Gamiviti + Gobi = a perfect rack and ladder solution

[YellowDoor]

I spent a lot of time looking for a low profile rack and rear ladder combo. Gobi was the only option (withouot a custom bumper) but it would interferre with most low profile racks and keep the hatch from fully opening.
I have to give it to Tim at Gamiviti for making this design work.
Tim spent (probably too much) time with me designing the perfect rack for my needs and customized the rear support to have clearance for the Gobi ladder. We were not sure how it would all come together, but it turned out to have just the right amount of clearance for both the ladder and shark fin. Thank you for all the time and energy Tim! Gamiviti truly has the best rack out there. Everything they make is awesome.

I hope this helps anyone looking to accomplish something similar.

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[YellowDoor]

2nd try on the images

 

[nakman]

Hey right on! Appreciate all the props and kind words, always my pleasure to find solutions like these and so glad you are happy with it. We've done that same alteration a few more times now, also with positive results, so good to know we can accommodate that rear hatch ladder! thanks again for all the support, it's a real priviledge to be a part of this community here.

 

[OneLessThing]

This is a thing of beauty. Can you share what something like this might cost and how much height it adds to the vehicle? I’m in a lot of parking decks in the city, so low profile might actually work.

 

[Romer]

I agree its a great combination. I have had Gamiviti racks on my last two cruisers. Both my daughters have them as well. Came in handy when helping one daughter move having 3 trucks with roof racks. I highly recommend them as well

The Gobi ladder is great and does work well with the rack. Just be aware that if you were want to get a Slee rear bumper, then the Gob ladder will have to be removed as they are not compatible with each other.

It does work with the ARB and swing out, don't know about others

It would work with the Slee if you dont install the second swing out.

 

[Cruisin911]

Gobi ladder and Prinsu rack work great as well. Gamviti makes a great looking product too.

 

[YellowDoor]

This is a thing of beauty. Can you share what something like this might cost and how much height it adds to the vehicle? I’m in a lot of parking decks in the city, so low profile might actually work.

Sorry for the late reply. The cost is pretty dependent on how heavily you modify the basic design, I'll point you to Tim on that one.
As far as height- The top side of the rack measures 2.5 inches above the roof in the center of the vehicle. Very low profile. Pretty similar to the stock rack.

 

[encrypttie]

2nd try on the images

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This is great! exactly what I am trying to achieve. Can you please let me know what's the distance between the roof and top of the rack near the shark fin antenna? I have very limited garage door clearance and need to make sure this is going to work for me with my current suspension.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[YellowDoor]

This is great! exactly what I am trying to achieve. Can you please let me know what's the distance between the roof and top of the rack near the shark fin antenna? I have very limited garage door clearance and need to make sure this is going to work for me with my current suspension.

Thanks for the help in advance.

It is maybe an inch above the fin. I measure about 3.25 inches from the roof to top of the rack. Depending on how you mount the towers it may be a little taller.

 

[encrypttie]

It is maybe an inch above the fin. I measure about 3.25 inches from the roof to top of the rack. Depending on how you mount the towers it may be a little taller.

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Thank you! Time to measure the distance between the top of the roof and my garage door again to triple check everything before I place an order...

 

[Dan Higgins]

I thought I would provide a couple more pics from different angles to help you understand how the rack sits relative to the fin. It is not higher than the fin. But Tim has designed the rearmost crossbars to avoid the fin. And he was able to move the rearmost bar in a couple of inches so that it would be clear of the raised Gobi ladder. (He started doing this mod a few months back for a couple of other customers so I knew when I had him build mine that I could use the same approach).

This first picture is from a higher angle so that you can see the two rearmost crossbars. Note the yellow zip tie. (It is there to more tightly secure the plastic "pergola" layer that you can get from Tim. I have two of these 2'x4' layers on most of the time as I will be getting up on my rack from time to time. I have a third that fits over the frontmost portion of the roof rack (and covers the moon roof) and time modified it so that, should I choose, I can keep my MaxTrax mounted where they are.

Now, if I lower the angle of the camera so that the bottom of each crossbar is nearly aligned (the yellow zip tie on the one crossbar makes it easier to distinguish it from the rearmost crossbar in the picture) you will see that the top of the fin is higher than the "bottom" of the crossbars.

