Your dream Gamiviti rack

[nakman]

@catastrofe looks terrific! curious why you put the rack receivers on top though, rather than on bottom? are you super tall? I always put them on the bottom.. mainly just to keep the top of the rack clean.

And those rack receiver guys are next on the list for a video... not sure how many of you see my youtube vids but if you want to hang out with me for a minute that's a good way to kill some time. there's a video page on the website that links to the same stuff.

 

[catastrofe]

@catastrofe looks terrific! curious why you put the rack receivers on top though, rather than on bottom? are you super tall? I always put them on the bottom.. mainly just to keep the top of the rack clean.

And those rack receiver guys are next on the list for a video... not sure how many of you see my youtube vids but if you want to hang out with me for a minute that's a good way to kill some time. there's a video page on the website that links to the same stuff.

Thanks Tim!

I did mount the receivers on the bottom based on your suggestion of sharing a tower-to-top plate bolt (thanks for making me think outside the box!). That worked, but for my awning (Eezi Awn Swift) not to interfere with door opening/closing, the awning has to be mounted in the "high" position. Mounted in that position, the bottom bolt of the awning bracket contacts the Expo rail when using the "first" hole of the receiver assembly (receiver mounted as far outboard as possible up against the top rail), and I don't like the awning sticking out as far as it does using the "second" hole of the receiver.

Even if the contact wasn't an issue, I realized after trial-and-error that with the receivers under the top-plates, and the awning mounted "high", the awning would interfere with the crossbar setup I use for mounting my Thule Hullavator. I'll be loading up the kayak in a day or so and will post some additional pictures for reference as it may inspire other Gamiviti owners.

 

[nakman]

Ok well good to see you getting it all to play well together. I know what you mean about that one bolt on the awning... I always take the cutoff wheel to it once it's where it needs to be. That way the awning can still get shoved into the second hole.

 

[catastrofe]

So my kayak load-up will need to wait a bit as I tweaked my back the other day and can't do any heavy lifting. In the interim, here's some additional info.

I revisited mounting the awning receivers under the rack plates. The photos below show my challenge. . .the awning bracket is still at least 1/4" out from the first mounting hole and the mounting bolt is contacting the rack. Cutting the bolt still wouldn't provide the clearance necessary to push the awning farther inboard to the first bracket hole as the nut would then contact the rack. It's possible a thinner washer along with cutting the bracket bolt might provide the clearance needed, but for now I'll run the receivers on top of the rack.

Awning security. . .I don't want my awning to walk away if unattended in a parking lot, so I added some deterrence. I used a 3/8" X 1 1/2" Torx security bolt on each receiver bracket, and added a Curt pin style lock. To dissuade the use of bolt cutters on the lock pin, I added two spacers to fill the gap between the receiver and the lock. Parts shown below.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

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McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Amazon product ASIN B00TLKE8Z8

 

[linuxgod]

So my kayak load-up will need to wait a bit as I tweaked my back the other day and can't do any heavy lifting. In the interim, here's some additional info.

I revisited mounting the awning receivers under the rack plates. The photos below show my challenge. . .the awning bracket is still at least 1/4" out from the first mounting hole and the mounting bolt is contacting the rack. Cutting the bolt still wouldn't provide the clearance necessary to push the awning farther inboard to the first bracket hole as the nut would then contact the rack. It's possible a thinner washer along with cutting the bracket bolt might provide the clearance needed, but for now I'll run the receivers on top of the rack.

View attachment 2641013

View attachment 2641014



Awning security. . .I don't want my awning to walk away if unattended in a parking lot, so I added some deterrence. I used a 3/8" X 1 1/2" Torx security bolt on each receiver bracket, and added a Curt pin style lock. To dissuade the use of bolt cutters on the lock pin, I added two spacers to fill the gap between the receiver and the lock. Parts shown below.


View attachment 2641019


View attachment 2641020

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Amazon product ASIN B00TLKE8Z8

Maybe swap the nut and washer for a flanged nut which is shorter and then shorten the bolt? Looks like the nut is a nylock but some blue loctite would be a suitable substitute.

 

[OwnerCS]

Is anyone running a Gamiviti Expo++ or Expo+++ rack with a Safari snorkel?

 

[catastrofe]

Is anyone running a Gamiviti Expo++ or Expo+++ rack with a Safari snorkel?

I plan on running a Safari with my Expo++. . .

 

[Shortpencils]

Is anyone running a Gamiviti Expo++ or Expo+++ rack with a Safari snorkel?

