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Rack suggestions?

7K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  CBarclay 
#1 ·
I'm looking to put a rack on my 09 JKU.
The choices are staggering. I don't want to drill into the hard top. I actually don't plan on taking the hard top off so the possibility of tilting the rack back for removal isn't something I care that much about.
My main purpose is hauling camping and fishing gear.

So, I'm curious to hear what rack you have, purpose of your rack, quality, uses, installation, noises (rattling and wind noise) and any other experiences you folks have had with them.

The ones I'm looking at are:
Garvin Adventure Rack
Rugged Ridge Sherpa
Kargo Master Congo Pro
Barricade
(any other suggestions?)

Thanks!
 
#4 ·
yeah, I just saw one like that. Looks like a great solution too. Just need to figure out if I'll need to carry more weight than that.

I like the front runner design and may end up going that route. The cost and the drilling is what scares me away.

The LOD is nice for sure. Seems like it's be extra noisy though?
 
#3 ·
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#5 ·
I think every one has their own drawback/positives.

I run the aev snorkel and stubby rear bumper which limits things for me and really don't want to be hauling grossly more than 150lbs on the rack anyways. I'm confident the rack would hold more but insurance/liability limits the advertised weight.

I also don't want to be drilling anything I don't absolutely have to with the current leaks/salt and crap they use around me (even on just cold nights). I'm afraid of tempting the rust gods too much[emoji16]

I have an aluminum hitch basket for the Coleman cooler now but will be grabbing the other shortly/merry xmas to me! Youngest loves to kayak so just doing what a dad needs to do.[emoji6]

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#7 ·
I am interested to see what you come up with. By a rare stroke of luck, I was in Champaign Illinois a few days ago and saw two black poles near a trash can , I pulled over and assumed they would be junk.... it was 2 Yakima rails with all the little triangle fastener brackets attached and they are easily an 8.5 out of 10. The old man had them on his F-250 topper and the family decided to rid themselves of the accessories when he died. I know absolutely nothing about rails or how to attach them but now that I have 2, I plan to mount them puppies up lol.
 
#10 ·
I really wanted a roof rack, but have a softtop and use the sunrider quite a bit.

Ended up going with a ex-military M100 trailer (4'x6' weights ~ 250# carries about #500-#800) - only need my camping gear sometimes, but drive the jeep almost every day.

Just a thought.
 
#11 ·
I'm looking to put a rack on my 09 JKU.

The choices are staggering. I don't want to drill into the hard top. I actually don't plan on taking the hard top off so the possibility of tilting the rack back for removal isn't something I care that much about.

My main purpose is hauling camping and fishing gear.



So, I'm curious to hear what rack you have, purpose of your rack, quality, uses, installation, noises (rattling and wind noise) and any other experiences you folks have had with them.



The ones I'm looking at are:

Garvin Adventure Rack

Rugged Ridge Sherpa

Kargo Master Congo Pro

Barricade

(any other suggestions?)



Thanks!


I went with the gobi stealth rack. No drilling into the body and it sits low along the hardtop. The drilling into the body was my major concern. I believe it's about the same as the garvin in price, and you only need to enlarge 3 holes in the frame no body drilling. You can even rock it backwards on hinges if you end up wanting to take the hard top off. You can even remove the freedom panels without taking any bolts out.

I ordered mine with removable cross bars, but you can order if with the bars permanently welded in place or one removable and one welded if you order direct from gobi. Other sites didn't give me too many options on that.

I think it is constructed really well. I did the install myself with my wife helping me lift the basket in place due to its size.

I use mine to haul plywood and 2x4's since I don't have a truck, carry my surfboards and my roof top tent, and other gear. I believe it's rated at 350 lbs while driving and 650 stationary. You can get the exact figures from gobi.

