hoser
SILVER Star
Sounds pretty standard to me for a $1300 item. But it would've been nice if they told you. That way you could decline signature... and accept responsibility if the rack was stolen from your doorstep.
Rhino Rack Pioneer Vs. Front Runner Slimline II
- Thread starter 1meancruiser
- Start date
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Oh well, it all worked out. I will update some info that consolidates Kiruxa's advice and gives some pointers on how to make it all easy. I bumbled into a few things that made my life easier, like namely assembling the rack itself right off the bat.
The product is solid. Strong, well-engineered and the texture alone is worth $500 alone of the value. I am happy with my purchase decision and I intend to use the rack quite a bit.
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1. Spend time prepping the area on your vehicle where you removed your stock rails. If your vehicle is a few years old, there will inevitably be rust and other problems. I don’t recommend taking the approach of waiting until the rack arrives to then remove the stock rails. There will be surprises. And the cleaner the area is before the install, the easier it will be. I underestimated this…
2. Complete the rack assembly first. Layout all of the parts on a big blanket. Warning: There are important nuts that are tucked neatly into the end slats. You want a bolt in there ASAP to keep them from falling out. They are pre-installed, lose one and it will be painful. What really helped the most was I laid out almost every part of the rack on a big flat surface and simply walked around it quickly tightening bolts. The parts fit together well, but there are of course, many parts, so when you lay them out, you only want to move them just a bit, so that you don’t have to move anything else. If you have the space, it will help greatly..
3. Take the rails inside and assemble them in a clean, well-lit area. The adhesive is fine, but it helped that I was able to smooth over any wrinkles on a table. Plus, the rubber seemed greasy..so I cleaned it up.
4. Kiruxa suggested a blanket as you slide the rack on top of the vehicle. I did that, and I also used the cardboard Frontrunner box and set it under the rack as I slid it on the roof.. That helped quite a bit.. Protects the roof and allows you to jockey the rack onto the feet.
5. Here’s the thing that I think would help the most technique wise. One, install the top of the feet on the rack loosely and allow them to slide East/West. Any configuration of alternating slats is fine. For the lower feet that attach to the slide, attach just the square nut and the washer into the grooves before you add the bottom of the feet. Your bolts that hold the rails in place can stick up just a bit and make it difficult to slide the bottom feet. So slide just the washer and the square nut in the rails until they are positioned and THEN install the lower feet and associated bolt. If you’ve positioned the rack on top of a good blanket and card board box, you can then guide the top feet into the lower feet and fasten them accordingly, one entire side at a time.
6. And yes, the configuration of Tall-Short-Short-Tall for the feet length
Tools I would suggest.
1) A box cutter - use this to shave off excess plastic from the rails. There are also a good list of boxes and plastic wrappings. Just getting all of that off is work.
2) 13 mm flexible wratchet. See Kiruxa’s photo- Cant do without this.
3) Hex key set. I used my own for things I wanted done quickly, though some are provided and they help in tight spaces. But they are hard to grip, so your own set helps..
4) WD40=
Good racks don’t come cheap, but the quality and workmanship are clearly evident. The instructions aren’t superb, but the product is worth it, and there should be enough info on this thread to get you there…
2. Complete the rack assembly first. Layout all of the parts on a big blanket. Warning: There are important nuts that are tucked neatly into the end slats. You want a bolt in there ASAP to keep them from falling out. They are pre-installed, lose one and it will be painful. What really helped the most was I laid out almost every part of the rack on a big flat surface and simply walked around it quickly tightening bolts. The parts fit together well, but there are of course, many parts, so when you lay them out, you only want to move them just a bit, so that you don’t have to move anything else. If you have the space, it will help greatly..
3. Take the rails inside and assemble them in a clean, well-lit area. The adhesive is fine, but it helped that I was able to smooth over any wrinkles on a table. Plus, the rubber seemed greasy..so I cleaned it up.
4. Kiruxa suggested a blanket as you slide the rack on top of the vehicle. I did that, and I also used the cardboard Frontrunner box and set it under the rack as I slid it on the roof.. That helped quite a bit.. Protects the roof and allows you to jockey the rack onto the feet.
