Why is the rack backwards?
ARB BASE RACK AND SHARK FIN ANTENNA ISSUE ON 2021
- Thread starter vmfire
- Start date
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I had the same thought, had never seen the upper railing only on the rear. I tried searching ARB images online though to see if that "ARB Base" logo you can see on the side was supposed to be forward or backwards, but didn't find any images showing.
Pretty sure the rack is symmetrical front to back so in regards to clearing the shark fin the orientation should be immaterial. I assume the image as shown was just a trial test fit.
Rack is not backwards. It can be fitted with any number of rail options. Rear, front and sides, and so on. Just needs and option to clear the fin. 
Bummer on this issue, I really liked the original low profile fit.
In my mind, there are two potential solutions to account for the antenna: taller mounting feet, or a re-design of the rack with a cut-out/notch. I'd personally prefer the cut-out, but that would involve much more design work on ARB's part.
There is maybe one more solution approach though not without its own issues. That would be to extend the sides far enough back that the back/rear rail comes behind the fin. That is what is done by Gamiviti in the semi-custom racks. (Due to this issue with the ARB I started looking at other options and have decided to go with the Gamiviti.)
I was looking at Gamiviti (again) yesterday. I had considered this rack prior to purchasing my FR.
I really like Tim’s work and wanted to support a smaller business, but the two primary things that held me back were weight, and steel construction (potential for rust). Depending on ARB’s response, I may need to reconsider...
Check it out. PM me if you have any questions or just want to bounce some things off someone who is working through all the options. Of course you can always talk to Tim. So easy. And there is a long thread from about 2016 that reveals some of the evolution of Tim’s rack. He has moved to a better powder coating process but I keep my LC in a garage and have had no rust issues with my Gobi. He does have some new “customizations” and attachments that will be especially useful to me and which I can’t find anywhere else. But that is because I stand/sit on my rack a lot. One of the last posts on the Gamiviti thread from 2016 is a recent post by @wiseinvestor. That was the inspiration for me considering the Gamiviti. All that said, I see you are in Florida. The shipping cost can get crazy. I plan to drive to Denver to have mine installed (and visit family while there and along the way.)
BTW, I did get another email from ARB that they are working on the fix for the Base Rack and are going to make it as low as possible. It could be a great option for people. For me, having a customer rack built by Tim will make the Gamiviti a good improvement over the Gobi (which I do like) and the Base Rack (which has potential).
BTW, I did get another email from ARB that they are working on the fix for the Base Rack and are going to make it as low as possible. It could be a great option for people. For me, having a customer rack built by Tim will make the Gamiviti a good improvement over the Gobi (which I do like) and the Base Rack (which has potential).
Here's an update from Mainline Overland regarding the Base Rack:
"Good morning,
Just got an update from our rep they are actively working on a solution for this they are testing modified mounting brackets as well as a few other options. He will keep us updated once they have found an appropriate fix."
"Good morning,
Just got an update from our rep they are actively working on a solution for this they are testing modified mounting brackets as well as a few other options. He will keep us updated once they have found an appropriate fix."
The local guy I'm going through reached out and said I wanted the rack as-is (since i have no fin) and they confirmed approx 2 weeks out
Did you end up modifying the platform or the mounting brackets? Any more pics or insight to share? Thanks.
I ordered my Base Rack through Summit Racing. I called them for an update, to which they called ARB USA reps and was told the following - 'ARB is aware, they say that they were just informed about this a little over a week ago and looking at a couple of solutions. You can cancel your order or wait for a fix. ARB stated that they will not provide a timeline other than it will likely not be a year..'
I would not have expected this from a group like ARB, and even more surprising, retailers continue to sell the rack with no mention of compatibility issues. $$ I suppose.
I would not have expected this from a group like ARB, and even more surprising, retailers continue to sell the rack with no mention of compatibility issues. $$ I suppose.
greynolds
SILVER Star
I can understand why tooling might take a while to get in place for actually shipping an updated (taller) mount, but I can't fathom how a solution would take a long time to figure out. The options are to add a cutout for the shark fin or change the mount to raise the rack high enough to clear the fin - neither should represent a huge engineering effort.
greynolds
SILVER Star
Sure, priority with other projects needs to be factored in, though consideration should be given to prioritize issues that are out in the field, even if it may be less profitable than other projects; the value of their reputation might be even more important than more profitable projects. I don’t have one on order, but certainly feel bad for those who have money tied up in one of these. Certainly those who have received racks that don’t fit correctly should either be given a refund or a timely fix. One snag in the decision on how to solve this is just how important it is to keep the rack super low profile as an inch could be just enough that garage height would be a problem for many.
