roof rack rails

[dalkill]

I would like to add some roof rack rails to the alu canopy

i'm looking at these two options.

https://4x4direct.co.za/roof-rack-brack ... -of-2.html

or

https://www.toolcraft.co.za/products/to ... BIQAvD_BwE

I like the look and lower profile of the first one. Although it quite a bit more expensive. The second one seems like it may be stronger, incase i want to add carrier or tent.

Will both be able to handle a carrier or tent?

[pieta.swanepoel]

I think the preferred rails for canopies are the ones from 4x4direct. seems lower profile and it has the extrusions to the side.

The strength will probably also depend on how well you secure it to the canopy. You will need stainless countersunk bolts to secure them. I would also use sicaflex to glue it in place. The holes should be drilled through the structure of the canopy (not just the plate).

[dax021]

Not a good idea to use S/Steel bolts on an alumimium rack. Galvanic action is high and your ali will corrode away. It is better to use galvanized hardware to fix ali. Trust me on this one.

[dalkill]

so I'll be going for the 4x4 roof rail.
Now to fit.

So here we have the top of the canopy.

length i would need is about 1.4m. but i'm worried about edge of that canopy. it's about 30mm wide. before it start to round off. not sure how wide that base of the rail is.

then when we look inside the canopy...

There is no real way to get a bolt thru there to fix with a nut.
I think i'm forced to use a rivet nut?

Two concerns, one is the 4x4 direct site saying it's not so secure, and second concern is with the rail sitting basically ontop of the rivet nut lip, is it going to make it weaker and prone to bending or breaking if load is put between the two riv-nuts?

Not a good idea to use S/Steel bolts on an alumimium rack. Galvanic action is high and your ali will corrode away. It is better to use galvanized hardware to fix ali. Trust me on this one.

Thanks, will keep this in mind

[dax021]

Difficult one. Can you not place your rails more inboard, then you can drill through and secure to the cross pieces. You could then also drill a larger hole on the inside so that the nut sits inside the tube

[dalkill]

i was just looking at that dax, perhaps reuse the holes the current rivets made.
the little lip on the underneath, that the plate riveted to, is about 10mm wide.
I checked M6 bolt and it look like it might work.

in this way, there is some support under entire length of the rail. fitting it to the cross pieces only means areas where only plate supporting underneath.

m6 size bolt should be sufficient for most applications, like tent, carrier for overlanding?

I'm not planning to carry any of these right now, but rather fit once.

[dax021]

I hear what you are saying, but watch out for 6mm bolts, in my opinion they are a bit lig in die broek. Could you not make 8mm work? If it's a mm from the edge, it won't affect strength much, as long as the 10mm strip doesn't break at the drill point, use fender washers to spread the load.

[dalkill]

m8 gonna be too tight.

no other option. go thru the cross pieces and then add aditional L shape supports between the cross pieces

[niclemaitre]

Why not put the rails across the canopy (perpendicular to the vehicle long axis), rather than along the canopy? That way you can secure them to the cross braces with through bolts rather than to the edge.

[dalkill]

i need to run it along the lenght of canopy.
When i put rod holders on i need to move it as far apart as possible, to the front and back to support rods.
Whereas a tent supports would be more in middle of canopy

[dax021]

This could become the most expensive cargo rails ever purchased, as I foresee you having to buy a new canopy to accommodate your rails
Maybe consider a complete subframe that could bolt through the side of the canopy, to which the cargo rails can attach?

[niclemaitre]

i need to run it along the lenght of canopy.
When i put rod holders on i need to move it as far apart as possible, to the front and back to support rods.
Whereas a tent supports would be more in middle of canopy

Rods are light, mount the the rod holders to some square alu tube that mounts to the cross rails.

[dax021]

So, what have you decided?

[dalkill]

.. i went to buy the rails on Sat, and it still sitting on the canopy in the garage... not fitted

because the buttom part of the rail, where the bolt slides in, is actually not flat on the surface. only the two sides touch the suface.
So my fear of rivnuts having gap no longer valid.

But i think i will go with the M8 bolts through the cross members rather. Guy from 4x4direct again told me the area the rivnut grip not to great.

[Ibhubesi]

.. i went to buy the rails on Sat, and it still sitting on the canopy in the garage... not fitted

because the buttom part of the rail, where the bolt slides in, is actually not flat on the surface. only the two sides touch the suface.
So my fear of rivnuts having gap no longer valid.

But i think i will go with the M8 bolts through the cross members rather. Guy from 4x4direct again told me the area the rivnut grip not to great.

Well done on getting the first step done!

So here’s my scenario…I fitted the same profile tracks by Front Runner to my Alu-canopy. My roof rack is 1.330M x 1160M and track 1.4M in length.
The tracks are fitted 100mm or so from the edge on either side, towards the inside (centre) of the canopy.
They are mounted through the struts that run across the inside of the canopy using M8 stainless steel bolts. To circumvent the alloy/stainless issue mentioned by a previous poster, large oversized washers were used to reinforce the holes drilled but also barrier the two metals.
The rack is solid! Will carry my roof top tent although my tent is mounted on the cab which also has the front runner tracks using load bars. I will carry jerry cans, wood, sand tracks and accessories on the roof rack which suites my setup.

Hope it’s helpful.


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[dax021]

Don't want to get into a flame war over this, but I used to own a Landrover. Everyone to his own and at the end of the day the choice is yours. The type of washers used as per the previous post will make a difference of course. I spent a year on an aluminium $100m boat build and every stainless fitting had to be coated with a special paste, cannot remember the name now, but was yellow. The attached article might help you decide.

https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/b ... -aluminum/

Why people rave about S/St bolts is also beyond me. They are no stronger than galved bolts, in fact they are more brittle and break easier

[Ibhubesi]

Don't want to get into a flame war over this, but I used to own a Landrover. Everyone to his own and at the end of the day the choice is yours. The type of washers used as per the previous post will make a difference of course. I spent a year on an aluminium $100m boat build and every stainless fitting had to be coated with a special paste, cannot remember the name now, but was yellow. The attached article might help you decide.

https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/b ... -aluminum/

Why people rave about S/St bolts is also beyond me. They are no stronger than galved bolts, in fact they are more brittle and break easier

Yea….Would be interesting to know why every manufacturer supplies ss hardware with their roof racks and rails Perhaps they know something I don’t (and there’s a great chance)


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[dalkill]

Hope it’s helpful.

thanks Ibhubesi. that is the setup i'm going for.

[Ibhubesi]

Hope it’s helpful.

thanks Ibhubesi. that is the setup i'm going for.

Cool! Glad it was helpful. Apply some Sikaflex 221 to the holes, bolts and nuts both sides to prevent leaking and extra secures the bolts.


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