5. Here’s the thing that I think would help the most technique wise. One, install the top of the feet on the rack loosely and allow them to slide East/West. Any configuration of alternating slats is fine. For the lower feet that attach to the slide, attach just the square nut and the washer into the grooves before you add the bottom of the feet. Your bolts that hold the rails in place can stick up just a bit and make it difficult to slide the bottom feet. So slide just the washer and the square nut in the rails until they are positioned and THEN install the lower feet and associated bolt. If you’ve positioned the rack on top of a good blanket and card board box, you can then guide the top feet into the lower feet and fasten them accordingly, one entire side at a time.
6. And yes, the configuration of Tall-Short-Short-Tall for the feet length
Tools I would suggest.
1) A box cutter - use this to shave off excess plastic from the rails. There are also a good list of boxes and plastic wrappings. Just getting all of that off is work.
2) 13 mm flexible wratchet. See Kiruxa’s photo- Cant do without this.
3) Hex key set. I used my own for things I wanted done quickly, though some are provided and they help in tight spaces. But they are hard to grip, so your own set helps..
4) WD40=
Good racks don’t come cheap, but the quality and workmanship are clearly evident. The instructions aren’t superb, but the product is worth it, and there should be enough info on this thread to get you there…
Also, the windguard is kinda 'meh'. It's basically a flat piece of metal. If they wanted aerodynamic, they could have done much better than this, and I would have gone with cheaper molded plastic to divert the wind noise.
But it does help to install. My suggestion is to stagger the bolts when you install the wind guard. Connect the inside bolts to Slat #1 and the back end of the wind guard to Slat #2.
But it does help to install. My suggestion is to stagger the bolts when you install the wind guard. Connect the inside bolts to Slat #1 and the back end of the wind guard to Slat #2.
Yes - I tried with and without. I actually took it off just to see. I will call you.
So what ever happened here? Did you get rid of the noise? I really need to know because I'm close to pulling the trigger on a rack for a RTT this summer and the FR was in the lead so far. If you only hear the noise with the sunroof open that's not a biggie, but I cant imagine not hearing a "lawnmower" on my roof just because there's a piece of glass in between. So what gives?
Mine was noisy until I installed the noise deflector. It's a quirky rack, no lie. but it sounds fine now.
The fit, finish and design of the Front Runner roof rack really impressed me. I was very skeptical at first. It's hard to appreciate it without the closeups you see of member's rigs on this site, but the engineer that designed the product made some very important design choices.
The fit, finish and design of the Front Runner roof rack really impressed me. I was very skeptical at first. It's hard to appreciate it without the closeups you see of member's rigs on this site, but the engineer that designed the product made some very important design choices.
I tried it with and without the wind deflectors. Too loud for me. Mine is literally brand new with all parts of you want to buy it - please let me know.
Did you send photos to them showing how it was installed? I had to toy with mine a bit to get it right, I hate to see you sell it and take a hit. If we could eliminate the noise, would you keep it? I'm on the highway 60% percent of the time and I have no noise.
I'm happy to try it again, but really, there is just little chance yet another adjustment is dropping >90db to "no noise". I'm happy to take a pic of a sound meter at 65MPH - and also a pic of the set up. It won't be for a bit as it is an hour to properly reinstall it all on the rails. I'm certain enough it won't work I'd rather take the hit and have someone buy it at a discount. Just google the you-tube sound tests on the Yakima low- profile low-sound racks in the wind tunnels. That is the only way you will get below 75 dB IMHO- but you won't be sleeping up there either. It's all a compromise with no perfect solutions.
Send me a pic of the set up. Mine was really noisy on my first try and I made a few modifications and it went away.
I forget what I did in retrospect and I'm not sure I can explain why it worked, but I can open my sunroof and still not hear anything that I didn't hear previously.
Glad to offer some thoughts, just lemme know.
I forget what I did in retrospect and I'm not sure I can explain why it worked, but I can open my sunroof and still not hear anything that I didn't hear previously.
Glad to offer some thoughts, just lemme know.
El Cid,
I'm planning on buying one of these racks fairly soon so please post up your noise dampening solution when you figure it out.
Thanks
I'm planning on buying one of these racks fairly soon so please post up your noise dampening solution when you figure it out.
Thanks
My mistake was that I didn't install the wind guard before I installed the rack. Didn't think i needed it. Wrong! When I got it in, presumably correctly, it went away.
