Rack for HJ60 Hi-Roof

[WideAngleWandering]

I've been through several incarnations of roof rack.

From simple Yakima bars:



To the full basket:



Which had a nasty tendency to snag bamboo:



So I removed the basket and two of the Yakima mounts so it was just big enough to hold the solar panels. I ran cables down the front to deflect branches and I added an awning.





But it's taken another blow and the hand-made Yakima-style mount I had built is no longer holding up, so I've decided to go all custom.

Goals are:

• Low profile, branch deflecting (bamboo is some crazy strong stuff)
• protects a set of solar panels that will be hinged so they can capture max sunlight
• could be used to hold an RTT in the future
• could be used to hold something long, like a canoe, without touching the solar panels
• solar panels should not be shaded by a tall basket

I have attached some condeptual drawings. It would be constructed with conduit/tube stock and attached using some type of Bulldog style mounts. I'm not sure which size I need to clear the high-roof without being too tall (low-profile).

http://www.diamondrax.com/diamondrax-roof-rack-mounting-systems.html

One thing I'm not sure about yet is how to handle the nose. Since my hi-roof tapers down sharply towards the windshield, it leaves a large gap that would be perfect for trapping tree branches. I could make new cable mounts and run steel wire down to the front bumper but I also like the idea of building a "visor" in the front to hold some lights and also deflect tree branches.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Here is a view of the hinged solar panels in action.

 

[MicahMan]

I don't have any great solutions, but I'm in the same dilema with my High Roof. I've thought about using that forward gap to hold a tray or slide.
Mine will be more toward the simple end to just hold a Roof Top Tent or similar.

For what its worth Gamviti sells really nice extentions for their feet that work perfectly. Equipt also sells that K9 feet that are tall enough and heavy duty.

Good Luck and I'll be watching!

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Nice. Which high roof do you have? Any pics? I don't see many and am always looking for ideas.

I sent emails to Diamondtrax, Gamviti and Equipt. I'll have to see what they propose.

 

[MicahMan]

Here is my rig! We just wheeled in Moab for a few days. Handled it all great!

 

[WideAngleWandering]

Nice pinstripes! I thought mine were cool but now I'm jealous.


Camp Betsy by WideAngleWandering, on Flickr

 

[WideAngleWandering]

My issue right now is coming up with gutter mounts. My roofline is ~7 3/4" from the bottom of the existing gutters, so I need the bottom of the rack to be at 8 3/4-9" (as close to the roof as reasonable). Those are some tall mounts.

 

[WideAngleWandering]

She's built! Photos to come. I found some con-ferr gutter mounts (well, part of them, the piece that goes under the gutter) and fabbed up new towers. It's a little heavier than I wanted it to be but does the job. My rain gutters are a bit wavy/deformed though, so the fit isn't perfect yet.