Farbuckle,

Yup I've noticed the windnoise but it's nothing I haven't been able to fix by... turning up the radio!!!

But seriously, I just picked up a fairing for my Yakima bars that would fit perfectly over the Congo Cage, unfortunately the mounting tabs on the fairing conflicts with the Yakima/Congo Cage adapters(another source of wind noise), so I haven't been able to see if it reduces the wind noise. I need to do some mods to the fairing brackets to be able to mount them on the adapters.


PROP RODS? You got prop rods with yours? I'll have to give them a call... You have any pictures of them? Thanks.

Paolo

 

I didn't get prop rods with mine. But since the docs clearly refer to them, I called and asked. They shipped them to me at no extra charge. That being said, they're useless on my 4 door.

I'm considering a rig where I would hold the rack in the tilted position with a rope or something from the rear. I'll let you know how that works out.

The rack is off the jeep right now, as I couldn't stand the wind noise on my 40+ mile hwy commute.

 

When I first installed my congo rack, I took it for a test drive and found it had a very loud hum at any speed above 45 mph. I tried a few things to stop the hum, and it appeared that just about any change in the aerodynamics would be better than the bare rack.

I noticed that Kargo Master has a "wind noise kit" for their ladder racks. I called them to complain about my rack's noise level. They said they are working on a wind noise kit for the Jeep rack, also. It will probably be available in 2 months (June or July '08)

Meanwhile, I had to make a mount for my 2 meter HAM radio antenna, so I went to a local sheet metal shop and we worked out a design for a mounting plate to go on the congo rack. After installing the plate, the loud hum is now just a wind whistle. It is pretty noisy at over 80 mph (air speed) but is still much more acceptable than the droning before I installed the plate.

I also installed my Yakima kayak mounts (hully rollers and Mako fins on a yakima bar) to the congo rack. At first, I used the Yakima lo-rider mounts, but I didn't like the way they gripped the bar and they hold the bars up higher than the Kargo Master Yakima adapter mounts. So, I ordered the adapter mounts, and used them to mount the Yakima bars to the Congo Rack.

NOTE: None of the mounting of the Yakima gear, using either mounting method, caused any more noise than the Congo Rack by itself. That was true before I installed the antenna mount plate, also. I'm convinced majority of the noise is from the Congo Rack, not the Yakima bars.

The noise levels with my current setup is just a wind whistle, about the same as leaving one window barely open a crack. It is certainly better than before the antenna mounting plate was put on, and I feel it is very tolerable.

Here are the pictures of the current setup:

Congo Rack with custom antenna mount and Yakima kayak mounts

 

Meach4x4,

That's a nice design on that wind deflector. What's the chance of buying one from your sheet metal guy (without the antenna hole)?

Thanks!

 

I e-mailed them after I saw your post. They did send me a pair, but yes they are too short for any use. I e-mailed them again and now waiting to hear from them.

I was thinking of finding someone to fab up some kind of "backstop" to rest the rack on while it's tilted back... a horizontal, retractable, hinge-pin rig that can be mounted using the tail lights; mounting holes...

Let me know how your rig works out.

 

I will ask them. In stainless, it isn't cheap, but the thought was that if I painted mild steel I'd be spending almost the same amount for materials and a lot more time. I paid $150 plus tax for mine (and the hole was free).

 

Sold! If you could "grease the wheels" for me, I can contact them and make the payment and shipping arrangements.

Ya'll should patent? this design and license it to Kargo master!

Thanks in advance... I'm off to go kayaking...

Paolo

 

You may want to look at what Kargo Master did for their ladder racks for a "wind noise kit" It is just a wedge shaped bent sheet metal piece that and a few band clamps that attache it to the front of the rack:

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Lad...ccessories.htm

It isn't made for the Congo Rack yet, but I'd be guessing their solution will be similar. It wouldn't work for me, because I needed the plate for the radio antenna. It may work if all you want is to quiet down your rack, and not something to mount stuff on. Meanwhile, I'll ask the sheet metal guy if he is up for making one or two more.

 

Meach4x4,

Thanks for your help. It would be great if your metal guy could fab them up for us. While it's more expensive, after my experience with the congo cage, I'd rather go with a proven, Jeep-user-approved, product design.

Paolo

 

You don't have to drill any holes in the body for this rack?