EBay dorkle, but I don't think they're much different. Expo++. Need pics?

 

[saucebox]

Is anyone running a Gamiviti Expo++ or Expo+++ rack with a Safari snorkel?

Have what sounds like exactly the same setup as @Shortpencils.

 

[OwnerCS]

EBay dorkle, but I don't think they're much different. Expo++. Need pics?

Thanks for the offer. No pictures needed at this point. I have a buddy that installed an eBay snorkel on a 4Runner then later tried to install a rack that he bought later. The snorkel wouldn't work with the rack. He learned later they were incompatible.

 

[bgolf247]

Thanks for the offer. No pictures needed at this point. I have a buddy that installed an eBay snorkel on a 4Runner then later tried to install a rack that he bought later. The snorkel wouldn't work with the rack. He learned later they were incompatible.

I also have ebay snorkel with gamiviti rack. The most common 100 series snorkel (ebay or brand name) wouldn't likely interfere with any rack. It just isn't anywhere close:

I guess this type of snorkel could interfere, but you might lose the massive ramming of air flow. I mean it is basically a turbo.

 

[nakman]

that looks like a TJM snorkel. No issues.

 

[catastrofe]

Maybe swap the nut and washer for a flanged nut which is shorter and then shorten the bolt? Looks like the nut is a nylock but some blue loctite would be a suitable substitute.

So I got some M8 flanged nuts (the Eezi Awn bolts are M8) and revisited this. Still no go. I was able to mount the receivers a hair farther out on the rack, but even with the adjustment the nut (I shimmed the awning side bracket so the bolt did not protrude past the face of the nut) still contacts the Expo bar.

 

[catastrofe]

Thanks Tim!

I did mount the receivers on the bottom based on your suggestion of sharing a tower-to-top plate bolt (thanks for making me think outside the box!). That worked, but for my awning (Eezi Awn Swift) not to interfere with door opening/closing, the awning has to be mounted in the "high" position. Mounted in that position, the bottom bolt of the awning bracket contacts the Expo rail when using the "first" hole of the receiver assembly (receiver mounted as far outboard as possible up against the top rail), and I don't like the awning sticking out as far as it does using the "second" hole of the receiver.

Even if the contact wasn't an issue, I realized after trial-and-error that with the receivers under the top-plates, and the awning mounted "high", the awning would interfere with the crossbar setup I use for mounting my Thule Hullavator. I'll be loading up the kayak in a day or so and will post some additional pictures for reference as it may inspire other Gamiviti owners.

As promised here are some pics of my Kayak setup. Hopefully this will provide some ideas for others looking to transport a yak...

Landing pads bolted to rack plates:

Yakima Jetstream bar(s) and Skyline Towers with Thule Hullavator brackets attached:

Bars attached to Landing Pads:

Hullavators mounted up:

Kayak loaded:

 

[dividedan]

@catastrofe looks terrific! curious why you put the rack receivers on top though, rather than on bottom? are you super tall? I always put them on the bottom.. mainly just to keep the top of the rack clean.

And those rack receiver guys are next on the list for a video... not sure how many of you see my youtube vids but if you want to hang out with me for a minute that's a good way to kill some time. there's a video page on the website that links to the same stuff.

I mounted mine on top too...but I’m 6”4” so that’s the only way I can walk under the awning!

 

[dividedan]

What have folks done with the quick release awning brackets to cut down on rattle? I mounted the brackets slightly offset to put tension on the pins and wrapped part of the male end with leftover road bike tube and electrical tape which helped some, but it still rattles.

 

[catastrofe]

What have folks done with the quick release awning brackets to cut down on rattle? I mounted the brackets slightly offset to put tension on the pins and wrapped part of the male end with leftover road bike tube and electrical tape which helped some, but it still rattles.

Are you sure it’s the receivers/brackets that are rattling? I haven’t had an issue so I can’t offer any guidance, but maybe it’s the awning itself...

 

[gwatts]

Here's my dream @nakman rack!

 

[guardcompany]

What have folks done with the quick release awning brackets to cut down on rattle? I mounted the brackets slightly offset to put tension on the pins and wrapped part of the male end with leftover road bike tube and electrical tape which helped some, but it still rattles.

Mine rattle for sure! I wrapped them in cloth tape for a quick fix.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

I added the wind faring to my Gamiviti Expo rack. My rack is an older design, with the light bar mount tabs. The wind faring is a newer design and covers the whole "face" of the rack.

Happy to report that it eliminated all wind noise!