I did a search and couldn’t find anything. Anyone use a Yakima Timberline tower and crossbar system on their 80 with the port installed roof rack? Did it work out fine? I’m just looking for something for a bike rack or potentially a kayak.
Yakima Timberline Rack
- Thread starter Presidio
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voodu3
SILVER Star
Those might work but I wouldn’t trust the 30 year old side rails to hold anything. I have the rain gutter towers with the round cross bars and I’ve carried way more than I should have on them. My old side rails were flopping around barely attached.
- Thread starter
- #3
Did you take the side rails off or did you find towers that were tall enough that your crossbars sat above them?
voodu3
SILVER Star
I took my rails off but they are probably tall enough to clear the rails. I’m out of town or I would measure mine for you. This pic shows them on my 80.
Definitely run some kind of a gutter mount. And I suggest deleting the rails and addressing any rust underneath them.
- Thread starter
- #6
Cool. Thx.
- Thread starter
- #7
Yeah, I’ve been thinking of deleting them. It’s a California truck so I’m not supper worried about the rust. I just dont want to do a simple fix io fill in the holes. If I do it I want to weld in some metal and then I know I will want to remove the rest of the rack and then I just see $$$$$ leaving my wallet.
If you plug your vehicle into the "Add vehicle" link on Yakima's website, you'll find the Timberline Tower system does not work on the 80 series (gutter mount style). I was curious when you mentioned Timberline tower, as I ran the traditional Yakima gutter mount towers for years before I switched to the much stronger Prinsu rack. Unfortunately it looks like Yakima doesn't sell the gutter mount system anymore. Unless you have the OEM rack rails, you'll have to rely on a gutter mount type of rack. Many owners have removed the OEM roof rack rails and mounts due to the age of their 80 series and the leaks that eventually show up. IMHO, the gutter mount type of rack attachment works better on the 80 series for longevity and load bearing. That's why Prinsu style of racks hold up better as they use about the entire length of the gutters to support a rack.
- Thread starter
- #9
Yeah, I meant I did a search on Mud for info on the timberline rack system. On the Yakima website it says it can be used with the factory/port installed rails. I was looking for info here to see if anyone went that way with the Yakima system. I dont want a full on rack like a Prinsu with a basket, I just want crossbars.
If your "port installed" rails have never been used, they'll likely be fine for leaks. It's the stress of use + vibration that causes the eventual leaks. Yeah, today its just a bike rack or kayak, but what about tomorrow? Because of the inherit design of the port installed rails, I would avoid any use of them. They are attached to the skin (sheet metal) which has very little load bearing strength, so it flexes under load. It's the rivets, screws or bolts that pierce the skin, that eventually give moisture it's chance to invade, even with the putty/weather strip used to "seal" the joints. Gutter mounts do not pierce the sheet metal, so they don't have leak potential. Given the age of the 80 series, it will be more difficult to find just a "crossbar" system that is gutter mount based. Almost all crossbar systems today are setup to use the port installed rails or roof track system of newer vehicles. It might be better to utilize the cross bars built into a gutter mount roof rack, such as a Prinsu, Bowfin or Rhino roof rack system. Then you'll also be setup to carry heavier loads, should the opportunity come up.
voodu3
SILVER Star
If your existing rack is solid I’d just leave it and get the rain gutter mounts and bars. Yakima makes an extension for them if the standard A1s don’t clear the cross bars. If you have a local dealer (most bike and outdoor shops sell them) go talk to them about what you want to do. I’d also look on marketplace and Craigslist. I bought my towers for $100 with locks and keys. They were new still in the box.
