My wife has a 08 jku that we are putting a hard top on, and we need a roof rack for four kayaks. I have a Kargo master on mine, holds a lot, etc. but I'm wondering is something like the yakima that bolts directly to the top would be OK although I doubt it has anything close to the capacity of the cage style it seems like it might be alright for the yaks. It would not need to hold any huge amount, IIRC the kayaks are 40 lbs each?

Anyway, not tied to any brand or style but I want to know what everyone else with a JKU and a hard top does to carry boats etc. on the roof. Not interested in a trailer at this time.

The last thing in the world I want to do is to damage the hard top we just bought, or launch a kayak at 65 mph towards the traffic in front of or behind us.

I suck at searching, too general a question or I'm not phrasing it right.

 

How do you feel about drilling holes in the hardtop?

The clamp onto gutter type scare the hell out of me!

 

Fine, no worries with that as far as install goes, but my concern is this: Do they hold up though? I'd hate to drill holes then see that over time the weight and flex of whatever is up there cracks or wears away at the hardtop.

 

AEV makes a pretty sweet rack for the 4 door JK. It mounts through the hardtop and into the factory roll bar. No stress on the hardtop itself.

http://www.aev-conversions.com/shop/jk-roof-rack


MBRP Off Camber also makes a nice rack for hardtops. It transfers load to the body tub.

http://offcamberfabrications.com/ind...ts&part=131894

 

Thanks, I'll check those out.

 

I have a Thule roof rack with the gutter mounts with my kayaks... It works great. I was apprehensive at first but found that it is secure. I am not worried at all of the rain gutters snapping off. I found the rack on Craig's list with the JK length load bars, locks ski rack and snowboard rack for $125. I sold the ski and snowboard rack for $50 each. The congo cages seem great, but I imagine they are loud with wind noise, a pain to put the soft top down, and rust easily.

I will be selling my house on July 29th, so my hard top goes back on for the transition time between selling my house and buying my next one. You aren't too far away, you are more than welcome to check out my rack to see if you think a gutter mounted unit will work for you.

My original plan was to get a windshield mounted light bar and mount one of the load bars to that, then get the Thule Goal Post (or the Harbor Freight version) to mount in my receiver hitch. Kind of a cheaper version of the Lange kit http://www.quadratec.com/products/12031_03_07.htm

This would be great for a jeep with a hard or soft top. I have decided that I am going to eventually build a kayak trailer out of a Harbor freight trailer because I am hoping to purchase a sit on top/ stand on top fishing kayak. Those are too heavy to lift up to the roof solo. I realize that you are not interested in the trailer idea.

 

Ok, good to know. Would be a lot cheaper too that way.

 

I edited my post, but you had already replied... if you want to check out how the rain gutter mounted racks work, mine will be on in a few weeks if you want to check it out. Plymouth isn't too far from here.

If you keep your hard top on year round, and have other uses for the big cages, then I would get a permanently mounted basket or cage.

With my soft top down, this is how I transport if i am going shorter distances and stayig off of the highway:

 

Thanks, might make the jump before that though so I can take kayaks on vacation. I'll take another look at the gutter mounts though. Appreciate the offer.