New vendor "Bowfin Cruisers" and new 80 series roof rack option

[mingles]

What kind of coating is on the "foot" of the latch that clamps to the bottom of the gutter? My gutter trim strips are long gone and I would like to come up with a solution to avoid 'metal on metal" wear from vibration.

Additionally, do you have any pictures from behind the faring showing how close the bottom of the faring is to the leading edge of the sunroof. I have a shark fin antenna in that area and am hoping to not have to relocate it.

 

[Aloha Jen]

Great looking rack @dogfishlake, best of luck in you new endeavor! I have always liked my prinsu rack, but it may be moving to a different vehicle soon. So my white 80 may be in need of a new rack in the near future. I was planning on just getting another prinsu, but after seeing your thread I would much rather support you and get one of yours!!

 

[dogfishlake]

What kind of coating is on the "foot" of the latch that clamps to the bottom of the gutter? My gutter trim strips are long gone and I would like to come up with a solution to avoid 'metal on metal" wear from vibration.

Additionally, do you have any pictures from behind the faring showing how close the bottom of the faring is to the leading edge of the sunroof. I have a shark fin antenna in that area and am hoping to not have to relocate it.

The foot is powder coated and touches just behind where the drip rail molding ends. There isn't any other padding than the coating which does a good job and really shouldn't wear off of there. That said it is certainly possible to put a thin rubber pad there. With other clamps they tend to want to pop off of the drip rail, but this latch/lock bolt combo is rock solid.

I will get a picture of the clearance by the sunroof. It is pretty tight there

 

[dogfishlake]

Great looking rack @dogfishlake, best of luck in you new endeavor! I have always liked my prinsu rack, but it may be moving to a different vehicle soon. So my white 80 may be in need of a new rack in the near future. I was planning on just getting another prinsu, but after seeing your thread I would much rather support you and get one of yours!!

Thanks Jen, much appreciated. If you do decide to switch over roof racks, I'd love to help. Your posts get more than a few page views! Great family, great Cruisers, and great scenery!

 

[mgoblue]

Are self medicating by shopping after what happened in Happy Valley?

ummmm, NO!





...you got me

and yes, I'm in.

 

[sdouglassjr]

Would like to see a silver one on a green cruiser, if and when some one with a green cruiser buys a silver rack.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Thanks Jen, much appreciated. If you do decide to switch over roof racks, I'd love to help. Your posts get more than a few page views! Great family, great Cruisers, and great scenery!

I've never been able to figure out how/why she gets so many likes/conments... She has a great personality. Maybe that's it!

 

[6894kevin]

Amy options for a full floor?

 

[dogfishlake]

Amy options for a full floor?

It is certaily popular enough to go for it. I would like that on my own rack. I am going to work on it soon, but the first 10 racks are taking most of my time. Within a few weeks I think an add on floor is realistic.

 

[dogfishlake]

Speaking of the first ten, we are basically full. I will get messages to all of you that wanted in to make sure we are still a go. If any drop out at that point, I will take next in line for the initial discount. Thank you!

 

[Proven]

Looks awesome.

Is it ever NOT raining in your area?

 

[dogfishlake]

Looks awesome.

Is it ever NOT raining in your area?

Go figure. We went for weeks without rain and everyone complained. Now, both times I try to take pictures it comes in buckets. Watched my dock float away when I got home today. 5 inches of rain in two days. Still raining

 

[Proven]

Go figure. We went for weeks without rain and everyone complained. Now, both times I try to take pictures it comes in buckets. Watched my dock float away when I got home today. 5 inches of rain in two days. Still raining

Holy smokes! Floating docks are a damned menace. I worked in the Outboard Marine industry and we would see docks all the time, just floating out in the middle of the water.

 

[dogfishlake]

Holy smokes! Floating docks are a damned menace. I worked in the Outboard Marine industry and we would see docks all the time, just floating out in the middle of the water.

Agreed. Only 2 docks on the lake though and 1 (barely) powered boat so no high speed crashes into floating docks at least.

 

[Desert Runner Dude]

Through your questions
#1- I like the idea of a "nerf" on there an it is possible, but at the same time those latches are on there so solid with their lock down bolt that I you hit it that hard with a tree or rock there will be more damage to your truck too. That said, very slow speed against an obstacle it is rigid enough that with a nerf on there it would take the hit. Lots happening fast but I will kick that one around just the same.

#2 the Yakima bars would add on fine

#3 The powder coat job will hold up great. It is a super durable polyester over a sanded substrate with flouric acid pretreatment. No problems with UV or salt spray.

Hope it helps. Thanks

I think it would be in Yakima's best interest to build their parts to suit your rack. Yakima builds "street" racks. Lots of plastic and lightweight
accessories. I've owned three different Yakima Mt bike racks. None of which I would be comfortable on a Canyonland expedition without stopping every five miles to see if I still had my bikes. Great for street and improved dirt roads

 

[stpetedale]

Please add me to list! Didnt realize you wer taking a limited number of orders.

 

[GA Trevor]

Are these proprietary clamps or do you have source info? They look useful for quick removal of my current rack.

 

[dogfishlake]

Are these proprietary clamps or do you have source info? They look useful for quick removal of my current rack.

A bit of both. They are an off the shelf clamp with a new foot fabricated to clamp on the 80 series drip rail. I will be working on a retro-fit kit for other similar racks soon. To do it, it will take a cover plate because the holes are quite a bit different, and a drill template to mount the new clamp. I am pretty sure it will work but there is still some R&D to do.

 

[Bigsky80]

Dogfishlake,
I love the improvements you made with your rack and would have been a customer if I hadn't already been committed to "the other guys". I like the rack I got, but one way you could make yours a notch above the rest would be to use hardware sizes that are already on the FJ80 such as 10mm bolt heads. It drives me crazy that I now have to carry a T25 torx for the sole purpose of rack adjustments if needed. Just my opinion though.
Cheers,
Scot

 

[ThomasMore66]

I really like this design. I’m sure I can get a ski rack mounted even if my Yakima doesn’t work. How much height does this add to the roof? Thinking about my Home garage and parking garage at work.