• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Opinion's on Roof Racks

I run the safari rack, and it went on real easy. The thing is strong too. I really beat the snot out of it. A few weeks ago I slid off the road and the rack got all hung up in the trees so I just put the hammer down and the rack pulled the tree out of the ground. Just for the record the tree was about as big around as a persons shin.
To console the tree huggers, the tree will be fine it has been sent to a therapist for the mental distress it had, and will be replanted soon.
For the realist, I drug it home still in the rack cut it up and roasted marshmallows with my two kids while I was having a Dunkel Weizen.
I wont ever drive a truck with out a rack like this now that I have one.
On trips it keeps all your junk out of the cab so you can have the dogs in back.
 
I´ve got a aluminium rack made by Hannibal from South Africa - it´s big and not so heavy.

bg055.jpg
 
I run a Surco, does the job. Its light weight and holds my Hi-lift and spare just fine.

Xmas20063-11.jpg
 
Have a custom rack built by a friend that is about 6.5" high and runs the whole length of the XJ. Holds my spare and cooler. Definitely will always have one. great investment.
 
misfit8 said:
How many of you guy's run racks.

Do you find them to be a good addition, create problems what type etc......
Click to expand...
The only problems I ever had with my Surco were that it was flimsy (I was using a stock tire for a spare and it was bending the flooring), and that I paid money for it to find out I didn't really need it. It looked cool with lights all over it, but it was completely pointless. I sold it and all of the goodies and threw the spare in the back along with everything else.
 
I lost 2 mpg when I added my roofrack, and the bottom bent with me standing on it while I was tying down my spare. (safari) I don't run it anymore because having the weight up there really made the heep feel top heavy, (No swaybars amplifies this effect) especially in off-camber trail situations and up steep hillclimbs.
 
I made the mistake of buying a cheap homemade one off ebay. It mounted to the factory luggage rack. The rack itself worked good and I liked the idea of extra storage capacity and the amount of lights I could mount. But the mounting was crap, my factory luggage bars would bounce and the mounting screw scratched and dented my roof until it broke the factory bar were it mounted to the slide rails. It being more top heavy with the spare tire was kind of scary in some situations (I am lifted 4.5" with 33x9.50). Long story only kind of long, if you do get one get a good quality one that mounts to the rain gutters.
 
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my jeep when I bought it w/ a 31x10.5 BFG up there..

To start with its a very beefy and well built rack ( heavy ). W/ the 31x10.5 up there and running 31x10.5's I could barely fit in my garage. So if your plans are to stay small then go for it.

BUT, if you park in a garage, parking deck, etc. then think twice about it. Also when you add something like a 33 up there its basically like running a sail on top of your jeep.

I sold mine b/c w/ 33's and 5" lift I couldnt even begin to fit in the garage or parking decks. Also where we wheel you run a huge risk of getting that thing hung up on trees/rocks and it just wasn't worth the hassle.

I carry my spare inside along w/ my gear and have not had any problems yet. ( I carry a full size 33, spare shafts, hi-lift, powertank, handtools, recovery gear, etc. in the back of the jeep and haven't had the need for a rack yet). All w/ the rear seat still functional.
 
I have had my Yakima Mega Warrior for over 3 years now and I love it. It has held up great and is very durable. There are some rust spots now here and there, but that didn't start happening until I put Christmas lights on it 2 months ago. Now it has stopped. My mpg has not been affected, but then again I don't drive over 80 for extended periods of time. Whatever your decision is on a roof rack, make sure you get rain gutter mounts for any rack. The stock setup is just to flimsy and will start to give once your bouncing around all over trails.
 
XJeremy23 said:
I made the mistake of buying a cheap homemade one off ebay. It mounted to the factory luggage rack. The rack itself worked good and I liked the idea of extra storage capacity and the amount of lights I could mount. But the mounting was crap, my factory luggage bars would bounce and the mounting screw scratched and dented my roof until it broke the factory bar were it mounted to the slide rails. It being more top heavy with the spare tire was kind of scary in some situations (I am lifted 4.5" with 33x9.50). Long story only kind of long, if you do get one get a good quality one that mounts to the rain gutters.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the hijack, but do you have a pic of your rig? I'm looking at the 33x9.5 and there don't seem to be many folks running them. Thanks!
 
Interesting subject. In general I see two competing interests; do you want to look cool or do you want utility?

Understand that the factory system (and anything subsequently attached to it) is only rated for something in the neighborhood of 100-150 lbs. The vehicle structure (A,B,C pillars) are also not very heavyweight capable. Thus, at best you are looking at carrying bulk and not weight items.

If you want utility, important consideration should be given to gutter mounts that can distribute the load along the entire length of the gutter, not just 2 or 4 points which concentrate the load. Also the overall CG should be distributed as evenly between the front and rear axles as possible. Given the 2 box design of the vehicle this mandates that the load be moved as far forward as possible in the roof area, not the rear. Let me say that again, Not the rear, as you see most folks doing.

As you can see, these issues very much impact the CDI factor. I see very few racks that have utility as the prime consideration.
 
uncc civilengineer said:
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my jeep when I bought it w/ a 31x10.5 BFG up there..

To start with its a very beefy and well built rack ( heavy ). W/ the 31x10.5 up there and running 31x10.5's I could barely fit in my garage. So if your plans are to stay small then go for it.

BUT, if you park in a garage, parking deck, etc. then think twice about it. Also when you add something like a 33 up there its basically like running a sail on top of your jeep.

I sold mine b/c w/ 33's and 5" lift I couldnt even begin to fit in the garage or parking decks. Also where we wheel you run a huge risk of getting that thing hung up on trees/rocks and it just wasn't worth the hassle.

I carry my spare inside along w/ my gear and have not had any problems yet. ( I carry a full size 33, spare shafts, hi-lift, powertank, handtools, recovery gear, etc. in the back of the jeep and haven't had the need for a rack yet). All w/ the rear seat still functional.
Click to expand...

Hey man .... do you have any pics of this set up..... I just made my tire carrier and it was a lengthy process.
thanks
 
91 Jeep Project said:
Don't see many of those on XJs, they are retarded expensive. I think your's makes about the fourth one I've seen now.
Click to expand...

That´s right, I got mine for half the price on ebay - the guy has ordered the short (half length) one but received the long one, and the company who sells them didn´t want it back - luck for me! :eeks1:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
XJ paint codes
Replies
5
Views
139
Ken M
K
W
98 factory roof racks parts
Replies
4
Views
1K
workboots
W
D
Specific Moab Wheel On XJ
Replies
16
Views
233
DirtySouthXJ
D
G
Help?
Replies
9
Views
3K
shrimpinking
S
Root Moose
Mild Lifting with OEM Parts
Replies
12
Views
1K
Tim_MN
Tim_MN
Back
Top