Roof Rack + Wheeling = ?

[FarmerMatt]

With a wife & 2 boys that like to go the rack is not a luxury. The 35" spare will not fit in back with the rear seat up. The whole reason we went with an XJ was because of the kids. Sold my beautiful CJ-7 for the XJ. I agree it would probably wheel better with out the extra weight up high, but the rack hasn't kept the XJ from concurring some of the roughest trails in the west from Die Trying in Colorado to most of the trails in Johnson Valley. The point is if you need extra cargo space than don't be afraid of a roof rack. Just make sure it's mounted well because it will see more abuse than you may think.

Matt

 

[xxxj-va]

Good debate and info, thanks. "Tree sliders" are definitely a feature I would incorporate into any design. I guees the issue really is what and when you carry stuff on a rack. I don't have a family BUT in the group I'm with, well I have the XJ so guess who carries all the tools, etc....part of the deal I suppose. I think that tires and recovery equpi belong in the back on on a bumper. For me, a rack should get all the extra stuff to the trail head or campground, then be all but empty for the trail. Now when we wheel its basically a day trip (or two) and all the trails are loops so you end up just about where you started. I like your design FarmetMatt....I don't have a cage to reinforce the factory mounting points though. The last reason I am still considering a full rack vs. just sliders (despite all the negatives for my situation) is that my XJ is my daily driver and it "works", hauling brush to the county landfill, lumber from Lowe's, has acted as a ladder for house painting, etc..... I'm imagining a modular design of some sort. At any rate, I won't ever put a tire, hi-lift, etc.. up there again

P

 

[BUCKYXJ]

My tire and hilift stay on mine all the time untill we get to the trails then they go inside. I built my own rack and like how it turned out. It has took a beating from many trees and still holding strong. I will see if I can find some pics.

This is the best pic I have of it. I am almost done with the bumper and I am going to make some sort of tree sliders that go from the bumper to the roof rack.

 

[EMTJeepers]

I carry my spare inside the vehicle flat on the floor, along with the rest of my cargo. Accessible=good.

It sux when you have an 85 & a 65 pound dog you want to bring around with you!

 

[Ludakris]

I have to say i am in favor of the rack. I know the spare on the roof will be a pain to bring down, but I dont like the idea of that spare bouncing on the rear bumper too much, or paying close to a grand to put it there. The tree sliders look trick too, and functional. i am all about function over form, but I still like the look of overkill. Also my buddy was able to rite his land rover with a high lift and straps using his built roof rack to jack on.
the cables for branches will be incorporated into mine as well.

 

[ChuckD]

Alright, this has been bugging me for sometime now. Virtually everytime I wheel my rig, I end up with some sort of roof rack issue. (last time was at Camp Jeep and the whole damn thing got ripped of by a tree I was fighting with, yep that was me on trail #2 Saturday if you were there). I also hear again and again about how the added weight at my lift height and tire size is "bad," off-camber and I guess never wanted to believe that b/cI liked the look of the rack and the convenience of having the spare, hi-lift, etc. out of sight and mind. Now, I am at 6" on 33 - 12.50's. The rack "was" a kargomaster steel with gutter mounts. I live and wheel in VA and we have lots of trees amongst the rocks, or rocks amongst the trees....I am thinking I am better off with a tiny, skinny rack u-bolted to the factory rails for a cargo only (off the trail) and maybe tools like a shovel, saw, lug wrench and some lighting for on the trail. Do all you who have these big racks with tires and the kitchen sink up there get off camber in the woods. I can't see (hindsight 20/20 here) how its even an option for wheeling in the places available to me. Thoughts?

P

I love my new rack, I keep up there: FS spare, tent, sleeping bags, Highlift, clothes and camoing chairs. I'll probably add a camp table to that also. Everything else: the cooler, tools, and CO2 goes inside.

My rack sits tight against the roofline, no gutter mounts. Like you I had a SURO with gutter mounts and I could really tell when I had some weight up there. My gutter mounts also colasped on mine, but I was lucky, I was still able to get home with half of my stuff on the rack.

Here's a pic from our trip this weekend. No more gutter mounts, it ties into the roof with metal nutzerts. I also like the rub rails on the side they seem to keep those pesty trees off my XJ.

Oh and my rack seems to look a lot like FarmerMatt's

 

[basalt51]

So Matt, when are you going into production? I saw three of your racks out there this weekend and Laura's already saying we need one

I also watched Jeni put the roof sliders to good use!!!!

 

[Inisadow]

I had a the fullsize wilderness roof rack with gutter mounts and that thing destroyed branches. I never had the rack get ripped off or anything of the sort. But I ended up selling it to buy a lockrite. I still miss the rack but it really was pointless I only carried my spare highlift axe and shovel up there. Now my spare is inside my highlift jack laying down in the back and my axe under the back seat kept out of the elements. I ended up having to rehang the axe after the head came off because of how weathered the handle got and since I use it so much. Now that I have about 8inches less shiti sticking up in the air and a locked rear I can get under the really big trees and branches when I am manuevering through river beds and dense terrain.