So Tim has managed to provide a rack that doesn't need to sit "above" the fin. By the way, Tim installed my rack.

Now, if my Gobi ladder that I ordered in early May would get here! (Gobi tells me it will be built in September). I had to get a new one as the one I took from my 2016 LC was not suitable for the manual lift gate. So I had to order the version that works with the automatic lift gate. (And, yes, both work with the mod Tim has done on the rack to allow the Gobi ladder to fit. The difference between the two Gobi ladder models is where the bottom attaches.)

 

[encrypttie]

@Dan Higgins thanks for the photos. I have a 2009, so my truck doesn't have the antenna, but height-wise this would work with my garage.

Let me know if you plan on selling the ladder compatible with the manual tailgate if you still have it.

 

[encrypttie]

@YellowDoor @Dan Higgins when you have a chance, is it possible to measure the depth or the distance between the tailgate and the outside edge of the first step of the ladder for me, please? I have a Kaymar rear bumper with the tire carrier on the driver side, I want to make sure the ladder is gonna fit.

I really appreciate your help in advance.

 

[Dan Higgins]

@YellowDoor @Dan Higgins when you have a chance, is it possible to measure the depth or the distance between the tailgate and the outside edge of the first step of the ladder for me, please? I have a Kaymar rear bumper with the tire carrier on the driver side, I want to make sure the ladder is gonna fit.

I really appreciate your help in advance.

Sorry, we have been traveling and I haven’t been on MUD since Labor Day. I don’t have a ladder installed at the moment so not sure I could give you an accurate measurement. Not sure when my replacement ladder will arriver. But there are many on the forum with this ladder that should be able to answer that question. As for selling the ladder, there is a guy here in Oregon (about 3 hours drive away) who wants to buy it - or did a couple months ago - but we haven’t found the right day to meet half way. I have also had a couple of PMs about buying it. Let me check with those.

 

[KLF]

Nice rack!

I've looked all over the Gamiviti website, but I don't see any dimensions. I'm wondering how big is the flat portion of the rack. Wondering if it would be possible to put a sheet of plywood or drywall on it with good support.

 

[nakman]

Nice rack!

I've looked all over the Gamiviti website, but I don't see any dimensions. I'm wondering how big is the flat portion of the rack. Wondering if it would be possible to put a sheet of plywood or drywall on it with good support.

51" wide, 90" long... capable of supporting drywall & plywood for sure! I do it all the time.

 

[KLF]

51" wide, 90" long... capable of supporting drywall & plywood for sure! I do it all the time.

Thanks, very useful. I'm sick of putting the stuff inside the truck, actually heading to the yard this afternoon for another sheet of plywood.

Just need to see if I have room to clear the garage door after I get the BP-51 installed. Gonna be tight.

 

[encrypttie]

Sorry, we have been traveling and I haven’t been on MUD since Labor Day. I don’t have a ladder installed at the moment so not sure I could give you an accurate measurement. Not sure when my replacement ladder will arriver. But there are many on the forum with this ladder that should be able to answer that question. As for selling the ladder, there is a guy here in Oregon (about 3 hours drive away) who wants to buy it - or did a couple months ago - but we haven’t found the right day to meet half way. I have also had a couple of PMs about buying it. Let me check with those.

Sounds good. Let me know if none of them end up buying it. Most likely I will be able to come to Oregon to pick it up.

 

[Wonderbread]

Anyone know if you can just move the rack forward two sets to f hole to make this combination work? I wasn’t smart enough to order my rack from Tim in this configuration

 

[nakman]

Anyone know if you can just move the rack forward two sets to f hole to make this combination work? I wasn’t smart enough to order my rack from Tim in this configuration

The hatch ladder modification to our racks moves that bar forward 2", and the slots on the rack are 1.5" apart... so if there's another slot behind each of your mounting positions then yes it would be technically possible to shift the whole thing forward, and it might be enough to clear your ladder. But you're messing with the front of the rack also, in particular would be creating a gap below the wind fairing. So you would then need to readjust the height of all the towers to bring that gap down to where you like it again in front.

I am personally not a fan of hatch ladders as I think they're in the way more than they get used, but hopefully this helps you. The other roof access options are doing a side ladder, or a ladder on one of your rear bumper swingouts, or a door step. For as often as I really need to be on top of the rack, the door stop works surprisingly well.