Roof rack question...drilling thru fiberglass

[badmix]

Well, ive been thinking long and hard about this. I thought about doing a cab over roof rack, I picked up a factory roof rack from a small Suv at the junkyard. It is great shape and cost me 15bux. lol. Anyways, it is fully adjustable, so Ive been playing around with it some. Im torn with the cab over or going onto the fiberglass topper.

Here are my uses for the rack:

1) to carry 10' Kayak

2) eventually get a Basket rack mounted ontop

3) w/cab over, I can do off road lights

4) w/fiberglass mounted, I can take full use of the length of the roof rack. I would have to cut it in 1/2 to put it on the cab.

5) w/fiberglass mounted, its practically invisible, hard to tell it and it looks good. I am concerned with look of the cab over setup. From the side it looks good. from the front I would run a deflector/off road lights.

If you would do fiberglass mounted, how would you handle the inside? I dont want bolts hanging down incase im climbing around inside.

For cab over, id use Nutserts..seems the simpliest way to go with that.

So,,looking for ideas, suggestions, comments, etc etc.

 

[USSkoval]

You can use the nutserts in the fiberglass too, so long as it's in the single layer area. IMHO, it looks silly on the steel portion of the roof.

 

[NorCal_Chris]

i agree on the fiberglass topper.

Is that rack off a passport/rodeo/pathfinder?

 

[diesel4me]

They sell "well nuts" made of rubber with threaded brass insterts,to install roof racks with,at auto body supply stores....you drill a 1/2" hole and put in the well nut,it has a flange so it cant fall right thru--then when you tighten the screws the rubber expands and firmly grips the fiberglass or steel roof..kinda like thos expandable rubber freeze plugs they sell..

 

[ramack]

Hey,

Another option is to run stainless bolts/screws (no smaller than #10) up from the inside into low profile stainless nylon lock nuts on the roof. That would minimize the risk of whackin' your head on the bolts sticking out of the nuts if the nuts were on the interior.

Rich

 

[badmix]

Thanks everyone..

yea, im going to put the rack on the fibertop. Im going to run SS allen bolts with some Acorn nuts on the inside.

That rack is off of an Eagle mini van. Id actually like to find one a lil wider but the junk yard I go to doesnt have much in the way of full size trucks. I have the pick of the litter for Ford explorers and such.. but no full size stuff.

 

[dhcomp]

I would strongly advise against using any sort of factory style rack . Most of those small SUV racks have really low capacities. If I was going to do it, and drill, i'd do it right the first time . The cost is going to be more, but i'd get some track mounts from Thule or Yakima, then watch craigslist for the right feet/accessories to mount to them.

Either that, or just get the roof rails from a factory setup, and adapt the thule/yakima cross bars and feet to them.

I'd just hate to see you drill the top for a rack that isnt' really up to the task of holding what you want.

If you want ot stay budget, at least get a setup off of full size chevy burb or tahoe.

That way, you get a useable width. That setup you got looks like its from an explorer or something narrow.

 

[Recon!]

I agree.

I plan on drilling my top, but on the inside. Use those rubber sleeved goodies so there's no holes on the outside, and store my shovel, axe and pick on the inside of the roof. Still need to figure out a secure way to hold them while still being relatively painless to take them down quickly for use while drunk. Some type of mounting system that is quick release but super secure, don't want them flopping around if I jump it or roll over.

 

[Jay Bird]

I've had the well-nuts on mine for about 4yrs with no prob. yet.

 

[dhcomp]

I've had the well-nuts on mine for about 4yrs with no prob. yet.

i Used rubber well nuts on my 94, and they were ok. Had to replace once.

Make SURE your hole is clean and perfectly round, or they won't work.

Ended up spinning most of them, and switched to orings, grommets, a different style sheetmetal expansion anchors, and s ****load of caulk. Sold it a year after.