Hard Top Track Rack / Support Idea
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Dublin, CA
Hard Top Track Rack / Support Idea
I have looked and looked but I have not seen this idea anywere on the forum, and there might be a reason. I have had some good ideas before I thought, just to realize someone on here had the same idea, has done it and taken pictures of doing it (that sounded dirty)
Anyways...this is my idea. I just bought a Yakima Mega Warrior for a roof top rack and I am going to go with the track system (yes drilling holes in the top has me nervous) with Thule crossbars. With a lot of weight on the top the fiberglass will flex, maybe lead to cracking...just all around not good for it. What if the weight of the rack was transferred to the roll bars? If you put some sort of "block device" on the inside of the top between the fiberglass top and the roll bar, all the weight should be tranferred THROUGH the top to the roll bar. You could do the same at the front (would need significantly smaller block device). It looks like the roll bar is close to the center of the hard top (for 4 door at least) which is a good location to take most of the weight you would have on roof rack.
Okay is this crazy, has someone done this, am I too far outside the box? Or will this crazy concoction just might work?
Pros and Cons and anything I am missing would be appreciated...and if you happen to have track rack, and crossbars for sale I am interested
Anyways...this is my idea. I just bought a Yakima Mega Warrior for a roof top rack and I am going to go with the track system (yes drilling holes in the top has me nervous) with Thule crossbars. With a lot of weight on the top the fiberglass will flex, maybe lead to cracking...just all around not good for it. What if the weight of the rack was transferred to the roll bars? If you put some sort of "block device" on the inside of the top between the fiberglass top and the roll bar, all the weight should be tranferred THROUGH the top to the roll bar. You could do the same at the front (would need significantly smaller block device). It looks like the roll bar is close to the center of the hard top (for 4 door at least) which is a good location to take most of the weight you would have on roof rack.
Okay is this crazy, has someone done this, am I too far outside the box? Or will this crazy concoction just might work?
Pros and Cons and anything I am missing would be appreciated...and if you happen to have track rack, and crossbars for sale I am interested
JK Super Freak
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 1
From: SLC, Utah
I am not sure if the hard top is designed to flex differently than the roll-bar. If you tie bolts through the hard top into the roll-bar and the roll-bar flexes differently that the hard top you just created a pressure point at the bolts and that could cause cracks.
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Dublin, CA
Its already been done like you describe! Check out the Jeep Overland Concept as well as the ARB demo JK and the AEV demo JK. All three use the same brackets to mount racks of different types/design to the hard top and then attaching to the roll cage. I just wish they would sell them on the open market so the consumer could get our hands on them!!!
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Denver
I have been looking at building my own roof rack system mainly because I prefer a low profile system with no rack/tubes going down the side of the Jeep. Ever since I seen the JK Overland rack and bracket system (prototype) I have been thinking of a way to do it myself. I just came across this http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/cart.php and think this is the way I am going to go.
Watch the install video and you will have the know how to do it yourself.
Watch the install video and you will have the know how to do it yourself.