If my age addled memory serves me correctly, I did two things that effectively eliminated the noise.
1) I stood on the wind guard to bend it a bit. Not sure if that really had an effect , but it seemed to help.
2) Since I had to open my sunroof to install it, I ended up with the wind guard off center a bit. No one in their right mind would recommend it, but i toyed with it until my noise went away.
I can take a picture of mine, but that won't be til the weekend.
not to take anything away from the other racks, there is a place for all of them and if they work for you, I say go for it.
But there are some very subtle design and quality features of the Slimline that have made it a great investment for me.
If my age addled memory serves me correctly, I did two things that effectively eliminated the noise.
1) I stood on the wind guard to bend it a bit. Not sure if that really had an effect , but it seemed to help.
2) Since I had to open my sunroof to install it, I ended up with the wind guard off center a bit. No one in their right mind would recommend it, but i toyed with it until my noise went away.
I can take a picture of mine, but that won't be til the weekend.
not to take anything away from the other racks, there is a place for all of them and if they work for you, I say go for it.
But there are some very subtle design and quality features of the Slimline that have made it a great investment for me.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2014
- Threads
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- 25
- Location
- West Hills, CA
- Website
- www.frontrunneroutfitters.com
Sometimes slight adjustment is needed with our wind deflectors. Unfortunately, even though it may be the same model vehicle, every vehicle is different and sometimes small adjustments will fix noise problems. I am here to help, and you can send me a few photos anytime directly Bryan@FrontRunnerOutfitters .com and I can resolve any issue you may have.
Best Regards,
Bryan
Best Regards,
Bryan
BlueOcean; Which gutter mounts do you have with the rack, the tall or the short?
About this noise issue though... I'm wondering about the "leveling" of the frontrunner rack. The front mounts are taller on both versions than the two rear sets to make up for the gutter height slope to the front. BUT the pics on the website show an 80 with a bit of the common "stinkbug" stance, however not all of our rigs have it due to different lift kits, spacers, etc. I would think having a different "attack attitude" or angle might effect wind turbulence differently from one 80 to the next. Perhaps this could partly explain the variable noise problem.
About this noise issue though... I'm wondering about the "leveling" of the frontrunner rack. The front mounts are taller on both versions than the two rear sets to make up for the gutter height slope to the front. BUT the pics on the website show an 80 with a bit of the common "stinkbug" stance, however not all of our rigs have it due to different lift kits, spacers, etc. I would think having a different "attack attitude" or angle might effect wind turbulence differently from one 80 to the next. Perhaps this could partly explain the variable noise problem.
Have the Gobi on mine, no noise, strong and it's black. Have not had any issues.
http://www.gobiracks.com/racks_detail.cfm?ID=927
Just tossing that out there.
http://www.gobiracks.com/racks_detail.cfm?ID=927
Just tossing that out there.
Interesting. I've got the v1 Wind Cheetah Slimline and have the tall feet in the rear / short feet in the front. The rear are almost at the end of the rack. They both adjust so you should be able to "dial it in".
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2014
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 25
- Location
- West Hills, CA
- Website
- www.frontrunneroutfitters.com
You are absolutely correct. It is very important to find that sweet spot. It almost always takes a small test drive around the block a few times to find the best position (forward or backwards) for the rack. You can also adjust the angle of the wind deflector to assist in any wind noise if adjusting the rack slightly forward and/or backwards is not an option for your vehicle. If anyone needs help or has any questions feel free to message or email me anytime.Interesting. I've got the v1 Wind Cheetah Slimline and have the tall feet in the rear / short feet in the front. The rear are almost at the end of the rack. They both adjust so you should be able to "dial it in".
Bryan
Yeah, that's worth repeating actually. There is zero harm in stringing it up sort of loose and just going for a spin. I tightened the least I felt I needed and then nudged it where I needed to..
Interesting. I've got the v1 Wind Cheetah Slimline and have the tall feet in the rear / short feet in the front. The rear are almost at the end of the rack. They both adjust so you should be able to "dial it in".
Unfortunately the current model gutter mounts, which my 80 needs, are not height adjustable. And the gutter is highest in the back.
P.S. - Don't worry Bryan, I'll be happy to oblige you on that offer of assistance if something should go wrong.
I will say that those racks sure are packed well!
.
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