[buzbox]

I need to get some roof racks for my Vit, but I'm not exactly sure if my little plan will work.

I don't have rails so I'd need the whole kit. I'd prefer rhino racks mainly because they are rated the highest load carrying capacity, 100kg a pair, But $417 is a fair whack. Rola H/D racks are rated at 80kg a pair and cost $336 which might do the job just fine.

What I was thinking is buy some rola or rhino racks off ebay just for the bars, cut them down to whatever size I like then buy a new fitting kit and rails from an auto store. I think I'd save myself at least $50-80 by doing it this way.

Good plan? or save dicking around and buy the whole lot new?

[atari4x4]

yep, the cross bars can be cut to suit... my rails are held on by pop rivets, lots of massive pop rivets!!! (i cringed when mine were fitted)

there are heaps of magna's in wreckers that have factory fitted rola track mount racks, a pair of pointy nose vice grips will undo the security bolts pretty easy & you can score yourself a cheap pair or cross bars & feet.

[royce]

yep find yourself some pad or track mounts racks the correct width at a wrecker and stick em on, they are pretty universal fit

[buzbox]

I can get a pair of prorack pad mount racks for $246 which is just within what I'm willing to spend, they're usually $329 but according to their website their only good for 75kg.

I'm bidding on a pair of rola's atm, They're going for $60 with an hour to go. I priced them at repco and they're $60-80 each depending on how long I want.

[royce]

what do you want to put up there thats so heavy?

[diver_dingo]

i got some for my swb vitara from super cheap for $179 for the kit, 80 kg. They use brackets that clamp onto the top of the rear windows and top of the doorway

[atari4x4]

royce wrote:

what do you want to put up there thats so heavy?

x2 the factory rating on the vitara roof isn't that high.

[buzbox]

royce wrote:

what do you want to put up there thats so heavy?

Well the weight of things seem to add up pretty quick.

I bought a rola vortex roof basket which weighs 17kg
I'd carry a 20L fuel jerry can up there - ~20-25Kg
A medium sized gas bottle - ~10kg
I'd like to get an awening - ~10-15kg
And perhaps a highlift jack - 10-15kg
If I chuck the spare tyre or firewood up there, there's another 20kg

Now thats excluding any camping gear or luggage. The only camping gear I'd chuck up there would be light, chairs, swag or tent etc. Unless I make up a water storage tube, that's probably the most weight it would see. Obviously some of those items can be carried in the car, but I'm thinking of the worst case scenario sort of thing.

[royce]

Ive driven with approx 50kg on my racks and even on road it was damn scary round corners!!

i'd make all the heavy stuff fit down low and move lighter stuff like clothes and sleeping gear up there

[buzbox]

Oh and I just won the bidding on the rola racks, $60

They were off an '04 Mitsu outlander so the fitting kit is to suit lateral rails, I'll see if my brother wants them for his X-trail otherwise I'll either put the kit back up on ebay or just bin them.

[atari4x4]

when use my roof basket it's only got my swag, exhaust jack, alloy camping table & chair + tarps etc... IMO that's about the most i'd put up there due to the increased COG & I definitely notice it on & off road + the extra fuel consumption that goes with it, but my vit is pretty tall.

nice buy with the vortex roof basket. the rola racks fit perfectly in between the rails.

[buzbox]

Thanks for the pics.

I've been meaning to get a set of racks since last year and when I saw the basket in the Repco catologue I thought it's too good of a price to pass up.

I also bought a Narva flood light to put on the rear and am wanting to put a pair of spotlights up there like yours.

Did yours come with the Rola logo on the wind deflector? How'd you get it off?

[atari4x4]

nah no logo on mine, it was one of the very first one's in oz. it was a display item for a roof rack shop & sat in the show room for quite a while before i got it.

the standard mounting brackets are a bit lame & they make the basket sit up really high, i made those ones from some flat bar & rolled the ends... they probably should be a bit longer & wrap a bit more but they've done the job so far as they just hold the basket down & the rails stop it from moving front/back & the legs stop it from moving left/right, there is the alloy "boss" that slides into the rack & they have a grub screw to lock in position on the rack & the bracket is bolted to that.

EDIT: the little lights are just the $25 cheapies from stupidcheap, they are a perfect size.

[buzbox]

I got the roof rails from the wreckers for $10 !!!

I havn't measured them but they go the full length, just what I wanted. All I need now is some double sided tape, pop rivets and the roof bar fitting kit which I presume would be the most expensive item.

[atari4x4]

Nice score, what did they come off?

[Chop]

Good stuff. If you time it right like i did, i bought my rhino heavy duty bars and brackets separetly from autobarn when they had a sale and it worked out alot cheaper than $300 for the kit.

Chop

[buzbox]

They came off a camry wagon. Just a shame it was missing the bars.

