Roof rack mounting, am I crazy?

[ntsqd]

SWMBO wants an RTT for the trips when the CTD/pop-top is just too big or the trip will be too rough for it. I've been noodling on how to mount it and I'm pretty hesitant to put ~200 lbs up there merely bolted to the removable top, and I'm even more hesitant to mount part of it to the top and part of it to the cab's gutters. I've seen much more dedicated support Broncos with their rack mounts going down thru the top and attached to the cage. Not an option for us.

So what if I put some Frontrunner or similar mounting tracks flat on the body just below the top, and then made/had made something that kinda-sorta looks like a lumber rack to attach to the tracks and carry the RTT? Maybe y'all have seen those lumber racks that are made to go over a bed-shell? About like that.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I've seen guys make removable roof racks that bolt to the corners of the glass where it's strongest. Essentially it sat low enough there was barely any gap from the roof. I don't have pictures, but I do know they carried a big spare up there. It was a full glass length rack and had 8 stand offs with 2 bolts through the glass then a plate sandwiched on the other side, and then sealed with silicone. The rack had tube inserts, so you'd plop it on top, line up the rack with the stand offs, then slide the rack on and stick a pin or bolt through the stand offs. The rack had tube inserts.

[SteveG]

I’ve tossed around the idea of a small rack on Wilson but just can’t bring myself to put holes in it….

If I was going to install one and NOT tie into the cage, I’d definitely use rails. The Front Runner stuff is pretty nice, and they have tons of handy attachments and accessories.

By the way, We just removed Bechard’s Front Runner rooftop tent last night. I was damn surprised at how light it it. I think he said about 80 lbs… food for thought.

[ntsqd]

What I was trying hard to avoid is a roof rack itself unless it comes off with the RTT. I'm beginning to think that this might be misguided. The awning that I'm thinking to put on as well will need some stout structure.

I want the RTT to be easily removed and replaced as I suspect that it will only go on an outing when my wife is along (I usually sleep inside the Blanc-oh! when solo). Am thinking of a 270° awning that is free-standing (this one in particular: https://gofsr.com/products/freespirit-r ... 270-awning ). Can also use it while stationed somewhere out on the course if it's not too windy as it could be put away in a minute or so if called to move to a broken racer. Undecided if I want it to be easy to R&R or not. I'm tempted to buy the enclosure for the awning: https://gofsr.com/collections/vehicle-a ... -wningroom It is freaking huge! Can see never needing the RTT, but set-up and tear-down wouldn't be as fast as the RTT.

Originally I was thinking to run a pair of these along the top of the hard top: https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/trac ... /p/230012/ with at least 4 of these: https://www.uscargocontrol.com/products ... ud-fitting to attach the RTT to the L track. The awning needs more structure than just a couple of 'L' brackets to handle the loads of it being open, and brackets off the near track only would be a disaster in the making. It was in considering those loads that I started questioning mounting to the hard top at all.

The latest idea to cross my pea brain is something like this: https://www.extremeterrain.com/garvin-j ... 20094.html At the rear it could pick up the OEM spare mount bolts and a matching set of new holes on the DS. Up front I think maybe a gutter mount is the easiest. I like that keeps the loads off the hard top, but it sure is ugly!

[SteveG]

The MAC's Versa-Tie is fantastic we use it everywhere, including the back of the Bronco. They also make a mount that gives you a threaded stud to mount things to....

[ntsqd]

Good to know, thanks!
This stud: https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/trac ... /p/310009/ ?

I've been pondering making a tie-down system for the rear using the flush L track in some 12mm birch plywood that is covered with indoor/outdoor carpet. Make the ply the same footprint as the whole rear, 4 dado'd fore/aft equally spaced grooves in it for the track with the carpet in between. Everything tied down to that and then it is bolted down in four places. Maybe make a matching front piece for when the rear seat is out. Have it anchored to the seat brackets and extend clear to the rear of the front seats. Likely tackle that project after this RTT & awning project...

[SteveG]

Good to know, thanks!
This stud: https://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/trac ... /p/310009/ ?

I've been pondering making a tie-down system for the rear using the flush L track in some 12mm birch plywood that is covered with indoor/outdoor carpet. Make the ply the same footprint as the whole rear, 4 dado'd fore/aft equally spaced grooves in it for the track with the carpet in between. Everything tied down to that and then it is bolted down in four places. Maybe make a matching front piece for when the rear seat is out. Have it anchored to the seat brackets and extend clear to the rear of the front seats. Likely tackle that project after this RTT & awning project...

Yup. That's the one. We've used it a few times with good results. I'm using the Front Runner rails and rack on my Explorer, but had originally considered using the MACS stuff because I like it so much and the anchors would be the same.

[ntsqd]

Poking around I found this: https://www.uscargocontrol.com/products ... 2021485613 Same "series" as the Mac's stuff, but with a stouter cross section. One of those cut exactly in half would make both rails. Each rail would end up with twelve 1/4" counter-sunk mounting holes. I'm thinking to bed the rail down onto the roof with 3M 5200 as I've never had that stuff leak.

Stumbled onto these earlier today: https://www.hotrodlatches.com/Large_Lat ... atches.htm Four of them with the pins on appropriate brackets bolted to the rails sure would make it easy to R&R the RTT.

So far my ideas for mounting the awning keep falling back to 80/20 type extrusions, ala Prinsu racks, spanning from track to track with custom brackets to mount the awning on the PS ends.