Just built my Prinsu Designs Rack

[Dissent]

As others have stated, this is one nice looking rack and very solid. I won't rehash all the same points made in other threads but I did take some pics during the install in my living room tonight which took about 3 hours while watching TV.

Packaging - OK overall but the box that arrived was about 9 feet long and UPS dragged it around for some time and wore through the box and ground down the edge of most of my load bars.

These should be wrapped in cardboard prior to being boxed to avoid the UPS torture test. The powder coated parts were all shrink wrapped and arrived in great shape. The anodized bars were wrapped in paper and besides UPS grinding them down, arrived in great shape.

Hardware:
There are exactly 552 bolts, flat and lock washers and two styles of nuts plus another 50 similar components for the cargo tie down loops. Prinsu didn't skimp on the hardware and I now have about 100 black flat washers and 150 lock washers to add to my hardware collection. Oddly enough, there are two sizes of flat washers; one is slightly smaller diameter than the other with a reddish/black finish. It looks like there isn't a necessity for the two washers but maybe just a mixed inventory as the inventory changed? I'm not sure but I used the smaller flat washers where I could for aesthetics. Note the two smaller washers below compared to the pile of larger washers.

I opened the 5-6 bags of hardware then sorted and counted the components. This is when I noticed the abundance of hardware. I took pics of each bag and what each bag is for:
Bag Contents:

Mounting Brackets:

Spoiler:

Load Bars:

Tie Down Loops & Other Accessories:

Leftovers:

 

[Dissent]

Mounting Brackets:
I installed the mounting brackets first using a flat washer on either side with the nylon lock nut and no lock washer. Now that I have about 150 leftover lock washers, I may install them but they weren't packaged with the mount hardware.

I left all the brackets loose and will tighten them once I place the rack on the truck and get ready for the gutter mount clamp installation tomorrow.

Spoiler:
The spoiler is a very clever and absolutely solid setup. It's not intuitive by any means. As others have stated, start the spoiler install by installing the short screws, lock and flat washers and flat, oblong nuts in each of the 10 holes.

Once all the flat nuts are very loosely installed on the screws and the screws are pushed into the spoiler as much as possible, slide the spoiler onto the rail. This is a super tight fit so you only need to grab a single thread on the flat nuts. It will be obvious when you have it right.

Continue to slide the spoiler on to the rail ad ensure the ends are perfectly flush.

Install the spoiler bar at a 45 degree angle using the single hole and the slotted hole at the front of the rail with a long bolt, lock washer and flat washer.

Cross Bars/Load Bars:
Using the same bolt, lock, flat washer combination, install the bars horizontally down the rack using the 1 inch wide slots along the rack. Don't over tighten and strip the threaded aluminum rails.
Continue until the last rail in the rear which may be installed horizontally as well or vertically, which I have chosen.

I didn't buy the rail above the sun roof but Prinsu does sell additional rails which could be placed anywhere along the rack. Heck, you could even make a nearly solid rack.

I'll post up the actual roof mount tomorrow.

 

[Dissent]

NOTE: The pic below only illustrates how the nuts will end up in the slotted rail in relation to the spoiler once it's assembled. DO NOT TRY TO MOUNT IT THIS WAY, use the method discussed above or you will get very frustrated.

 

[msapers]

Wow, you got six tie downs. I only got two, not that I planned to use them anyway. I love that you took the time to actually count all the hardware. Kind of seems like the included hardware is just measured in scoops out of a 55gallon drum. I'm interested to see how much clearance you have between the roof and the front panel. Mine's a little tight and I'm thinking of filing the holes for a bit more clearance.

 

[DDabs]

Awesome. Should be receiving mine next week, hopefully I can figure out how to put it together!

 

[musthave]

Mine should arrive next week too. Looking forward to it.

 

[DDabs]

Everybody's gettin' Prinsu's! So are there any directions included with the rack?

 

[msapers]

Everybody's gettin' Prinsu's! So are there any directions included with the rack?

None whatsoever.

 

[DDabs]

Is it pretty straightforward to figure out or is it a tricky install?

 

[msapers]

Is it pretty straightforward to figure out or is it a tricky install?

It's really simple to figure out and there's a few good threads here about them.

 

[NLXTACY]

It's really simple to figure out and there's a few good threads here about them.

...and sometimes installation isn't so straight forward and you are left scratching your head and repeating the process. Right @Qball?

 

[Qball]

...and sometimes installation isn't so straight forward and you are left scratching your head and repeating the process. Right @Qball?

Being one of the first meaning have to figure everything out ourselves. We didn't have these nifty threads to help us along.

 

[Dissent]

...and this is why I posted up. I figure deterring which hardware went where was a bit tricky given all the washers but the hardest part was the spoiler so I paid attention to documenting it specifically.

Installation was easy but just two of us struggled a bit. We lifted from the front and set it on the drop rails, folded in the mirrors and then lifted it and placed it fully on the rails. Probably would've been easier coming in from the rear.

It's had to figure out how much to tighten the mounting brackets but I snugged them down using just 2 fingers on the ratchet and stopped when the brackets started to bend as seen in other threads.

I road tested it and it's sooooooo quiet, I actually forgot about it for the first 2 miles while I was griping about my driveline noise.

 

[Dissent]

 

[LS1FJ40]

Probably would've been easier coming in from the rear.

Not only do I find it easier coming in from the rear, it's also more enjoyable...

Seriously, I can't believe @NLXTACY missed this one.

 

[NLXTACY]

Not only do I find it easier coming in from the rear, it's also more enjoyable...

Not many sheep here in LA so I have no frame of reference.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Not many sheep here in LA so I have no frame of reference.

You just spent two weeks in North Carolina. Dueling banjos a plenty out there!

 

[Dissent]

Not only do I find it easier coming in from the rear, it's also more enjoyable...

Seriously, I can't believe @NLXTACY missed this one.

I knew someone would pick up on that.

 

[e9999]

well, and to think I'm usually going crazy if I have one bit of hardware leftover after a job... but 150...? The horror... the...horror....

 

[Dissent]

Oh yeah, you need a T30 Torx but to assemble the rack. I used a 3/8 socket style and it worked very well. Lots of screws to tighten.