RTdawgs

My old Yakima basketcase (for sale section ) just wasnt cutting it for me anymore. i needed a wider, taller, longer, and stronger rack. I didnt want to splurge on the Wilderness, and the Surco is too popular. after giving up and settling on a surco, i came across a rack on ebay that i really liked and had never seen before.

i ended up finding several places who sold the rack under the name AdventureRak (tried a google search). i found the cheapest place and a week later a big box came and then 1.5 hours later, it was sitting on my roof.

price: $139.95 from etrailer.com
dimensions: 37-1/4"W x 43-1/2"L x 4"H






i also purchased the stretch net for the rack for $14 from buyahitch.com. other available accessories include light brackets and a 20" extension.

now was a good time to upgrade my weakening Yakima locking railriders, so i picked up some of the new control towers and landing pads and im very happy i did. i reused my 48" crossbars and fairing.

Control Towers: $79.95
Landing Pads 1: $49.95 (2 pair)

TDiddy

Hey Ryan,

Just last Saturday I picked one of them up, used from another member here, TRD 4RNR.

Its made by Bauer ( www.bauergear.com ).


www.sportsrack.com is a big Bauer dealer, but the other place you listed beats their prices. I'll check them out for accessories!

rimpainter.com

So is that true? I see you have a Yak Rack, but did it in fact come with mounts for the OEM rails?

How much was shipping for you?

I like it!

TDiddy

I just checked out the buyahitch site, and saw the AdventureRack was sold under DrawTite on there, now I'm not sure who exactly makes them.

Anyway, they're still identical. The netting was definitely cheaper from them, but the light mounts are only $29.95 from sportsrack vs 47 on buyahitch. Just FYI, in case you were looking for them.

TDiddy

Christian,

Yes that's true at least on the Bauer variation. I have mine mounted directly to the OEM rack. It came with the brackets.

rimpainter.com

Cool thanks Tom. I know I have asked this before, but how hard would it be for someone to steal the basket off the roof?

Any creative ways to lock it on with the OEM set-up?

TDiddy

Not hard at all. The supplied mounts are basically a u-bolt/clamp style, and there's two big crowned nuts that you put on and tighten by hand.

I plan on replacing those crown nut things with nylock nuts. At least then someone would need an actual tool to try to steal it.


I was going to go take a pic for you but then realized Sarah has the 4Runner right now.


Maybe we could come up with a way to electrify the rack. A nice shock would be a theft deterrent too. Naah, that's not a lawsuit waiting to happen....

sschaefer3

Do you guys really need roof racks ???

Mine made the 4Runner way way tippier. It's alot better without it.

But I guess if you have to haul stuff. Group Buy's did not help in his Sand Dune roll. More wight up top, makes it go over faster. In fact that is one HUGE disadvantage of the 2nd and 3rd Gen 4Runners. All the glass, a 1st gen can remove all the heavy glass.

TDiddy

Steve, just your rack made it tippier? I could see a tire on top doing that, but I'm surprised that you thought the rack alone did.

I'm going to be using it for some extra stuff during a drive back east.

sschaefer3

Uh, yeah, it was all welded together. The Jerry can mounts were 15 pounds each, add cans: 50 pounds, shovel: 5 pounds, Hi-Lift 40 pounds or so.

Yes it did effect it alot. I also pulled it so I could get the thing in the garage with more lift.



To each there own, I push it and don't want to tip over.

Darren

So having 300 pounds worth of lights up there is very bad? :alien:

TDiddy

Oh OK, I thought you were talking about just an empty, off the shelf basket. Mine doesn't weigh more than 20 lbs. empty.

RTdawgs

no, but its better than the alternative.

i use mine mainly for camping/hiking/rafting/fishing gear, never anymore than 20 lbs of gear up there. i keep the heavy stuff inside the cab. and when i do have the rack loaded up, i wont be doing any hardcore wheeling, so the "tippiness" isnt a prob.

sschaefer3

I get the feeling people get roof racks just because they are a relativley cheap mod. I think I did.

I would skip the roof rack and buy a locker. Buy a new set of gears or something you can't see.

I am amazed at how many people it seems just want to hang crap on the truck and trash talk IFS when they don't have any lockers, gears or a crawler. My truck is one nasty IFS sleeper. It's the 5.29's, ARB and Toyota lockers and the MC09 that really matter. So what if you lift a wheel, it all locked up and going so slow, you'll never even know it.

Ryan Taylor: Next time your out here, you call me and I will show you Martinez Canyon first hand. At least you will have ridden passenger on the "most kick ass trail". Your the only guy fromt back east I have any faith what so ever will even make it out here. See the Holy Land and take the vison back with you.

Cmar

Thanks for the heads up RTdawgs, I am looking at getting a rack soon. Probably a Surco, but the AdventureRak will have to be checked out as well.

And you guys, not everyone on here is worried about tipping over and a high CoG. Some of us just want our rigs to look better....!!!

A rack is a nice mod, Ok so you could spend the money better elsewhere... but as you say its an easy mod and definately makes a rig look better.

RTdawgs

SS: you missed me over the summer, i was there and eager to wheel, hopefully next time i wont have to settle for a flaming jeep and broken arrow. you have my word, next time in there, ill give you a ring and ill ride with you. no chance ill ever drive out there unless i move there, which isnt crazy since my dad wants to retire in scottsdale.

i dont need gears or a crawler, and i cant afford a selectable locker. im on a frat boy budget, beer, food, jim beam, beer and condoms, thats more important right now. maybe after i finish my MBA and ace the LSAT when im making 6 figs ill buy a locker and a D44 for both of us



PS - ive been to AZ 4 times now, CO 4 times, NV twice, CA once...i know the holy lands of the West

RTdawgs

bump for steve

BajaTaco

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