Get more from your factory roof rack with t-slotted aluminum (8020) (2 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

tbisaacs

It's basically a Land Cruiser
SILVER Star
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Threads
40
Messages
3,893
Location
Renton, WA
Website
instagram.com
Hey gang,

In the summer I keep an XL Thule box on top, plus maxtrax, shovel, and a pop-up shelter that I hope to replace with a fixed awning.

Someday I want to get a Gobi or FrontRunner rack for my 570. But today ain’t that day.

One common improvement is extra crossbars. But rather than do that, I decided to instead get some T-slotted extruded aluminum bars from 8020.net.

RvZ0mJx.jpg


I like this set up a lot because it’s super rigid and will allow me to use aftermarket accessories (such as front runner tie downs and “Stratchets”.

Note that I left my front OEM bar in place - because I did this there is no extra noise. This weekend I may try and take it off just to see what it’s like.

I chose black anodized because I didn’t want it to look too DIY. I also paid a few extra bucks for milled access holes to slide accessories into:

MdvIhbh.jpg


Here is a finished bar w/maxtrax mount:

lSXTwo1.jpg


The whole setup was $130. I will add a third and maybe 4th bar. Very happy!

ZgKHLyR.jpg
 
Hey gang,

In the summer I keep an XL Thule box on top, plus maxtrax, shovel, and a pop-up shelter that I hope to replace with a fixed awning.

Someday I want to get a Gobi or FrontRunner rack for my 570. But today ain’t that day.

One common improvement is extra crossbars. But rather than do that, I decided to instead get some T-slotted extruded aluminum bars from 8020.net.

RvZ0mJx.jpg


I like this set up a lot because it’s super rigid and will allow me to use aftermarket accessories (such as front runner tie downs and “Stratchets”.

Note that I left my front OEM bar in place - because I did this there is no extra noise. This weekend I may try and take it off just to see what it’s like.

I chose black anodized because I didn’t want it to look too DIY. I also paid a few extra bucks for milled access holes to slide accessories into:

MdvIhbh.jpg


Here is a finished bar w/maxtrax mount:

lSXTwo1.jpg


The whole setup was $130. I will add a third and maybe 4th bar. Very happy!

ZgKHLyR.jpg
What a great idea...thanks for sharing!
 
Brilliant! Gotta hand it to you for the ingenuity here. I think you may be onto something that's going to become a "thing".
 
You might try sistering one of these quarter rounds as a leading or trailing edge.

1931328
 
It's a bit more specialized than what you'd find at Home Depot, but many venders sell these things. @tbisaacs ?
 
You might try sistering one of these quarter rounds as a leading or trailing edge.

View attachment 1931328

Hey yea it crossed my mind too! They also make smooth profiles, and profiles with no front slot, and a slot filler. Literally endless possibilities!
 
I have a set of black tie down rings from Front Runner on the way:


These are different than standard eye bolts because the bolt is on the bottom. This allows them to be slid in and tightened up by hand.
 
Nice work and great idea. Don't be surprised if the Front Runner bolt does not fit into the 8020 T-slot. Prinsu shipped very similar tie downs with their rack, but used a carriage bolt instead. Probably an easy swap if needed.

1020-s_dimensional_drawing_1.png
 
Last edited:
Nice work and great idea. Don't be surprised if the Front Runner bolt does not fit into the 8020 T-slot. Prinsu shipped a very similar tie downs with their rack, but used a carriage bolt instead. Probably an easy swap if needed.

View attachment 1931398
Thanks for the heads up!
 
I have a set of black tie down rings from Front Runner on the way:


These are different than standard eye bolts because the bolt is on the bottom. This allows them to be slid in and tightened up by hand.
Google "m8 eye bolt"...major cost savings. Other than that, an outstanding job and one that's now near the top of the list.
 
Awesome work, thanks a bunch for sharing! I had to look it up, so keep in mind the max weight on the factory "roof luggage carrier" is 154lb (reference page 173 in 2016 manual). I wish I had known about this before I replaced mine with the Front Runner although I've gotten a ton of use out of it.
 
Awesome work, thanks a bunch for sharing! I had to look it up, so keep in mind the max weight on the factory "roof luggage carrier" is 154lb (reference page 173 in 2016 manual). I wish I had known about this before I replaced mine with the Front Runner although I've gotten a ton of use out of it.

154lbs is actually a lot, ~10% of the vehicle payload.
 
Are these "tall" enough so as anything on top will clear the fin? Specifically, SUP and surboards

That might be an issue. The OEM bars have a huge bow in them - the aluminum ones do not.
 
Awesome work, thanks a bunch for sharing! I had to look it up, so keep in mind the max weight on the factory "roof luggage carrier" is 154lb (reference page 173 in 2016 manual). I wish I had known about this before I replaced mine with the Front Runner although I've gotten a ton of use out of it.

There's possibly some confusion here - or maybe it's just me who's confused.

The "vehicle specification" for the factory roof rack is indeed 154 LB.

Adding the FrontRunner rack does not change that (note the footnote at the end):

Unlike most roof racks, the Slimline II was designed and built specifically for off-road use. Manufactured with high density aluminum, the Front Runner Slimline II tray is rated to carry 300 kgs / 660 lbs and can withstand the stress of any adventure. *

The load support slats fit into a double walled aluminum extrusion channel on the side profiles and are secured via locking nuts. This patented design creates a joint support that is stronger than usual for a roof rack.

The Slimline II’s L-shaped rear and front slat design increases the strength of the entire rack, making the Slimline II the lightest and the strongest roof rack available.

(*the rack must always be loaded in accordance with the vehicle’s load rating specifications).

So... with or without the FrontRunner rack (or any rack, for that matter) the specified limit for loads on our roofs is the same - 154 LB.

Right?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom