Rack on sports/roll bar?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Rack on sports/roll bar?

Greendrake

61 posts

Master Geek

#226353 3-Jan-2018 21:19

I've been thinking of how to equip this truck with roof racks:

Surely there would be no problems with installing two on the roof. However, the leg height will be slightly taller than the top of the sports/roll bar, which means the bar will not bear any load at all. Such a waste of opportunity to have a triple rack!

Before I begin trying to build some sort of custom rack mount to install a 3rd rack on the bar, I am wondering if there is a known solution? Note that I'm not keen on getting rid of the bar and putting a canopy. Let's get the bar bear some load! :)

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1928675 3-Jan-2018 21:34

I used to install racks and canopies years ago, and we did what you want for a customer once... 3 weeks later he was back because it was useless. Too hard to tie to, and ugly. Ended up going to a panel shop to get the holes filled in and we put the rack at the back of the roof. We never put a rack on the bar as that would've been worse.

What would you need a "triple rack" over such a short distance for?

Decent Rola or Pro-Rack will be able to take anything you'll put on the roof.

Other choice is H bars in the back of the tray or on the front for long stuff.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1928677 3-Jan-2018 21:38

If you wan't the bar to bear load, put spacers under its feet. Still be ugly tho

Edit: I've been scratching my head about how to make this look good... and thinking of all the mounting kits I had access to. Coming up short... lol, sorry.

If it was mine, I would just put the 2 on the roof.

Greendrake

61 posts

Master Geek

#1928678 3-Jan-2018 21:41

blakamin:

I used to install racks and canopies years ago, and we did what you want for a customer once... 3 weeks later he was back because it was useless. Too hard to tie to, and ugly.

Good to know, cheers! A couple of kayaks would be typical load.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1928703 3-Jan-2018 21:43

Greendrake:

blakamin:

I used to install racks and canopies years ago, and we did what you want for a customer once... 3 weeks later he was back because it was useless. Too hard to tie to, and ugly.

Good to know, cheers! A couple of kayaks would be typical load.

Do you use actual kayak mounts or just rope them down?

Greendrake

61 posts

Master Geek

#1928704 3-Jan-2018 21:45

blakamin:

Do you use actual kayak mounts or just rope them down?

At the moment there are no kayaks, no racks, no mounts yet. Only ropes LOL

I'd go whichever way is the best, what would you advise?

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1928705 3-Jan-2018 21:48

I'd go 2 racks on the roof, Rola are my favourite, and buy the kayak mounts... A bit more expensive than pro-rack, but a much nicer product.

clevedon

1040 posts

Uber Geek

#1928822 4-Jan-2018 08:05

I'd go for removable H type bars if it was me, when your not using them - vehicle looks the same as it does now.

Greendrake

61 posts

Master Geek

#1929009 4-Jan-2018 12:44

clevedon:

I'd go for removable H type bars if it was me, when your not using them - vehicle looks the same as it does now.

Would you still install racks on the roof? Or just use the sports bar as a load bearer?

Can you please show some links/examples of what those "H type bars" are? Not sure if my googling yields the right thing.

clevedon

1040 posts

Uber Geek

#1929025 4-Jan-2018 13:09

Greendrake:

clevedon:

I'd go for removable H type bars if it was me, when your not using them - vehicle looks the same as it does now.

Would you still install racks on the roof? Or just use the sports bar as a load bearer?

Can you please show some links/examples of what those "H type bars" are? Not sure if my googling yields the right thing.

https://www.ama4wd.com.au/product/t2-ladder-rack-conversion-for-ford-px-ranger-dual-cab-models-0911/

This type of principal utilizing the front nudge bar but not the sports bar in the centre.

itxtme

1744 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1929053 4-Jan-2018 14:25

Have seen them with hard cover instead of soft cover and then standard roof racks mounted on them, guess it depends how long the load would be.

Greendrake

61 posts

Master Geek

#1929058 4-Jan-2018 14:26

Thanks guys.

Okay, it looks like these two pieces from OZRAX is exactly what I want:

Will be after them now!

TLD

710 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1929532 4-Jan-2018 23:24

clevedon:

I'd go for removable H type bars if it was me, when your not using them - vehicle looks the same as it does now.

I saw something like this in Blenheim today. I mean he didn't have a kayak on the roof, but it was a flash ute with removable ladder rack on the front bumper.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)