Your dream Gamiviti rack (1 Viewer)

[Buchsusmc]

I just got my Expo+++ from Tim a few weeks ago. Mounted it down like most others. Got the basket floor since I also haul trash, bags, bins, and lumber since I have drawers in the back limiting my space for large items. I went with all standard light tabs (4 in front, 2 in rear) with plans to use them all eventually. Currently running his light bar upside down behind the snap on fairing. The fairing was tough to assemble, but with an extra brain, we figured it out without any extra drilling, it’s a very tight fit, and makes almost Zero noise at highway speeds. Also asked for extra tie down gussets at every corner of every bar just to give me all mounting options.
Probably most impressive is how he now tapers the entire rack to accommodate not only the light bar, but now the whole rack follows the roof line (previous racks were a bit more square, see previous pics in this thread) and it looks amazing. Thanks Tim!

 

[Buchsusmc]

More pics of my June 2018 Expo+++. Pardon the photos... it’s an iPhone 6 with a dirty life proof case on it.

 

[trdcorolla]

I have a few questions before I contact @nakman via his website. I'm planning on running the Expo++ upside down with 8 towers, sunroof cutout (with the gridded sunroof cover) and 8 gussets like many of you are. It'll be more for storage/gas/traction aids for now and maybe, in the future a RTT.

1. If my wife drives the 100 to work, she has to lower the antenna or it'll hit the height warning bar (i'm on 32" tires right now and stock height). From what I read, upside down without the drop down light bar is about the same height as the factory rack and upside down without the drop down light bar is 1/8" lower than the factory rack? I probably won't run a light up there, but is there any advantage to having the light bar cutout?

2. Can anyone with the drop down basket/grid option comment on how hard it is to clean the roof of the car? I"m thinking I want the basket in the center and no grids, to give me more room to clean the roof. Am I overthinking that part and get half grid? Are the basket/grids really strong enough for people to walk on? I'm 5'11 and 210lbs.

3. I'm planning on 6 light tabs, 3 on each side evenly spaced. I see 4 on each side, with 2 in the front, besides each other, it there a purpose for that i'm not seeing or is it just preference?

4. The website isn't up to date, are there Gamiviti awning adapters or just 3rd party?

5. If I plan on getting a Thule or Yakima box, will I need any adapters to mount it to the rack?

6. Do Rotopax gas packs need any adapters to mount them to the rack.

Sorry for all the questions, I might have more if anyone replies. I read this thread a bunch of others and chose Gamiviti as the one I want on my 100, thanks!

 

[Buchsusmc]

I have a few questions before I contact @nakman via his website. I'm planning on running the Expo++ upside down with 8 towers, sunroof cutout (with the gridded sunroof cover) and 8 gussets like many of you are. It'll be more for storage/gas/traction aids for now and maybe, in the future a RTT.

1. If my wife drives the 100 to work, she has to lower the antenna or it'll hit the height warning bar (i'm on 32" tires right now and stock height). From what I read, upside down without the drop down light bar is about the same height as the factory rack and upside down without the drop down light bar is 1/8" lower than the factory rack? I probably won't run a light up there, but is there any advantage to having the light bar cutout?

My light bar "cutout" is just a drop down with the Side Bars tapered down the length of the rack for aesthetics. The rack is exactly the same height as all of his other racks, and while I did not measure, it seems to be the exact height of the stock rack as Tim advertises. I have no reason to believe that the truck will be any taller unless you lift or tire it.

2. Can anyone with the drop down basket/grid option comment on how hard it is to clean the roof of the car? I"m thinking I want the basket in the center and no grids, to give me more room to clean the roof. Am I overthinking that part and get half grid? Are the basket/grids really strong enough for people to walk on? I'm 5'11 and 210lbs.

I don't have the basket, but do have the grid. I'm 6'1" and 220 lbs, and have had no problem on top of the rack. That being said, I always step on the crossbars, and don't rely on the grid... also realizing that your foot is probably larger than the gap between the bars anyways.