And chop yep that's right, and now is the time

I went to autopro and the fitting kit is $150 for 2 bars. I went up to Repco which have a sale on and they're $120 incl. freight. so that's about 30% off. Well that's to suit the H/D bars which I thought I was getting, but It seems like I got the sports bars. The only difference is that It doesn't have the channel under the bars. Not exactly what I wanted, They're rated at 50Kg per bar instead of 40Kg so I'm not really fussed.

So all up, It's cost me $190 a saving of roughly $130

[atari4x4]

sound's like you've scored a bargin... when is it all getting fitted? and we need pics!!!

[buzbox]

I just had a call for an interview in Shitney which will eat into my funds, so probably next week when I get "paid". I'll order the kit tommorow, by the time it gets here I'd be able to afford it.

[buzbox]

I suppose I should've waited on buying the bars.. the racks that I got on ebay for $60 are ok but are missing the rubber strip and it costs about $20-$25 for a new strip. Well I saw another set of racks on ebay and though, yeah why not, If I win them I'll re-sell the set that I originally bought and get some money back.

Well I won the bidding and got another set of racks for $10 !!!!!

Anyone know someone that wants racks for a Mitsu outlander?
Good thing is they suit most cars with lateral bars. Subaru's, daepoo's etc.

Actually the 2nd pair I bought have the fitting kit to suit cars with gutters, So besides having a ford logo on them they'd fit a Sierra.

[buzbox]

OK all done

Here's how to do it. I know how you guy's like pictures so I'll try and load them up.

Tools needed:
Tape measure
Pencil
Drill & 5mm drill bit
Double sided tape and or sikaflex
Pop rivet gun
Drop saw, hacksaw or grinder
File
Screwdriver

If you've read the posts above, I got the tracks from the wreckers for $10, I bought some bars off ebay, $10 and I had to buy the fitting kit, part# TS102 & MSES003 $120 (on sale)



First cut the bars down to the right size, a quick search on the rhino rack website I found the right length which is 775mm, after cutting it you would want to file the edges to get rid of the crap and sharp edges.



Mount the support ends into the bars.



Now grab your rails and slide the racks into them. Put them on end so you can get them both level and tighten up the bolts on the racks.



Chuck them up on the roof and mark out where they're going to live. Make sure you are very careful with the measurements, Measure twice then check it again and then re-check it! You only want to drill the hole once.



Once your happy with the measurements and have marked out where your going to drill, grab the drill and load it with a 5mm drill bit. So you don't drill through the roof lining, get some electrical tape and wrap it around the bit. Before you drill through the roof, re-check your measurements.



Take the racks back off the roof and take them out of the rails, run some double sided tape down either side of the rails and use some sikaflex around the holes to stop any water getting in through the holes. Very carefully position the rails back on the roof where you've drilled the holes and grab the pop rivet gun and rivets and fix the rails to the roof. Just don't forget the end caps for the rails before you pop the rivets.
Repeat on the other side and slide the rack back on.

sit back and enjoy.

[atari4x4]

nice write up, did you add a blob of sikaflex to the bottom each pop rivet for that extra seal?

IMO you need to ditch the basket fitting brackets as with them the basket sits to high, but thats just me.

[buzbox]

Yeah, I went nuts with the sikaflex, It's not coming off any time soon

And your right, It looks shit with the supplied fitting kit. But I just wanted to get it up there so It'll do for now.

[buzbox]

Far out, it's been a year already.

Might as well do a long term report. I havn't touched them since being installed, I mean they've been handy especially when camping, I mainly just chuck the camp chairs, table and gas bottle ontop, a few times I've had to carry some logs and firewood back to camp, it scratched the roof a little but it's fkd up anyways.

No issues whatso ever, The rola logo is starting to fade but that's about it.

I've had heaps of comments from other 4WD'rs on how good it looks and asking where to get them.

[eXc450]

looks good. I have been wanting racks for a while.

Does it matter what the tracks come from? Is it obvious to work out what brand tracks are if I go to the wreckers?

[FullyZooked]

I got my rola racks today from the wreckers for $55. Also picked up a Vortex basket from Repco. They ran out of stock on the first sale day so they got one couriered to me from Melbourne!

I think I was luck to get one, they sure are popular!

[Philbilly]

Hey Fullyzooked,

How much did ya pay for the Vortex from Repco? They don't list the price online.

[atari4x4]

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... 176#441176

buzbox on thursday wrote:

Just flicking through a few catologues and I see that Ripco have the Rola Vortex roof baskets on sale again, this time 40% off selling for $179. Save $120

I picked mine up when it was 50% off, but it's still a good deal.

[FullyZooked]

The Vortex basket was $175.

[FullyZooked]

What size rivets did you guys use?

I would still prefer bolt and nut fastening I think. I it hard to remove the roof lining?