Heard, I can't tell, lol. As long as the fitment is the same.
Just built my Prinsu Designs Rack
- Thread starter Dissent
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I've always wondered how you'd mount a light bar with this rack. How is the wind noise with the lightbar?Here's mine....definitely some left over parts....
The K-9 looks very well-built, as I've seen them at Expo East in Asheville… But due to price point and a great-looking design I went with the prinsu, Plus helping to support a start up business
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Your paint looks fine. Did you prime first, how many topcoats? Did you paint it before or after assembly?
Take this for what it's worth, but as you know I have a Prinsu rack, but I also have frequent contact with well known distributor of the K-9 racks so I get to see them somewhat regularly and see it get used as "aggressively" as any of us would use one.
Here's what I like about the K-9 rack. It's low profile, aluminum, relatively lightweight, pretty user friendly in terms of attaching accessories and lashing items to the rack making it a rack that can actually be used well for what it's intended. I like the rack a lot, and for me personally if there was not the Prinsu rack available, the K-9 would be the rack I'd have. My only real negative that isn't a subjective thing like "style", is that the outer rails on the K-9 are somewhat small. While this enhances the low-profile aspect, which I like, I have also seen the racks have more deflection when loaded that I've seen from some other racks. I still think they are completely capable of handling the loads that can safely be put on a roofrack, but it is one observation. I think could be very happy with a K-9 rack, I know I probably would be.
As for comparison, my Prinsu rack is overall lighter than the comparable K-9, and feels pretty dramatically more sturdy with the full length rails. I think it's equally user friendly with the t-slot crossbars for attaching accessories and lashing things to the rack. I don't have any numbers to back it up but I suspect the load capacity is greater with the Prinsu, but in reality that extra capacity may not be needed as it could make for an unsafe amount of weight that high on a vehicle. But I guess "overkill" isn't always a bad thing. I think you will be equally happy with a Prinsu rack as you would be with a K-9 as it will do all the same things effectively. Personal taste is likely the deciding factor, IMO.
Also, as I said, style is subjective and differs from one person to the next. I love the style of the Prinsu and feel like it not only looks great, but has the right "feel" that I want to see on a built rig. Again, totally subjective. I'm sure I'll get some criticism from someone that I'm trying to promote on thing or another because I'll somehow benefit. Hopefully you'll take it for what it is, an honest opinion and nothing more.
Thanks for the extensive rundown. I guess my remaining question would be--have you looked at light mounting options on these, or seen rigs with light bars on them?
I can't think of a K-9 that I have seen first hand with a light bar. But Prinsu has designed his racks with lightbars in mind and should have a lightbar friendly version of the wind deflector as an option. I have a 40" lightbar on mine that I added at Christmas time. To mount mine the way I wanted (no higher than the rack) I removed the wind deflector altogether but have use the deflector crossbar to mount the lightbar. My lightbar is a dual row and keeping it low put it very close to the roof. I put a strip of foam weather stripping on the bottom of the light just in case it contacted the roof. So far so good and it's working great. There is another guy on here with a lightbar on his Prinsu as well. I've forgotten his username. Edit: It's @Haring Bagsik , he has posted in this thread.
Here's the only pics I have of my lightbar. Not great but hopefully gives you an idea.
Thanks! The other photos of seen of your rig had no light bar. I'm also a fan of low-profile lights. If you take any closer shots, put 'em up!Here's the only pics I have of my lightbar. Not great but hopefully gives you an idea.
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- #70
Regarding the roof ribs, the rack itself fits fine without removing them but I added a Renogy 100W solar panel that I've shimmed to fit just barely below the top of the crossbars and the panel is either sitting on the roof ribs or just a hair above them. I recommend either using the uber-thin roll up style solar panel on a custom low profile mount or consider removing the ribs if you want the panel to sit below the top of the cross bars.
Talk about a late response, my apologies. I did not prime or coat, just plastidip and it still looks great, well, nothing I do is great but it looks good.
Zona
nice rack!
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- #73
Just validated the panel is actually sitting on the ribs.
We're trying to figure mine out right now... 9 cross bars, two are 2" longer than the other seven. Is that a mistake? We thought maybe it "flared" somewhere, but doesn't seem right. TIA
JaketheSSnake
SILVER Star
Got
Has to be a mistake. They're all equal length
Afraid of that. Thanks!
JaketheSSnake
SILVER Star
Hopefully the longer ones are the mistake. That's an easy fix with a chop saw (if you don't want to wait for them to fix it) . But if the others are shorter than needed, you're in for a headache 
Their money than the windscreen, so im assuming they're long. Was thinking of chopping them, but will need to bore out and thread new holes. Never tried that before!
Got mine and installed it in an hour and a half, by myself and a 18v impact. Was short 2 screws, but planning on running a solar panel so taking a rib out.
My deflector touches the roof, maybe i need to adjust the rack some, didnt look into much. Me and the old lady stood on top of it one day scouting, was steady with 360#’s on it(yeah, she needs to loose a few). My arb awning will bolt to the side of it easily, just need longer carriage bolts and spacers off the side of the rack. Cant wait to get a light bar on it, but bigger fish to fry right now.
My deflector touches the roof, maybe i need to adjust the rack some, didnt look into much. Me and the old lady stood on top of it one day scouting, was steady with 360#’s on it(yeah, she needs to loose a few). My arb awning will bolt to the side of it easily, just need longer carriage bolts and spacers off the side of the rack. Cant wait to get a light bar on it, but bigger fish to fry right now.
Reviving this old thread for some advice. I just got my Prinsu and wanted to see how much of the rail acutually touch the rain gutter. To my surprise there are 1/8"-1/4" gaps is some locations. Mostly in the front and rear of the rails.
My question is, did any of you have this issue? If so, did you just mount it up anyways? Or, did you modify anything?
My question is, did any of you have this issue? If so, did you just mount it up anyways? Or, did you modify anything?