@sleeoffroad, do you know if the Gobi ladder would work with the ARB base rack?
New ARB "BASE Rack" Roof Rack
- Thread starter BAY2MTN
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Like I said, I don't like dealing with companies that do this kind of stupid beaurocratic nonsense. I'm sure someone out there will buy the remaining stock of ARB stuff. I'd rather give my money to someone like Tim at Gamivitti who goes out of his way to provide an insane amount of options, features and customizations to suit any customer's needs.
The first rule of being a company should be to provide stuff people want. The zeroth rule before that should be if you're already producing stuff people want, and it's already delivered to suppliers waiting to be sold, don't pull it from shelves and leave a bunch of people on back order for a year.
Overreaction of the day?
I’m sure the new design is just as good and a tiny amount taller can’t matter much.
ARB is probably the most reputable brand that makes a variety of products in the game. I’ve owned and relied on their gear for 15 years and your take doesn’t make sense.
Well you have 15 years and many good products of experience with this company. I have one year waiting for this product since it was "released", only to find out it's actually a different product to fit a vehicle I don't own....but I miiiiiight still be able to get one of the leftovers if I order RIGHT NOW. Yeah, I'll pass.
Anyway, at least they aren't Rhino. My first experience with their similar style "flat rack" was watching several YouTubers document how they literally slid off their roof and damaged their vehicle....only to have Rhino say they weren't responsible because the racks might've been barely over their dynamic load rating, a stat which was effectively buried on their website.
So yeah, Rhino is another company with a "great reputation" and tons of satisfied customers that I won't buy from on principle.
greynolds
SILVER Star
I actually applaud ARB for going to the lengths they have to redesign the mount to be compatible with the shark fin, it's just too bad it took so long to get the new version out (but I hear there's been a pandemic or something that's been messing up schedules and supply chains for all sorts of things for the past 1.5 years...). I don't think it's known yet how much higher the rack will sit or what (if any) other changes were made, so condemning them for this seems like a pretty major overreaction at this point.
If the rack sits 3" higher with the revised mount, then that's far less than ideal and I would agree they should probably offer both versions. But if the rack sits something like 1/4" higher, then I think it makes FAR more sense to only sell 1 version that fits all 200 series LC's as it simplifies inventory for both ARB and their dealers and also saves people from ordering the wrong version (I can only imagine how often that happens with other products like bumpers and rock sliders where there are multiple versions for different model years).
If the rack sits 3" higher with the revised mount, then that's far less than ideal and I would agree they should probably offer both versions. But if the rack sits something like 1/4" higher, then I think it makes FAR more sense to only sell 1 version that fits all 200 series LC's as it simplifies inventory for both ARB and their dealers and also saves people from ordering the wrong version (I can only imagine how often that happens with other products like bumpers and rock sliders where there are multiple versions for different model years).
gaijin
GOLD Star
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
From what I can see in the photos early in this thread with the spacers and how the fin clears that rack in that situation, then I would say that the new rack sits about the same. Not sure on the exact dimensions of the spacer, but it looks to be about 1 to 1.25" tall. So that is about the height difference.
We have a 2010 so that does have the fin, so probably only 2008 or 2008 and 2009 that does not. @greynolds is absolutely correct in that if you had two versions in stock it is bound to create issues when people order the wrong item. I can't tell you how often that happens now that we have ecommerce vs. previous phone orders where mistakes got caught ahead or order fulfillment.
Also being a manufacturer I can assure you that having two items with only a small change in the item that might not matter to a lot of people is not ideal. Double the inventory, double the warehouse space, incorrect ordering, education of customer to get the correct part etc etc makes that not the ideal situation.
Honestly, other than garage clearance what difference does that 1" make? My truck with the taller base rack, OME BP51 lift and 34" tires still fit in my garage at home with a regular garage door.
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
ARB did not ask us to return the low rack stock. We are free to do with it what we want. So we can sell it. They did offer us the option to get the taller fit kits when available so that our inventory covers the whole truck range vs. just the early model trucks.
The back order issue became and issue due to the hard lock down in Australia to produce the fix and the insane times it now takes to get shipments in for them. Maybe you have seen the pictures of the 40+ cargo ships outside LA that is waiting to unload?
7000ft
SILVER Star
Christo. I understand you had the BASERACK mounted on an LC200 at the Overland Expo. Can you measure the distance from the top of roof at side to top of BASERACK?This measurement will answer the main question many of us have. Thanks! Bob
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
This is a 3/4" rack. I cannot guarantee that this is the final product, but I believe it is. This was a test rack we were supplied with but I do believe ARB USA has signed of on it for clearance to the shark fin.
2nd Photo is the rear of the rack from the side.
2nd Photo is the rear of the rack from the side.
greynolds
SILVER Star
I know I could go measure mine, but how does that height compare with the factory rack? In my case, an extra inch is pretty important due to garage door clearance.
Go measure yours, the man just posted detailed photos with a tape measure.
Despite what you found on youtube, Rhino also has a great reputation.
You're brand new and making proclamations without experience of said products based on your "principles," at this point I can't even tell if you are intentionally trying to be a troll or just don't your elbow from your kneecap.
What is your intended use case that the ARB base rack and Rhino platform rack won't suffice?
greynolds
SILVER Star
I'll go measure it after work, I was just hoping somebody might already know. I wasn't expecting Christo himself to do it for me. But thanks for your incredibly helpful post.
I think you are overstating by a great margin the number of customers in the US who would benefit from the lower flat rack. If only 2008-09 LCs don't have the sharkfin, then around 6% of the 200 series trucks in the US came that way. Would it make business sense to even ship the racks over to the US, if they won't fit 94% of the vehicles in that market? Especially if you marketed the rack to your supply chain as a 200 series rack? It would only make sense to try to put a halt to any sales/marketing until you had a resolution.
7000ft
SILVER Star
Thanks Christo! Much appreciate the info. Looks like I will be paying a visit again to SLEE OffRoad to have one installed when they become available.
Same here, not only super low home garage clearance, but living in a city, many parking garages are very low. An inch or two of height can make a huge difference if it means being able to fit somewhere, or not....or clipping your rack on something or not. Low profile is extremely important for some of us....which is why I was originally super excited about the Base Rack....now, disappointed. According to this thread, the Gamiviti goes down to about 1/3"-1/2" higher than the stock luggage rack....and it's compatible with shark fin models. From the pics of the revised Base Rack posted by Slee, it appears to be around 1.5"-2" higher than the stock rack...depending on where you measure.
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This appears to be incorrect. Doing a Google Image search, I can't find any TLC's before 2013, whether US or otherwise that have the shark fin. In this Consumer Reports review of the 2012 (US version, Connecticut plates) there is clearly no fin. If Slee indeed has a 2010 with a fin, it must've been added, or perhaps they are mistaken about the year. This is a 2010 US spec'ed TLC from US News, there is no fin: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/toyota/land-cruiser/2010/photos-exterior
The point is fairly moot anyways, but I'll take Slee's word over yours. Also, if you google 2010 US Toyota Land Cruiser Sales Brochure, the Land Cruiser in the brochure has a fin. Even if you were right, a big "if", that only changes the equation by 6-7%, so still not fitting on 88% of 200s.
This becoming asinine but as someone who owns an '11, mine has a fin. Also, go on Autotrader and look at '10, '11, and '13s for sale. I think you'll see they all have fins.
Here are some '10s with them.
