Originally Posted by Abritinboston

Awesome looking jeep! How do you like the rack with the soft top? Does it make noise or flap? I want one, but the Missus already complains enough about the noise (I have a soft top and soft uppers).

Originally Posted by Raisinhead

I love mine with the soft top. It makes more noise, but its not unbearable. It flapped at first, but I removed the wind deflector and added insulation around the bars that come closest to the top. Also, quick disconnects are a must have. The rack adds about 5-7 more minutes for taking the top down.

Originally Posted by Abritinboston

Can you do it on your own? I mostly take the top down by myself and I'm worried I won't be able to with the rack as well. Also what lights are those? The look like they fit perfectly

Originally Posted by jkfisher84

Does the Gobi work with the orfab carrier? Anyone?

Originally Posted by jkfisher84

Does the Gobi work with the orfab carrier? Anyone?

Originally Posted by Cool Danish

Hi Scott,
Thanks for install comments and pictures. Looks like mounting the AirTop Black Storm to the Gobi rack is not as plug and play as I first thought.. :-( How do you like the medium size of the AirTop Black Storm? Is it large enough for 2 people or would you recoment the large size? (6 inches wider).
Have you thought about modifying the Axe/shovel mounts, instead of raising the RRT on the Gobi rack? Lower profile should be better for both off camber situations and less wind resistance.
- Michael

Originally Posted by 07Rubi

Ok, so here's some follow up on the mounting issue I was talking about before.

But first, to get off topic a hair, I've decided to take a big step build wise and am currently having the stuff listed below installed by the guys at American Overland Expedition. I'm going to Nitto 37's wrapped around Pintler Beadlocks, and a 4.5" JK Dualsport RS lift (stock arm length). I'm keeping my stock Rubi axles, but upgrading the shafts and gusseting the C's and everything else I can think of. I had recently added the AEV rear bumper tire carrier with the gas tank and with my 60" Hi-Lift First Responder Jack on there as well as a pull pal (not installed yet) and a full spare AEV 10 gallon gas tank, my stock suspension had become dangerously unsafe. My COG shifted too far north for it and the additional weight compounded the problem. I know people on the forum have all their opinions about AEV and lifts, but I've researched this for a few years now and this is the right option for me. I may upgrade to dynatracs later, but with the gusseting and other mods to the axles I expect good reliability. I'm also trying to build an overkill overland rig, not a radical crawler, even though I like to do something technical every now and then. I'm also installing an ARB twin.

So, getting back on topic, I had real problems with my tent and the way it was mounted to the Gobi. In addition to it sliding around because the Gobi cross-bar in the back was too distant from the bottom of the tent, it was also too far to the rear of the vehicle and sometimes the combination of these two things would cause the tent to slide forward and the rear brackets would come all the way out, leaving only the front two, which were mounted more just past the middle because of the location of THAT crossbar on the Gobi. To the credit of Maggiolina and Gobi, even with just those two brackets and the sliding around, it was pretty well mounted still. However, not for repeated punishment. Additionally, since the tent was flushed against the long rails on the side of the Gobi, there was no way to mount any accessory clamps, e.g - Shovel & Axe Mount, Awning Mounts

SO...AOE worked with me to come up with a solution, fabricating three new crossbars with flat surfaces (another issue with the Gobi's cross bars being tubular so not great for mounting a flat bottom tent), and installing them on the rack. We are raising the tent's position by a little over an inch. I know that COG freaks are going to wig out about this, but the tent is not exceptionally heavy (130lbs), even with light payload (30lbs) in it and I need the side rails available. With the wider track from the new tires and wheels, the heaver Nitto's (reinforced sidewalls) and the beefed up RS suspension on the Bilstein 5100's, we should be fine. I don't have photos yet, but Alex will be making the AOE Gobi Crossbars available if anyone is interested in a good Gobi kit who's had an issue putting any kind of RTT on the Gobi. Once everything is done, I will come back here and post photos.

Here's one of what just went into the back, outstanding fabrication work. The top drawer and it's chassis are removable for optional bulk space. The ARB has a cook partner on sliders underneath it. This part was provided by AT...

<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=351294"/>

I'm pretty excited about this build.

If I ever get to do an engine swap, I'll be done spending money on this thing right? Right?

Originally Posted by jkfisher84

Duuuude, your rig sounds like what dreams are made of! Plllllllleeeeeaaaaaasssse post pics here or under the expedition thread, I'm dying to see it! Thanks in advance

Originally Posted by jkfisher84

Duuuude, your rig sounds like what dreams are made of! Plllllllleeeeeaaaaaasssse post pics here or under the expedition thread, I'm dying to see it! Thanks in advance