3. I'm planning on 6 light tabs, 3 on each side evenly spaced. I see 4 on each side, with 2 in the front, besides each other, it there a purpose for that i'm not seeing or is it just preference?

In my pictures, you'll see 4 total light tabs in front, 2 in use, 2 not in use, this is standard. The other gussets in the corners of the crossbars were added per my request for tie downs, but could be used for lights to the side. 2 more tabs are located in the rear, also standard. Tim can put tabs anywhere you like.

4. The website isn't up to date, are there Gamiviti awning adapters or just 3rd party?

For questions 4-6, I have not looked into specific mounts yet, but the cross bars and the outer frame are all 1" standard round, so you should be able to shop around and find whatever you need.

5. If I plan on getting a Thule or Yakima box, will I need any adapters to mount it to the rack?

6. Do Rotopax gas packs need any adapters to mount them to the rack.

Sorry for all the questions, I might have more if anyone replies. I read this thread a bunch of others and chose Gamiviti as the one I want on my 100, thanks!

 

[trdcorolla]

Thanks @Buchsusmc

I only browsed the 100 series section on Gamiviti's website. I browsed the rest of the website tonight and found the answers to my question 4-6. To save someone else some time, here is what I found:

4. Yes, Gamiviti sell's awning adapters, they are called Roof Rack Receivers.

5. Yes you will need adapters to mount a Thule or Yakima, it looks like a Home Depot/Lowes/Ace Hardware run to the irrigation department, the information is in the Roof Rack Accessories section of the website.

6. Rotopax don't need any adapters but they do need their own mount, Gamiviti sells them both (the Rotopax and the mount).

 

[geanes]

I have a few questions before I contact @nakman via his website. I'm planning on running the Expo++ upside down with 8 towers, sunroof cutout (with the gridded sunroof cover) and 8 gussets like many of you are. It'll be more for storage/gas/traction aids for now and maybe, in the future a RTT.

1. If my wife drives the 100 to work, she has to lower the antenna or it'll hit the height warning bar (i'm on 32" tires right now and stock height). From what I read, upside down without the drop down light bar is about the same height as the factory rack and upside down without the drop down light bar is 1/8" lower than the factory rack? I probably won't run a light up there, but is there any advantage to having the light bar cutout?

2. Can anyone with the drop down basket/grid option comment on how hard it is to clean the roof of the car? I"m thinking I want the basket in the center and no grids, to give me more room to clean the roof. Am I overthinking that part and get half grid? Are the basket/grids really strong enough for people to walk on? I'm 5'11 and 210lbs.

3. I'm planning on 6 light tabs, 3 on each side evenly spaced. I see 4 on each side, with 2 in the front, besides each other, it there a purpose for that i'm not seeing or is it just preference?

4. The website isn't up to date, are there Gamiviti awning adapters or just 3rd party?

5. If I plan on getting a Thule or Yakima box, will I need any adapters to mount it to the rack?

6. Do Rotopax gas packs need any adapters to mount them to the rack.

Sorry for all the questions, I might have more if anyone replies. I read this thread a bunch of others and chose Gamiviti as the one I want on my 100, thanks!

I have had the Expo++ with 8 towers, sunroof cutout and lightbar dropdown for well over 16 months now. Here are my answers:

1. I LOVE my lightbar, but I run mine with the Expo++down. Makes for a VERY wide field of view at night with the light on. Top quality.
2. Mine has 4 standalone light tabs with 2 in the front for the lightbar and 2 in the rear for high mount reverse lights. Each section that connects the Expo to the main body has a "gusset" which has a hole for mounting lights as well. This means I have 4 additional light mounts on each side.
3. The basket WILL make cleaning the roof harder. The rack is low profile enough that, even without grid, my roof is hard to clean.
4. Tim's awning adaptors are INCREDIBLE! They are a quick release and unlike anything else on the market. HIGHLY recommended.
5. No, you won't need any adaptors to mount a Yakima or Thule box. You can certainly run some and it makes install easier, but not necessary.
6. You'd definitely need the proprietary Rotopax mounts. They should mount right up to one of the plates on the rack as the plates have plenty of adjustability given the number of holes in each one. If you have a rear spare swingout, consider the pretty killer setup Tim now offers to carry the rotopax right off the center of the spare.