I use to have a Kongo cage on my 08. But the way the bars sit and how everything attached on top of them, I wasn't a big fan. Plus it can with just the rack and you have to either make or buy every basket or rack. They sit really high for my liking. My buddy bought a Kongo and it came really quick. But it still has a narrow bar spread over the top and his kayak carrier sits high.

There is some wind noise with the gobi but that could be because I didn't put the wind deflector on where the light bar is supposed to attach. It did take a good 5 months to get also. But each one is made to order and it's made in the USA. Other than that I don't hear any rattling with the rack, it has a bunch of adjustable rubber dampers to prevent that.


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G
#16 ·
Is anyone running an overland type of roof tent or camper with a roof rack that isn't the "exoskeleton" type ? If so, which rack did you use and can you relate your experiences with it ? I'm considering making my own this winter but a lot of irons are in the fire already . Thanks in advance !
 
#17 ·
I have a rear basket set up, attached to the tire carrier, is good for light stuff, but I don't like it because It makes the jeep look lower on the rear end.

I am working on a custom roof rack attached front in the windshield hinge and backs on the frame, I don't want the existing concepts that are attached to the frame on the rear sides up to the bumper, they look bulky.
I don't want to touch the hard top, I will be removable in 3 stages: upper basket, rear structure and front structure, these will hold front, rear and sides aux lights.
Here some pics of the current rear basket and roof rack design.
 
#20 ·
Didn't read through the whole thread, so this may have been covered, but I would just offer some advice: lighter is better.

I actually built a rack for mine. Fabbed up brackets and welded to the PSC Crusher Corners prior to install. Welded an ID Tube Clamp to the PSC Light Bar Mounts. Then fabbed up the rack to fit the pre-installed mounting points. I come from the school of "when in doubt, make it stout, out of things you know about." This is bad advice for a roof rack, if "stout" means "heavy." I used a mix of .120 and .090 wall 1.5" tubing. In retrospect, I would have used lighter stock. the rack itself probably weighs close to 100 lbs, and understandably makes the Jeep feel top heavy. So I don't use it much at all. And it was more work than I really want to do again, so essentially I've spent a bunch of money on equipment and materials with only an education to show for it -- although not nearly as much as some of those commercially available racks cost. I could probably do mine again, even out of aluminum this time, and still have less money invested than the cost of, say, a Gobi. Some of those things are priced like they're made of gold.

Edit: I would also suggest that the lower the profile, the better. Lots of reasons, but the three most prominent ones are CG, clearance, and wind noise.
Good info guys, thank you. Would love to see pics if possible.
UnlimiDozer, even if the outcome is unsatisfactory you shared some great wisdom.
 
#18 ·
Didn't read through the whole thread, so this may have been covered, but I would just offer some advice: lighter is better.

I actually built a rack for mine. Fabbed up brackets and welded to the PSC Crusher Corners prior to install. Welded an ID Tube Clamp to the PSC Light Bar Mounts. Then fabbed up the rack to fit the pre-installed mounting points. I come from the school of "when in doubt, make it stout, out of things you know about." This is bad advice for a roof rack, if "stout" means "heavy." I used a mix of .120 and .090 wall 1.5" tubing. In retrospect, I would have used lighter stock. the rack itself probably weighs close to 100 lbs, and understandably makes the Jeep feel top heavy. So I don't use it much at all. And it was more work than I really want to do again, so essentially I've spent a bunch of money on equipment and materials with only an education to show for it -- although not nearly as much as some of those commercially available racks cost. I could probably do mine again, even out of aluminum this time, and still have less money invested than the cost of, say, a Gobi. Some of those things are priced like they're made of gold.

Edit: I would also suggest that the lower the profile, the better. Lots of reasons, but the three most prominent ones are CG, clearance, and wind noise.
 
#29 ·
Yeah, that's what I don't like of commercial racks, side mounts affect the aesthetics and also the clearance on narrow trails.

I will post some details soon about the holding points, I drilled on the back next to the tail lights. the front is the classic holding pint to the windshield brackets.
 
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