Aftermarket rack folks

[InkMing]

Not the silicone or saline variety.

Looking at different options, but I might be pretty limited with clearance issues at home and at work.

Garage at home. Garage at work. Right now I can get into the garage at home fine, but things are close. The garage at work, the awning clips the bar when I reach the break over angle onto the parking deck.

Anyone know if any of the aftermarket racks will have lower total height than the factory one?

 

[Willy beamin]

Front runner might be your better option - check it out

 

[InkMing]

Reached out to FrontRunner, Gamiviti (they don't have anything yet, they need a test mule, cause they would love to build something for the 200... just sayin...), LabRak, Eezi-Awn, and Rhino Rack.

Some of these I need clearer pictures for to see if they are even remotely close to the height of the stock rack or taller or shorter.

 

[T4Runner]

I can speak for the eezi-awn on the 4Runner (that's my 4th gen pictured on equipt1.com). The rack itself can be adjusted pretty low to the roof, obviously hi-lift, awning, etc add some height but even with a lift and that stuff on there I clear 7' parking garages with ease. Paul May at Equipt Expedition Outfitters is very knowledgable and helpful -- he provided fantastic customer service for my rack, awning, and accessory mounts.

 

[JamesC]

What kind of picture and measurement would help for the eezi-awn? Mine is mounted. Happy to give the types of numbers that would help. I think they are all taller than the factory rack, though.

 

[InkMing]

James, for measurements, from the top of the roof to the top of the rack. And pictures of how exactly it mounts to the roof.

When you first look at pictures of a lot of them, they look like they are fairly low profile, but once mounted up, different beast altogether.

 

[JamesC]

Ok, Let me walk out to the parking lot and snap a few.

 

[JamesC]

You have 4 3/4" at the highest point on the rack

There is a very slight arc front to back so the rear is slightly shorter:

I'd guess the factory rack must be ~2" lower than any aftermarket rack?

 

[BryanFRO]

Reached out to FrontRunner, Gamiviti (they don't have anything yet, they need a test mule, cause they would love to build something for the 200... just sayin...), LabRak, Eezi-Awn, and Rhino Rack.

Some of these I need clearer pictures for to see if they are even remotely close to the height of the stock rack or taller or shorter.

Hey InkMing,

Our Front Runner Rack is about 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 inches in total from the factory mounting points on your vehicle to the very top of our rack.

How much clearance do you have?

Bryan

 

[InkMing]

Thanks for the pictures @JamesC.

 

[InkMing]

Looks like the factory rack is about 2 3/4" at the front and about 2 1/2'" in the rear.

 

[InkMing]

Bryan, not a lot of room for clearance, but this might work out. Right now with my ARB awning mounted to the factory rack, I am probably at 5" to 5 1/2" at the highest points on the awning. And I clip the height beam into the parking garage at the office. I think I only have 6'8" of clearance for the garage here at work.

I would assume that with most of the aftermarket racks, my awning should be hanging a little lower once mounted up to them than it does currently on the factory rack.

 

[InkMing]

Who has been able to throw a Thule box on either one? I have one, but it has the overhangs, so not sure how well it will work... But I have some ideas.

 

[pdxlc200]

I have a Thule Box and it fits fine on my Front Runner

 

[InkMing]

Went with the FrontRunner full rack.

 

[BryanFRO]

Went with the FrontRunner full rack.

Send some photos!

 

[InkMing]

Send some photos!

I don't know if everyone is ready for one of my photo debacles yet...

 

[hedd]

Bryan, not a lot of room for clearance, but this might work out. Right now with my ARB awning mounted to the factory rack, I am probably at 5" to 5 1/2" at the highest points on the awning. And I clip the height beam into the parking garage at the office. I think I only have 6'8" of clearance for the garage here at work.

Do you have any pictures of how you mounted the ARB awning to the factory rack?

 

[InkMing]

Do you have any pictures of how you mounted the ARB awning to the factory rack?

I don't think I took any pictures but all I did was use some L brackets and U-Bolts. Not the prettiest, but it did the job.

 

[InkMing]

Taking off the factory rack.

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Anyone that goes to take off the factory rack, the covers are plastic and just clip on. If you look closely at the covers, you will see spots where you can pry to pop them off.

Then just take care and go slow removing the bolts that secure the factory rack to the roof. When I was looking up how to remove the factory rack, I did come across some posts on the interwebs about people loosing the retaining portion in the headliner.