Roof Cargo Carriers
05-24-2004, 12:08 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:08 PM
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:08 PM
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
>cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
>anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
>experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
>tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
>your insights!
I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
http://www.garvin-industries.com/
Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
zero play.
The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
(using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
you are carrying 4 people.
Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
http://www.yakima.com/home.html
Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
disadvantages? For me it didn't.
Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:31 PM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:31 PM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:31 PM
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 12:31 PM
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
not a trail only rig.
Norm
"John Davies" <saab95aerowagon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bu54b0h0tbm4mk8v256gkqdnflvqh79pjs@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 24 May 2004 15:24:42 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
> <nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>
> >Does any member of the group have experiences, good or bad, with the roof
> >cargo carriers. Our 2000 XJ has a factory roof rack. What brand does
> >anyone prefer? How is the installation - difficult or easy? What
> >experience is there with the spare tire mounting kit to secure the spare
> >tire in the carrier? Is there a vendor that is recommended? Thanks for
> >your insights!
>
> I had a Garvin Wilderness rack on my '91 XJ.
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/John-XJ-01.jpg
>
> http://www.garvin-industries.com/
>
> Installation was average, but two people are required to lift it into
> place. It is pretty heavy. There are lots of little bolts to install,
>
> Being poorly painted steel, it rusted like crazy in the wet Puget
> Sound climate. I saw no signs of primer under the rusting paint. The
> finish might be acceptable in a desert environment.
>
> Being steel, it made the Cherokee top heavy and resulted in excessive
> body roll, even with the stiffer OME suspension. Having the spare
> permanently mounted up there made it worse. Add the Hi-Lift and shovel
> and some bikes and extra gear and the handling went to hell.
>
> The highway fuel mileage plummetted, and the wind noise increased
> dramatically, even with a big Yakima fairing. Maintaining highway
> speeds with stuff on top and the stock gears was very difficult,
> especially into a stiff head wind up a grade. I had to use 2nd gear a
> lot. Lower ring and pinions highly recommended.
>
> The roof rail clamps interfered with the tops of the passenger doors
> and I had to grind down the door sheet metal to get them to clear. The
> mount system was very sturdy, however. The rack was rock solid and had
> zero play.
>
> The spare was very hard to get up and down without a step ladder.
> There was no way my wife would have been able to do it in an
> emergency. If you had a steel wheel it woluld be worse than an alloy.
>
> Washing and waxing the roof of the Jeep was a _lot_ harder.
>
> The extra storage was great, and I used it a lot for hauling bikes
> (using the Yakima crossbar adaptors) and camping gear, . I really
> liked the extra cargo space, which is so sorely lacking in an XJ when
> you are carrying 4 people.
>
> Final thoughts: in this time of soaring gas prices, forget about
> mounting anything permanently on your roof. A removable gutter mount
> rack system with stout bars, like Yakima, makes sooo much more sense.
> You can leave it at home except when you really need it.
>
> http://www.yakima.com/home.html
>
> Or consider buying an inexpensive 4x6 or 5x8 utility trailer for those
> times you need a lot of space. Then you can haul dirt or lumber too.
>
> If this is a pure trail rig we are talking about, never mind. Install
> an expedition rack. They look way cool on a lifted XJ. It's your
> choice: does way cool and lots of storage outweigh the many
> disadvantages? For me it didn't.
>
> Do your research and make this decision after some deep thought.
>
>
>
> John Davies
> http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
> '96 Lexus LX450
> '00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
> Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 03:32 PM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 16:31:25 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 03:32 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 16:31:25 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
05-24-2004, 03:32 PM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Roof Cargo Carriers
On Mon, 24 May 2004 16:31:25 GMT, "Norm & Debbie"
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
<nwpars@insightbb.com> wrote:
>Thanks John! Are roof cargo carriers and expedition racks that same? I
>have looked at some aluminum types. What do you think about them? It is
>not a trail only rig.
I think there is some confusion in terminology. I see a cargo carrier
as being a temporary rack, like the Yakima Loadwarrior or Megawarrior.
They aren't intended to be permanent, tho many people leave them
attached all the time. They clamp to crossbars, often to the factory
(weak) rack itself. They tend to be smaller than an expedition rack
with a load rating of maybe a couple of hundred pounds. The cargo
racks aren't really intended to carry tires, cans of gas and other
really heavy stuff.
Expedition racks are serious hardware which often extend the full
length of the roof and from gutter to gutter. Some are rated at 300 or
even 500 pounds capacity, tho the vehicle suspension and terrain
really determines that limit.
An aluminum expedition rack would help a little in terms of
top-heaviness - maybe 30 or 40 pounds - but by the time you get it
loaded, you won't see any significant difference. The finish would be
more durable, but the wind resistance is going to remain.
Oh, one other thing. Any heavy load on the roof drastically increases
the risk of rollover. SUVs are inherently more susceptible to this due
to their high stance. If you miss a turn or are lax and let the truck
drift off the road and clip a guard rail, the truck trips over its
tires and rolls rather than spinning out. The extra stuff up top means
you have to be very vigilent about curves and unfamiliar roads.
Emergency maeuvers are also affected, so you need to take extra care
in traffic.
My own opinion is that an expedition rack and lots of gear does NOT
belong on a truck primarily driven by the wife. I may be willing to
take the risks, but I certainly don't expect my other half to do so,
unless she specifically asks.
I hope this helped. I know this is a Jeep-only newsgroup, but one
reason I sold my XJ for another make was to go to a bigger vehicle
that had better cargo capacity, partly so I didn't have to throw
everything up top. (I still want a Rubicon Unlimited tho....)
John Davies
http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/
'96 Lexus LX450
'00 Audi A4 1.8T quattro
Spokane WA USA
