I have a 1st gen 4runner (1989) and I'm looking to install a roof rack on it to free up the cargo space when I go hunting or take long trips. I want to install one over the cab area only on the drip rails. I'm coming up with a design that will eventually extend over the removable top without installing it to the top, but I need to get something just for now until I can build that one.

1) How much weight can the rails support? I'm only looking to carry less than and up to 100lbs, but will they (drip rails) even support that much.
2) Any recommendations/experiences (good and bad)? I've looked at some of the basket type carriers already, and every manufacturer has the best one on the market in their opinion, but it always helps to hear from actual customers. Most of the stuff I've seen is built specifically for Jeeps or other generation 4Runners with factory racks.

If someone has installed a rack over just the cab area let me hear from you. Thanks!

 

just get some "Quick and Easy" rack towers( the kind that use 2x4s for cross bars) and screw a couple of laundry baskets to them. you'll be good to go.

 

Yea! That'll match the coat hanger antenna and the spotlights duct taped to the front bumper that I've wired up as foglights. Not to mention the lovely plastic back window.

 

Anyone?

 

Have you checked out the baskets that mount in the reiciver hitch, they are good for 500#. Check downey off road i think thay sell one that goes just over the cab. Good luck.

 

Yakima makes the setup I have always used. I know they have some heavy duty ones. Stay away from mounting near the very rear of the rain gutter--it will start to separate. Both of my fiberglass rain gutters have broken so I setup this deal. It does not show the "basket" you can get mounted.

MJ

 

I took a stock roof rack and cut it down to fit just the front cab. I have a stock roof rack on the canopy. It lines up pretty good with the cab rack to make a full length roof rack.
Here is some pics. Hope you can still see what I'm babbling about. I had to really compress the pics to get them under 48.8 KB.

 

Looked this post up again after a while. Thanks for all of the replies. I'm going to check out the pics you attached now. Our poor little 1st gens don't come with alot of room for mounting.

 

try the Yakima basket rack, I'm thinking about one of these for a way to let wet rafting gear dry on the way home, plus since they're yak racks there's about 3billion attachments for them from bike racks to rocket boxes like the one above... or better yet, why don't you jusdt go ahead an make a mounting fixture on your hard-top? I've alo been looking into making a permanent basket rack on the removable top...

cheers

Dave

 

Yakima or Thule raingutter towers would work well. They used to have a 300 load limit on them but vehicle manufacturers started making roofs thinner in order to lower the center of gravity. Appearently "roll-over" was the catch phrase of the day. The same raingutters are now rated at 165 lbs. 100 pounds should be no problem. I've done 400 on my rack many times without worrying but I am the rack pro. If you are into drilling, put Yakima or Thule tracks on your cab and on the back. Use the same spacing and you can move your crossbars to where you need them. Drilling into the cab isn't hard either as both manufactures make expanding nuts so you don't have to remove the head liner. The Basketcase from Yakima is ok, but I would recommend the beefier Loadwarrior or Megawarrior. That way you can mount lights, bikes, hi-jack, spare, shovels and the like to the basket. The Thule baskets are stong enough but have a European twinky look to them.

 

When I bought my 1st gen 89, it had a Thule rain gutter rack just over the cab area. I have a roof box that, when full, weights around 170 lbs and I've never had any problems with that:http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/onlysn...07.jpg&.src=ph

 

soooo i got a couple questions for ya, let me start by saying i got a extd cab pickup that im looking to put a roof basket on, how do your tracks actually mount your cab? screws or do you have them bolted? is it rain proof? is it sturdy enough to carry a load in a roof basket down a bumpy dirt road?

 

and i forgot, what did you take that setup off of????