My wife and I have recumbent bikes that require a large footprint and the Home Depot trips. I am not planning on a tent, but I do plan on heavily using it for lumber.
Roof Rack Options
- Thread starter jdlc1406
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Where did you run your power wire?
To the roof, I used a 3/8" plastic wire loom and run that up the C channel on the passenger side front windshield. The wire loom splits open and the rear lights run along an interior grid to the back. I ended up notching a small spot in the plastic at the bottom of the windshield to feed the wire loom into the engine bay easier (the hood seemed to pinch it).
All wiring is 14ga GXL and is covered in wire loom or weather resistant plastic sheathing+techflex. The wire runs are zip-tied with UV-resistant nylon ties that are supposedly designed down to -40. All the connections are in DT connectors, heat shrunk, and the ends are sealed with 3M Super 88 tape, just in case. I hope I never have to dismantle it.
So you ran your power down the side of the windshield, I like it.
Yep. It's not very noticable (and will be even less so if I ever install a snorkel), and with a little RTV behind it I don't think it's going to pop out of that channel.
I visited Slee this week and spoke with Ben about roof racks, I like the idea of aluminum racks, less weight, corrosion resistance, etc. As discussed in this thread, options include the Front Runner Slimline II, Prinsu, Rhino Rack.
I agree with many of Markuson's comments in this thread, Low Profile Roof Rack Options? The Front Runner looks to be a very high quality rack, with many accessories available, but appears to sit very high above the roof.
619TOY's build thread has the Prinsu rack here, 619TOY’s 200 Series Build & Adventure Thread This rack appeals to me because of the lower profile, also the price is very reasonable.
The Rhino Rack is another option, but the rails with the slots appear to run longitudinally along the rack. I have a Yakima rocketbox that I need to attach to the rack on occasion, and it looks like lateral slots of the two previous manufacturers would make that task easier.
I can only look at so many pictures online, I need to see these racks in person. Anyone in the Denver area have one of these installed on a 200?
I agree with many of Markuson's comments in this thread, Low Profile Roof Rack Options? The Front Runner looks to be a very high quality rack, with many accessories available, but appears to sit very high above the roof.
619TOY's build thread has the Prinsu rack here, 619TOY’s 200 Series Build & Adventure Thread This rack appeals to me because of the lower profile, also the price is very reasonable.
The Rhino Rack is another option, but the rails with the slots appear to run longitudinally along the rack. I have a Yakima rocketbox that I need to attach to the rack on occasion, and it looks like lateral slots of the two previous manufacturers would make that task easier.
I can only look at so many pictures online, I need to see these racks in person. Anyone in the Denver area have one of these installed on a 200?
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
While
I'm not in Denver, I have a front runner and it is a little taller to just barely fit a table under the rack, since I have a RTT on top. Didn't know if that matters to you on the future. But even with that, it still is only has an inch of space to the satellite antenna in the back. Plus the accessory list of things you can bolt onto it is incomparable.
Personally I like the idea of having room under the rack as well as on top, seems silly not to utilize that space (as long as you can still fit in your garage). Future plans include mounting a table as suggested above as well as solar panels that can slide out once parked. And since I'll be using the Blue Sea ACR 7622 adding a solar panel should be really easy especially if you run power/wires with solar in mind (in addition to rack mounted lighting, etc...). That said... I am still undecided on a rack.
I'll be very interested in your solar panel setup when you do that. I've been thinking about it for some time...thinking there's an awful lot of roof space that would be reassuring when parked/camped for helping to deal with fridge drain, etc.
Eezi-Awn's K9 Roof Rack is also an aluminum option. I have been very pleased with my 2.2m.
The option of storing a table, solar panels, or both under the rack is also available on the K9. The only issue is the rear fin/antenna on the 200. I know someone has done a relocation of the fin in order to accommodate the table storage. Thinking of doing this to mine in the future.
Could you do a long and narrow table to the right or left of the shark fin w/ the K9 and not move it? I know you can't use their built for the rack table but I was thinking one could be made custom for half the cost haha...
Taco2Cruiser
Crazy American Off Road
Not to go back to front runner, I just think it's a better design. I have two tables under mine. A eating at table and a cooking at table. They both load in from the side. And Unlike eezi-awn that all welded together, the slimline is bolt together, so if you want a full rack now, and latter you want to half rack it, or pull slats out to open up the sunroof area, or you sell it latter you can break it down to a tiny little box. And all the hardware is nylock so vibration doesn't matter. I've rattled transfer cases off, but a slimline stays nice and tight.
I recently switched from a Pioneer Platform to a Gamiviti. The Pioneer platform is great but the Backbone mounting system is horrible due to lack of access to the bottom of the rack. I'd reconsider with a different mounting option... I think others are available but I felt a little burnt after the Backbone experiment. The accessories were quite handy, though.
While I'd totally get another Gamiviti, I think if I'd originally gotten a K9 or Frontrunner rack I would have had no need to change racks.
While I'd totally get another Gamiviti, I think if I'd originally gotten a K9 or Frontrunner rack I would have had no need to change racks.
FYI I went solar on my travel trailer and used two 100W flexible solar panels. They're very lightweight (about 5 lbs vs 20 lbs or so for glass panels) and super thin (about 1/2", except for the wire block at the end). Even though they are flexible you can't roll them up, but they would be easy to store in the vehicle or even inside an RTT when closed and then set atop an awning (if you use one).
If you don't have a roof rack (which I realize is very few people here), you could stick them to the roof with 3M VHB tape if you were building a full time overland vehicle. Because mine went on my trailer, I just used eternabond, which is super strong and will likely outlast the roof.
We’ve Seen The (Sun)Light
For those with the Front Runner Slimline II, which is the current model available (and at Slee which is a plus, local for me), what is the total height of the vehicle with the rack installed?
I'm (currently) not lifted, but have the TRD Rock Warriors with the 285/70R17's, which is slightly taller than stock. My current total height is approximately 82", and my garage opening is at 84", but I lose some of that difference due to the garage door hanging down some at full open at the garage entrance.
I'm (currently) not lifted, but have the TRD Rock Warriors with the 285/70R17's, which is slightly taller than stock. My current total height is approximately 82", and my garage opening is at 84", but I lose some of that difference due to the garage door hanging down some at full open at the garage entrance.
You should be able to adjust your garage door limit setting enabling it to 'tuck' up entirely behind the opening and out of the way of the opening itself - LiftMaster Troubleshooting: Door Opens Part of the Way
I hear you. We have the LiftMaster that mounts on the side so I have enough height in the garage to lift the vehicle to work on it. We also have the tightest radius allowed on the track for that type of install and I'm getting all it can offer, cable super tight at the end.
I keep telling my wife about all the issues with our older home, "nothing a bulldozer couldn't fix", she's not amused
