We're having an interesting, yet possible scary conversation over on our South Africa 4x4 forum about roof racks and hard tops.

Now in South Africa we only have rail mounted racks available, and do not get any of the fancy racks you chaps install with supports running down to the body work.

The rack is installed with two rails on the sides, with all the weight on the sides above the bodywork, and each rail is secured with 5 bolts per side.

Are there any experience here, (or posts on JK-Forum) showing the negatives with this kind of fitment?

I am a bit concerned as my own rack was fitted about a week ago.

 

as far as i know there hasnt been anyone break their hardtop from overloading it. i think something is wrong with your pics

 

Please refresh I uploaded the images to a different host.

 

Pics again!

 

do you have any pics from the inside of the roof

 

I really like the way that's mounted with nothing running down the exterior of the body.

 

I'll keep my Gobi, thanks...

 

Mounted my Yakimas 3 months ago on top the ridges using tracks and have had no problem yet. Nothing heavy yet however...just bikes and a small Thule space case.

 

It was not drilled all the way through, but only to the top layers. That is a possible concern, I am going to find out about drilling it all the way through, and installing rails to the underside of the hard top as well.

 

With these tops cracking just from taking tops off/on at the bolt holes, I wonder how well all that extra weight, and wind resistence would affect the integrity of them. It looks clean though. Would use it if it did not trash my top.