Another ridiculously long Taco post. Sorry.
I’m on my second Front Runner rack, having had one on my prior FJ. The modularity and accessories they offer is where it is at. I’ve been able to very easily switch from a RTT, to a strapped down OzTent, sometimes with boxes or with bags, or with rotopaxs, or scepter MFCs, I have a propane bottle mount that sometimes goes. Then I can take it all off quickly. Slap bikes or kyacks, or whatever weird home improvement thing. Like a 200 pound garage storage rack. Bring 3 friends, you’re be amazed what you can fit up there. I’ve also had a Foxwing awning mounted to it, then sold it. And may or may not get another awning (east coast wheeling, we have trees, not much need for them).
I can “half rack” it later, should I only want the back half. I can take slats out if I want to open up a sunroof area or need more slats for heavier loads. You’re not restricted to anything. And with their vast list of accessories, Front Runner has everyone else playing catch up. I know someone in here had a QC issue, it happens, but Front Runners customer service, for me at least, has been the best across any company I’ve contacted.
I don’t like Prinu racks for one reason. Mounting surface area. On Front Runner racks, they have big mounting spacers that are the same size as the factory rack that distribute the load across about 3-4” by the full width of the roof channel.
Prinus cheaps out here, and uses washer style spacers. Which puts WAY less surface area than Front Runner/factory mounting design. And when I think of a rack, that will carry stuff beating down a trail, I don’t like the idea of hundreds of pounds being placed on about a 1/5 of the surface area as the factory rack that only held 150 pounds. It’s just plain cheap, and a way to get the rack out the door faster because a specific mounting design doesn’t have to be fabricated. It’s like huge heavy steel bumpers that bolt to the frame with only the front frame horn bolts. It looks good, but the devil is in the details.
I’m sure someone will say they’ve never had a problem, but have they ever laid their rack up against a tree when off roaring. And the rack saved the roof and the mounting surface? Because I’m at 3 time doing that now.
Eezi-awn would be my next bet. They are making some good options now. You just really need to know exactly the length you need, and they are welded, and no adjusting later. They use an older track mounting design, which is very good. I actually really like it more than the Front Runner. But Eezi-Awn doesn’t allow a table to mounted to the side, which I live about my FR.
I do have the $500 table that mounts under the Front Runner. And it is worth every penny. I’ve had it for 4+ years or so, it’s incredibly fast to get out or put away, it’s super tough and rattle free. I know the price tag makes people sway away. It was purchased for my FJ as space was more of a premium, but being able to always have a fast table has made a “camp kitchen” much easier to actually work off of the back than drawers and fridge slides that block access to the rest of the cargo area. I can easily set up a real “L-shape” cooking area behind the truck. Or have a full size table to eat at, away from the truck. Plus, you’ll use it all the time. Every meal. It not like off road lights, and how many times do they actually get used? But a table that I store totally separate of the cargo and roof load, when eating, 3 times a day, becomes really, really nice.
