200 and LX 570 Roof Rack Photos or Options

[TheEvilPrince]

I've never had nor really shopped for a roof rack. I have a 2017 LX. Can someone help me understand what my options are? I have no interest in pulling down the headliner like what was mentioned earlier in this thread.

Are there any options besides adding the factory rails? If so what are they? And if only the factory rails, what can I realistically do with them?

 

[radman]

I have no interest in pulling down the headliner like what was mentioned earlier in this thread.

No other options. Drop the liner to add the captive nut plates = get any aftermarket rack you want. or add the stock crossbars to your current rails.

 

[nakman]

No other options. Drop the liner to add the captive nut plates = get any aftermarket rack you want. or add the stock crossbars to your current rails.

Huh? I have never had to add captive nut plates to an LX... once that rail is removed they are all down there, in fact that's what's holding the rail on. Only reason to drop the headliner is if you push the captive nuts down because you were too aggressive removing the factory rail.

@TheEvilPrince once you pop off your side rails you'll see the nuts in there, then you can bolt up pretty much anything. I made videos for removing the rack, and installing a new one, found here: Videos — Gamiviti - http://www.gamiviti.com/videos

 

[lx200inAR]

Huh? I have never had to add captive nut plates to an LX... once that rail is removed they are all down there, in fact that's what's holding the rail on. Only reason to drop the headliner is if you push the captive nuts down because you were too aggressive removing the factory rail.

@TheEvilPrince once you pop off your side rails you'll see the nuts in there, then you can bolt up pretty much anything. I made videos for removing the rack, and installing a new one, found here: Videos — Gamiviti - http://www.gamiviti.com/videos

I don't see a video for a 2016+ LX on your site. They don't have the same rails as the earlier LX's. I think the consensus is that the bolts for the new flush rails are attached from under the headliner. Description of process here. There was also a thread that showed a picture of it being installed with headliner removed.

Here's that other thread:

2016 LX Prinsu Roof Rack Install

I had some requests to post some pics of the Prinsu RR install I recently completed. As stated by a few others, this project wasn't easy. Matter of fact, it was quite the pain in the ass. As suggested, I hired an auto upholstery guy to take down my head liner. He started in the front and...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[radman]

Huh? I have never had to add captive nut plates to an LX... once that rail is removed they are all down there, in fact that's what's holding the rail on. Only reason to drop the headliner is if you push the captive nuts down because you were too aggressive removing the factory rail.

@TheEvilPrince once you pop off your side rails you'll see the nuts in there, then you can bolt up pretty much anything. I made videos for removing the rack, and installing a new one, found here: Videos — Gamiviti - http://www.gamiviti.com/videos

for some weird reason, toyota did away with captive nuts on 2016+ LX models

 

[nakman]

Well that is interesting, looks like I learned something today! But curious as we've been shipping LX racks for a while now without issue, perhaps they have all been 2015 and older, will have to look. I also have a friend with a 2017 LX, will see if I can get my hands on it sometime this fall to see this for myself.

 

[TheEvilPrince]

Well that is interesting, looks like I learned something today! But curious as we've been shipping LX racks for a while now without issue, perhaps they have all been 2015 and older, will have to look. I also have a friend with a 2017 LX, will see if I can get my hands on it sometime this fall to see this for myself.

Thanks for all the info all.

I'd love to hear about what you find.

So I guess now I have to figure out how bad it would be to pull down the headliner to do this and do some reading. I'd really like the versatility of a full rack.

 

[radman]

perhaps they have all been 2015 and older, will have to look.

yep.
here you go:

2016 LX Prinsu Roof Rack Install

I had some requests to post some pics of the Prinsu RR install I recently completed. As stated by a few others, this project wasn't easy. Matter of fact, it was quite the pain in the ass. As suggested, I hired an auto upholstery guy to take down my head liner. He started in the front and...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[TheEvilPrince]

An upholstery guy? Egads.

Um. So what can I do with the factory rails? Just like a Thule storage box or something?

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Thanks for all the info all.

I'd love to hear about what you find.

So I guess now I have to figure out how bad it would be to pull down the headliner to do this and do some reading. I'd really like the versatility of a full rack.

I would simply add aftermarket or OEM cross bars to your existing rails and call it a day.

Full racks look expo AF, but few people utilize them to their full extent, and they have their own downsides.

 

[TheEvilPrince]

I would simply add aftermarket or OEM cross bars to your existing rails and call it a day.

Full racks look expo AF, but few people utilize them to their full extent, and they have their own downsides.

I think that where I am leaning.

I assume with those though, I couldn't do anything like a rooftop tent or awning, right?

 

[nakman]

yep.
here you go:

2016 LX Prinsu Roof Rack Install

I had some requests to post some pics of the Prinsu RR install I recently completed. As stated by a few others, this project wasn't easy. Matter of fact, it was quite the pain in the ass. As suggested, I hired an auto upholstery guy to take down my head liner. He started in the front and...

forum.ih8mud.com

cool thanks for that. I clearly don't read every thread here... but if I understand correct the holes are there, but there are no nuts down below? So options are either drop the headliner to add your own nuts, or put riv nuts in from the top.