 

[MuseChaser]

@Ramathorn15 - I am so glad you posted those pics and comments in this thread. Tim and I have corresponded a few times and I'm ready to order a rack.. just waiting to hear back from him. I've got an Autana 3, too, which I bought used. The previous owner had cut down the aluminum support/mounting rails to 48" and has them perpendicular to the hinge; he had the tent mounted so that it opened to the passenger side of his FJ Cruiser, with the tent mounting rails running across the roof.

On your pics, it looks like you have the tent's mounting rails running across your roof too, not front-to-back, but you mentioned that they are parallel w/ the direction the tent opens. If I understand that correctly, that means your tent opens up and over the back of your vehicle, and not to the side. If so, that's where the annex would be, too, so I'm not sure why you'd have to cut the aluminumn mounting rails.. they wouldn't be anywhere near the annex. I'm sure I'm missing something or misunderstanding your post.. can you help?

The way you have your tent mounted, is the weight of the tent distributed on the rack any place other than those four bolt points, or are the aluminum mounting tracks bearing the weight across their entire span? I'm asking because they DID bear the entire weight the way the previous owner had it mounted, at the very edge, and now there is a slight bow in the rails and bottom of the tent. Not bad.. maybe max 1/2" deflection.. but it's there, and I'd like to see it supported more centrally and not just at the very edges of the tent base/rails. Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated.. and thank you!

...
To combat the lost space with the sunroof, I mounted my tent way back. Mine is the bigger Autana tent too. Now it bolts super easily to the platforms on the rack using one bolt per corner. I had to mount the cross bars (of the tent) parallel with the direction the tent opens and cut them shorter for the annex. It worked out really nicely. It gave me a decent bit of room in front of the tent. You could also get those plastic bins to hold gear that are wide enough to extend past the opening and strap it down over. ....


View attachment 1355757

View attachment 1355758

 

[bgolf247]

@Ramathorn15 - I am so glad you posted those pics and comments in this thread. Tim and I have corresponded a few times and I'm ready to order a rack.. just waiting to hear back from him. I've got an Autana 3, too, which I bought used. The previous owner had cut down the aluminum support/mounting rails to 48" and has them perpendicular to the hinge; he had the tent mounted so that it opened to the passenger side of his FJ Cruiser, with the tent mounting rails running across the roof.

On your pics, it looks like you have the tent's mounting rails running across your roof too, not front-to-back, but you mentioned that they are parallel w/ the direction the tent opens. If I understand that correctly, that means your tent opens up and over the back of your vehicle, and not to the side. If so, that's where the annex would be, too, so I'm not sure why you'd have to cut the aluminumn mounting rails.. they wouldn't be anywhere near the annex. I'm sure I'm missing something or misunderstanding your post.. can you help?

The way you have your tent mounted, is the weight of the tent distributed on the rack any place other than those four bolt points, or are the aluminum mounting tracks bearing the weight across their entire span? I'm asking because they DID bear the entire weight the way the previous owner had it mounted, at the very edge, and now there is a slight bow in the rails and bottom of the tent. Not bad.. maybe max 1/2" deflection.. but it's there, and I'd like to see it supported more centrally and not just at the very edges of the tent base/rails. Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated.. and thank you!

On mounting a RTT. Mine is essentially same size. I mount it pretty far back to save space on the roof. I have my tent some off the driver side. I thought about coming off the back, but I don't want the ladder in that high traffic space. I went with an additional set of crossbars from Tim. This has done a couple nice things.

1) Much easier to take tent on and off. Just more room. I know Tim has hinted at a quick system, but I haven't seen one yet. Honestly with the crossbars its pretty fast with a 13 mm ratcheting wrench.

