Roof platforms

[wesel123]

Looking to put a roof rack on the PW and the options as of now that are made to fit the ram 2500 series:

Rhinorack Pioneer
Prinsu
Front Runner
Maybe adapt the new Yakima platform

So my issue is longevity. I've been reading in the Aussie forums that the Rhino Rack's squeek over time due to the fact that the corners are essentially plastic. This seems also to be the case for the Yakima platform as well, plastic corners. But unlike the back bone mounting system.

The Prinsu seems to locate the faring where the maker lights are installed on the PW. Does anyone with a Prinsu Rack know if you can relocate the faring further back?

The Frontrunner is the platform that I like the best and still have a tone of accessories from my old one that was on my 100 series. And I like how the wind screen is mounted. Although to mount the rails I need to remove the headliner.....MPITA, and I'm not sure if it will clear the marker lights. Does anyone have the newer Front Runner rack that you are liking, hating, regretting?

 

[Dave]

I had the Rhino Rack Pioneer/Backbone on the JL. Pound for pound, that proved to be my favorite and most useful mod on the Jeep other than the fridge.

It was extremely well made and I’d recommend it to anyone.

That said, the Frontrunner stuff is killer. You might want to check out EaziAwn over at Equipt as well.

 

[Twin Magnolias]

I had Front Runner interior cargo racks on my Jeep and it was a great piece of kit, very solid. I've got a Rhino Rack Pioneer on my truck topper, and it mounted up pretty solid too. Whether the plastic corners begins to wear remains to be seen. However, as solidly as everything else goes together, I don't think there is going to be enough movement to cause the screws holding the plastic corners in place to wear that badly. We'll see.

 

[BlkWgn]

he is not on here often but @hardhat has a front runner on his 3rd gen and the thing is solid

 

[Greg]

I put a Front Runner on my cap on my tacoma. Normally there would be 6 mounting points but since I mounted it directly to the ARE cap's internal frame and ladder rack there was only 4. One in each corner. There was only marginal flex when all the load was on one cross bar. This was resolved with a 25mm t-slot rail down the center linking all the cross bars together distributing the weight to the 4 posts in each corner. I don't have a problem standing on it as it is now.

 

[WashingtonTaco]

I'm on my second Front Runner rack. Had one on my Taco for years and had great service from it and never any issues. With that track record when I started my GX build Front Runner was my top choice. I did look at Rhino Rack and it was a solid # 2 but with the history I have with Front Runner and the accessories that I kept from the Taco I couldn't change brands.

 

[Steve & Deb]

Does anyone with a Prinsu Rack know if you can relocate the faring further back?

I have the Prinsu Full Length on my 4Runner. The fairing is flush with the front of the side rails, and is inside of them. So you *could* move them further back, but you would need to drill additional holes.

Overall, I've been very happy with the Prinsu. Here in Ohio, an aluminum rack was mandatory! I stopped to see Paul May at Equipt on a trip through Utah, and was seriously considering the K2. But I liked the lower profile (and cost) of the Prinsu. I got mine before CBI bought them, so I can only assume that current production is the same.

The crossbars did not come with a milled opening to drop in nuts or carriage bolts, so I had mine machined to avoid having to remove them to add accessories. Still sometimes it is a pain to have to work around already mounted stuff, and changing rail spacing still requires removing the rails. THat's made more difficult by my awning on one side and shower enclosure on the other, But I don't change things often enough to be too concerned.

Crossbars are 1 X 2, with two slots top and bottom and one front and back. 1/4" carriage bolts work fine for mounting. I'm 170# and will flex a bar if standing in the center of just one. Not so much near an edge or on two.

I changed to all stainless steel fasteners, and used anti-seize to avoid galling of the aluminum threads. Flange head screws and lock washers work well and haven't loosened in the three years since I installed it. We also had a selection of aluminum spacers from McMaster-Carr because at the time, the foot bend was really inconsistent, and folks were having to add washers as spacers or cut down spacers. I'm sure CBI is more consistent.

EDIT: Downside is, that by many accounts, mounting a RTT on a Prinsu is a PITA due to its low height. Some have mounted once, then leave the RTT attached to the crossbars and remove crossbars along with the RTT. Others have used teh FrontRunner riser to mount a RTT.