roof rack with a can-back soft top (StormTrooper et. all)

[hawkeye649]

So I picked up a nice roof rack, got it for free. Just mounted my off-road lights too it and will be mounting some other crap to it.
Do you guys think I should attach it to the can-back through the top, the way it was designed? Or should I make a mount system that makes a hoop around the top like I've seen on some hard tops, so there wouldn't be any holes in the top and I still could theoretically take the top off rather than only being able to roll it up?

ST: Do you like your rack the way you have it?

 

[fireplug]

I am planning on using hoops that are on the outside of the top so I can use it with the hardtop as well as the softtop, and of course like you said you can still drop the whole softtop down. Mind you I'm running the STC so the other option isn't really available to me. By the way how do they attach through the Can Backs? Any close up pics?

This one http://www.rackwarehouse.com/vlrunc.html

 

[hawkeye649]

Find some pics of stormtroopers truck and you'll see. Basically the frame of the can-back is robust enough to hold weight, designed to carry 300lbs so they say. There are some seperator bars to keep the 3 hoops apart, and they have attachment tabs on them. Then you poke some holes through the top and use rubber gaskets & bolts to attach to the tabs. I never thought of the using with hard top bit...hmmm... I'm kind of thinking of making pockets in my bed sides that tubes fit into rather than the standard piece of flat iron screwed to the bed top. There is that flair in the body that would make room for the pocket, then it shouldn't be too hard to make filler plugs so it looks fairly normal with no roof rack.

 

[berserker]

hard to say i don't think i would want to make any holes though. m/o

 

[steve_kibbe]

This uses the yakima kit.

 

[fireplug]

Yeah I'd be leary of putting holes in the top too. But if that's how it's designed then...

I'm just bouncing emails back and forth in reguards to the one I mentioned above. I haven't found one to check out in person and I'm just getting some details to ensure my Yakima gear will attach. If it all works out I'll have one in my possession by Monday and I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[hawkeye649]

This uses the yakima kit.

Now from what I understand the yakima does use holes through the top. If it doesn't, how does it attach to the frame? I am just making my own so I want it to work like that, and I just assumed it used holes. Thnx.

 

[hawkeye649]

Ttt