2) It left me a bit more vertical room on the side to mount a high jack and a shovel, which can stay in place while the tent is open.

 

[linuxgod]

On mounting a RTT. Mine is essentially same size. I mount it pretty far back to save space on the roof. I have my tent some off the driver side. I thought about coming off the back, but I don't want the ladder in that high traffic space. I went with an additional set of crossbars from Tim. This has done a couple nice things.

1) Much easier to take tent on and off. Just more room. I know Tim has hinted at a quick system, but I haven't seen one yet. Honestly with the crossbars its pretty fast with a 13 mm ratcheting wrench.

2) It left me a bit more vertical room on the side to mount a high jack and a shovel, which can stay in place while the tent is open.
View attachment 1762250

What are you using to hold your shovel? I tried quick fists but the shovel rotated on the trails and started hitting my D pillar.

 

[bgolf247]

What are you using to hold your shovel? I tried quick fists but the shovel rotated on the trails and started hitting my D pillar.

I used these (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FETT3FO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and quickfist:

 

[linuxgod]

I used these (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FETT3FO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and quickfist

Have you had any issues with the shovel rotating in that mount? Mine slowly rotates in the quickfist and starts hitting the D pillar

 

[bgolf247]

Have you had any issues with the shovel rotating in that mount? Mine slowly rotates in the quickfist and starts hitting the D pillar

I haven't had any problems with it. Actually I have been surprised at how well it has held it there. Do you have a picture of your issue?

 

[linuxgod]

@bgolfer71 no photos handy, but I can snap one this evening. This is a shot of the truck, where I just use a cam-buckle/lashing strap to try to keep it from rotating on me during my trip last year.

At first glance it looks like it mounts fine. I have 2 quickfists mounted to the gussets, but over time bouncing around the shovel rotates counterclockwise in the quickfist. I heard a "tink tink" sound on the highway heading out to the Grand Canyon last year and stopped to find the shovel blade tapping the D piller (and wearing off the paint on the truck). Moab was hard on the truck I suppose. I drilled a hole in the shovel handle and ran a bolt through to a pipe clamp last year after I got home, which held until I was in Ouray a couple weeks ago when the clamp just snapped from all the vibration.

I'll order a couple and see how they work.

 

[trdcorolla]

I have had the Expo++ with 8 towers, sunroof cutout and lightbar dropdown for well over 16 months now. Here are my answers:

1. I LOVE my lightbar, but I run mine with the Expo++down. Makes for a VERY wide field of view at night with the light on. Top quality.
2. Mine has 4 standalone light tabs with 2 in the front for the lightbar and 2 in the rear for high mount reverse lights. Each section that connects the Expo to the main body has a "gusset" which has a hole for mounting lights as well. This means I have 4 additional light mounts on each side.
3. The basket WILL make cleaning the roof harder. The rack is low profile enough that, even without grid, my roof is hard to clean.
4. Tim's awning adaptors are INCREDIBLE! They are a quick release and unlike anything else on the market. HIGHLY recommended.
5. No, you won't need any adaptors to mount a Yakima or Thule box. You can certainly run some and it makes install easier, but not necessary.
6. You'd definitely need the proprietary Rotopax mounts. They should mount right up to one of the plates on the rack as the plates have plenty of adjustability given the number of holes in each one. If you have a rear spare swingout, consider the pretty killer setup Tim now offers to carry the rotopax right off the center of the spare.