 

[radman]

cool thanks for that. I clearly don't read every thread here... but if I understand correct the holes are there, but there are no nuts down below? So options are either drop the headliner to add your own nuts, or put riv nuts in from the top.

correct, same holes and positions as the previous years. One guy sourced the factory nut plates from eBay, the guy in that thread screwed the nut on from below. Not sure if I (personally) would trust riv nits on a roof rack

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I think that where I am leaning.

I assume with those though, I couldn't do anything like a rooftop tent or awning, right?

Having a RTT on cross bars instead of a full rack is not only possible, but considerably easier. Reaching underneath a rack to tighten RTT hardware is a pain. Some racks have custom options for different mounting solutions, but they're all expensive and more complicated than the process should be.

There are plenty of options for mounting awnings to standard cross-bars, too. Brackets like these are commonplace from different manufacturers. You can bolt them down to your cross bars (much easier to do w/ aftermarket cross-bars than OEM ones), or u-bolt them to virtually anything. The only exception would be awnings like the AluCab Shadow 270 degree, which requires a very strong foundation in the corner/pivot, and would thus be better mounted to a large, rigid rack.

A platform rack makes it easier to mount/carry small items that are otherwise difficult to secure to cross bars. Things like propane tanks, a single bundle of firewood, jerry can, etc. But the rack 1) costs a lot 2) is heavy 3) limits access to the roof for cleaning or mounting things on the bottom of the rack/cross bars, 4) frequently introduces more wind noise than cross bars.

And worst of all, as soon as you put a RTT on the rack, the tent will take up 99% of the rack's space, so it won't be available for anything else, and having it becomes largely pointless.

If you can score a cheap, second-hand rack, that would be a good option. Otherwise, aftermarket cross bars would be my go-to.

For example, there's a RhinoRack platform rack currently for sale 10 mins from me for $500 CAD. If I didn't have a roof rack setup at all right now, I'd buy that rack. But I already have three RhinoRack cross bars installed, and the full platform rack offers very little upsides, and quite a few downsides, to make that change not worth it.

 

[TheEvilPrince]

Having a RTT on cross bars instead of a full rack is not only possible, but considerably easier. Reaching underneath a rack to tighten RTT hardware is a pain. Some racks have custom options for different mounting solutions, but they're all expensive and more complicated than the process should be.

There are plenty of options for mounting awnings to standard cross-bars, too. Brackets like these are commonplace from different manufacturers. You can bolt them down to your cross bars (much easier to do w/ aftermarket cross-bars than OEM ones), or u-bolt them to virtually anything. The only exception would be awnings like the AluCab Shadow 270 degree, which requires a very strong foundation in the corner/pivot, and would thus be better mounted to a large, rigid rack.

A platform rack makes it easier to mount/carry small items that are otherwise difficult to secure to cross bars. Things like propane tanks, a single bundle of firewood, jerry can, etc. But the rack 1) costs a lot 2) is heavy 3) limits access to the roof for cleaning or mounting things on the bottom of the rack/cross bars, 4) frequently introduces more wind noise than cross bars.

And worst of all, as soon as you put a RTT on the rack, the tent will take up 99% of the rack's space, so it won't be available for anything else, and having it becomes largely pointless.

Oh that's fantastic information, thank you. I feel like such a noob.

So there are no issues with weight of a RTT with just cross bars?

And what non-oem cross bars to people like to use with these the most?

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Oh that's fantastic information, thank you. I feel like such a noob.

So there are no issues with weight of a RTT with just cross bars?

And what non-oem cross bars to people like to use with these the most?

The major weight restriction is usually what your ROOF can carry, not so much the cross bars themselves. That said, spreading the weight of a tent over three or four cross bars (vs two) is never a bad idea, although not often strictly required, either. I'd say the vast majority of RTT users have their tents mounted to their two, original cross bars, and have no issues with that setup.

I'm a fan of RhinoRack Vortex bars. There are very similar options from Thule, Yakima, and many other manufacturers. Look for bars that have a channel at the top (and often bottom) which can accept hardware - there are use cases where this channel will come in handy (such as mounting the awning brackets I pointed you to above). OEM bars won't have such channels. These channels are usually covered with a rubber strip when not in use.

 

[scott johnson]

Absolutely love my Gamiviti Expo ++. Low noise and super strong. Works great for general duties and for attaching my awning and tent when camping. I use their receiver style mounts for the awning. They are awesome. Lots of pics in my build thread.

 

[cphibs]

@chipsterguy
I don’t charge (just shipping) for take-off stock OE LC200 Roof rails and x-bars for LX guys or anyone that wants extra x-bars. Just PM me if needed. Same with 4Runner

Hello Eric, do you have a spare set of LC200 rails and xbars? Preferably 4 xbars. Thanks!

 

[pvchaitanya]

hello experienced roof rackers,
would a yakima megawarrior fit on my factory cross bars of 2011 LX 570?
I have two cross bars already in place.

 

[Sverige]

I have the take-off factory LC200 roof rack rails and crossbars available for free if anyone could use them. Pulled from my 2013 LC. In good condition, sitting more or less still assembled in my garage. Local pickup only, too big to ship. Seattle area.