of roof rack that I'm contemplating.

Again, I've made this suggestion in a couple of roof rack build threads but no one has confirmed that they've mounted the rack in a similar fashion. For example:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/157385-roof-rack-ideas-84-4runner.html

Anyone have experience with this rack or something similar on their 4Runner?

 

[toyminator]

I have no experience with this roofrack but I know in general they make an already top heavy 4Runner even worse.

Just my 2 Cents.

 

[WristPin]

i was just gonna use a twin matress bed frame and weld some sides to it.

 

[Eric_M]

I dont see any reason why this would not work, I have had two people siting on my top and it was just fine.

I think if you pick the right parts to attach the rack mounts to it should work fine, just be care full how much you put up there. You might also want to add some larger feet on the rack to help spread the weight out over a larger surface area, and a backing plate might help to.

I would be worried that its really going to mess with your center of gravity.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I have no experience with this roofrack but I know in general they make an already top heavy 4Runner even worse.

Just my 2 Cents.

I would be worried that its really going to mess with your center of gravity.

I've never thought of my 4Runner as top heavy. At least no more so than a Hilux. That fiberglass top isn't very heavy and the rear seat sits pretty low in the 4Runner so I don't think that's appreciably raising the center of gravity. None of these racks weigh more than 100 pounds and it's not like I'm planning to put a family of 5 on the roof. I just like the look of a nice safari basket on the roof with a couple of lights forward and reverse. I don't drive this 4Runner up and down the interstate very much either so wind noise, loss of gas mileage, etc. doesn't really sway me against the idea either.

But thanks for the advice.

Now back to topic. I've found a couple of other alternative racks that I really like and I think I know which direction I'm heading. Like most of my projects, this one will be a few months in the planning and won't get installed until next summer..... but at least that gives me plenty of time to ponder.

 

[El_Toyotero]

I put a roof rack on my 88. I'd recommend making the holes in the front very close to the front of the fiberglass... a few inches back and it get's very thin... about 1/8 inch. In the rear it was about 1/2 inch thick. I made feet that extend all the way to the front edge of the fiberglass to put the rack/cargo weight there and put the bolts about 2 inches back.


I made the rack because I didn't like any I saw available... I made it low profile, it adds only about 4" to the roof ( i meant for it to be a little shorter..)

It has held up perfectly. Carried a lot of cargo and canoes to some rough places and never cracked the roof.

- El Toyotero

 

[Devils Paw 80]

I had a gutter mounted Thule on my'85 Runner. Don't see why that wouldn't meet your needs, with one of those bullet shaped cargo containers when necessary. Such a rack would also give you the flexibility to haul watercraft or building supplies up top. I don't like the idea of drilling holes through the roof.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I had a gutter mounted Thule on my'85 Runner. Don't see why that wouldn't meet your needs, with one of those bullet shaped cargo containers when necessary. Such a rack would also give you the flexibility to haul watercraft or building supplies up top. I don't like the idea of drilling holes through the roof.

For some reason drilling holes into the fiberglass shell doesn't bother me. Maybe it should but it doesn't. Also I don't think I would like the looks of a rack over the cab part of the 4Runner. For me it has to be located more or less over the entire shell. As far as needs, I have to admit that it has more to do with looks than anything else...that and to serve as an elaborate and expensive mounting bracket for a couple of lights forward and reverse. Not saying I might not throw my spare tire up there upon occassion but otherwise it will probably stay mostly empty.

 

[El_Toyotero]

For some reason drilling holes into the fiberglass shell doesn't bother me. Maybe it should but it doesn't. Also I don't think I would like the looks of a rack over the cab part of the 4Runner. For me it has to be located more or less over the entire shell. As far as needs, I have to admit that it has more to do with looks than anything else...that and to serve as an elaborate and expensive mounting bracket for a couple of lights forward and reverse. Not saying I might not throw my spare tire up there upon occassion but otherwise it will probably stay mostly empty.

I don't like the gutter mounts for 1st Gen 4Runners... the window rain gutter doesn't extend back far enough, and I've seen more than one broken rain gutters (the fiberglass part).

I'll see if I can take some photos of mine tonight and I'll show you where I drilled the holes and how I made the feet.

I've put my spare on the roof a couple of times... you can feel the weight up high when you turn. a kinda tippy feeling.




EDIT... BTW, I made this 8 years ago and it was my second welding project... it could be better designed, but hey, it works. (the light bar was kind of a hokey after-thought with a spare piece of angle..)

You can see where I put the holes in the roof and how long the front 'feet' are...

 

[MRB21]

I don't like the gutter mounts for 1st Gen 4Runners... the window rain gutter doesn't extend back far enough, and I've seen more than one broken rain gutters (the fiberglass part).

I'll see if I can take some photos of mine tonight and I'll show you where I drilled the holes and how I made the feet.

I've put my spare on the roof a couple of times... you can feel the weight up high when you turn. a kinda tippy feeling.




EDIT... BTW, I made this 8 years ago and it was my second welding project... it could be better designed, but hey, it works. (the light bar was kind of a hokey after-thought with a spare piece of angle..)

You can see where I put the holes in the roof and how long the front 'feet' are...

I don't like the gutter mounts for 1st Gen 4Runners... the window rain gutter doesn't extend back far enough, and I've seen more than one broken rain gutters (the fiberglass part).

I'll see if I can take some photos of mine tonight and I'll show you where I drilled the holes and how I made the feet.

I've put my spare on the roof a couple of times... you can feel the weight up high when you turn. a kinda tippy feeling.




EDIT... BTW, I made this 8 years ago and it was my second welding project... it could be better designed, but hey, it works. (the light bar was kind of a hokey after-thought with a spare piece of angle..)

You can see where I put the holes in the roof and how long the front 'feet' are...

Nice job on that roof rack for this 4-runner model. Taking into account that it was your second welding project, you did really good!! I liked how you mounted the front lights.