Since I have AHC and a 30mm packer, I want to lighten the rack. My original dream rack was going to end up being almost 100lbs. That would be the Expo++, 8 gussets, 2 extra light tabs, 4th plate, sunroof cut out with gridded sunroof cover, drop down light bar cutout, drop down basket, grid floor in the rear and 2 awning adapters. I have decided to dump the sunroof cut out and drop down basket. What i'm thinking now is just to grid the center 3 or 4 openings. I am thinking this to make it easier to strap in camping chairs, tents, etc to keep them from falling through and touching roof. I know you don't have any grid's on your Gamiviti and you use a add on basket as needed. I'm trying to prevent buying an add on basket and I think the 3-4 sections of grid would be useful for more containing the small items and having a few more points to strap to. What do you think? Sorry for all the questions

 

[geanes]

Since I have AHC and a 30mm packer, I want to lighten the rack. My original dream rack was going to end up being almost 100lbs. That would be the Expo++, 8 gussets, 2 extra light tabs, 4th plate, sunroof cut out with gridded sunroof cover, drop down light bar cutout, drop down basket, grid floor in the rear and 2 awning adapters. I have decided to dump the sunroof cut out and drop down basket. What i'm thinking now is just to grid the center 3 or 4 openings. I am thinking this to make it easier to strap in camping chairs, tents, etc to keep them from falling through and touching roof. I know you don't have any grid's on your Gamiviti and you use a add on basket as needed. I'm trying to prevent buying an add on basket and I think the 3-4 sections of grid would be useful for more containing the small items and having a few more points to strap to. What do you think? Sorry for all the questions

I think you've got a good idea there. I already had the Yakima MegaWarrior before I got the Gamiviti, so I just continued using it as necessary. Certainly would have added "grid" to the back 1/2 of my rack had I not had the Yakima already or I would have considered getting one of those Reese baskets for like $100 from WalMart. The grid certainly would make lashing down cargo boxes or chairs a bunch easier and more secure if you don't have a basket. I love my sunroof cutout because I actually love my sunroof and having it open most of the time. So, that was a necessary addition for me. The dropdown basket seemed pointless to me BTW. The awning adapters are SUPER sweet. I have 3 for my ARB2500, but 2 would be just fine. I never weighed my rack, but my LX with it's AHC handled it just fine. I never noticed any top-heavy feeling or suspension sag.

 

[trdcorolla]

Where does everyone normally latch down cargo boxes/chairs/tents on their racks? I'm trying to decide whether to grid the rear of the rack or the center. Does latching down on the rear of the rack produce less wind noise? Does latching down on the center of the rack better to distribute the weight more evenly? Thanks and sorry for all the questions.

 

[geanes]

Where does everyone normally latch down cargo boxes/chairs/tents on their racks? I'm trying to decide whether to grid the rear of the rack or the center. Does latching down on the rear of the rack produce less wind noise? Does latching down on the center of the rack better to distribute the weight more evenly? Thanks and sorry for all the questions.

Center distributes weight better. The further back, the less the wind noise. I mount my recovery boards across the rack just behind the sunroof which creates a little bit of a "ramp" effect for the wind. I then mount my gear in increasing stack height as I go towards the rear. My cargo boxes (Rigid) are fairly light as they usually contain things like my Jetboil, dehydrated food packs, utensils, camp lights, Ryobi 18v tools, etc. I tend to only put the "lighter" stuff up top (camp chairs, folding table, etc.). Heavier stuff always goes in the cargo area. I have only ever carried a 2nd spare on the roof on two occasions (Big Bend State Park where rocks will shred tires and a 2nd spare is a very good idea to have)

 

[linuxgod]

Where does everyone normally latch down cargo boxes/chairs/tents on their racks? I'm trying to decide whether to grid the rear of the rack or the center. Does latching down on the rear of the rack produce less wind noise? Does latching down on the center of the rack better to distribute the weight more evenly? Thanks and sorry for all the questions.

My kayak racks mount to the bars. Maxtrax and rotopax are strapped to the grid. Shovel is mounted to the gusset holes on the side

 

[trdcorolla]

My kayak racks mount to the bars. Maxtrax and rotopax are strapped to the grid. Shovel is mounted to the gusset holes on the side

Thanks, do you have half or full grid? If half, what part of the rack has it?

 

[linuxgod]

Thanks, do you have half or full grid? If half, what part of the rack has it?

Full grid. Only open area is the sunroof. I find the full grid makes washing the roof a PITA but it's super convenient to strap things to the grids