Aftermarket Soft Top Roof Rack - Great Idea; Terrible Execution

[PrepVet]

I purchased the below roof rack back in April for the soft top. The concept seemed simple enough once I realized it was attaching to the roll cage and not the top supports itself. However...

The very beginning of this month I went to install them. Although the directions skipped some info it was very easy to install and was solid. I was impressed with how easy it was and that the rack was as sturdy as it was. I was not going to put a lot of weight on it just a roof box and some soft sided suitcases in it. But, my first mistake showed it's head as soon as I actually looked at my old roof box. It was way too short to fit on the crossbeams. They were far too far apart for the box to be installed. Well that's on me, I should have measured or actually took that into consideration. I decided to leave the rack on as I might get a longer box on the drive or roof basket or something. That is where the downfall of this kit comes in...

Almost as soon as I started driving the top was louder and just sounded "off." As soon as I hit speeds above 50mph the top was physically moving up and down and flopping a bit above the rear seats. I thought I might not have correctly latched the middle section or something so I stopped, pulled the crossbeams off and the rear windows and closed the top "hard" and made sure everything was latched; reinstalled the crossbeams and restarted our roadtrip. It did not help. Hitting 70mph I was holding the soft top down as it was really lifting up and slamming down and just moving about. I stopped and pulled off the crossbeams thinking maybe the wind without anything on them was causing it. Nope, it was just as bad without the crossbeams and just the side hardware on it. So I stopped yet again and pulled all the hardware off as well. Which is where I made my second mistake, which is all on me, I accidently dropped or allowed the two bolts that hold the hardware on the drivers side spot to fall into the roll cage. Now they are rattling around in there driving me nuts and it is impossible to get them out with a magnet based on their design and shape...

As soon as I had everything off the top was normal and quiet and not moving around. That really sucks. These could have been useful.

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[guyparker]

Well, that's the same roof rack I purchased not too long ago. I haven't had time to install it yet. So it sounds like you're saying that the whole problem are the brackets that attached to the roll cage?

 

[Mikem1025]

Suckem out with vacuum.

 

[PrepVet]

Well, that's the same roof rack I purchased not too long ago. I haven't had time to install it yet. So it sounds like you're saying that the whole problem are the brackets that attached to the roll cage?

That is what it seems like. If you do install it and get good results let me know! I would really like to use it. But right now I am really bummed it doesn't work based on the brackets.

Suckem out with vacuum.

Not out of the holes they fell in from.

 

[guyparker]

That is what it seems like. If you do install it and get good results let me know! I would really like to use it. But right now I am really bummed it doesn't work based on the brackets.


Will do. The whole reason I bought it was to get the brackets. I want to fabricate a different way the cross bars attach so you don't have to take screws out/in to flip the top back.

 

[Mikem1025]

Try a strong magnet wrapped in Terry cloth, go along the outside.

 

[Xinnes88X]

@PrepVet I actually purchased these and they work great. With the softop open, it does increase the wind noise level especially on the freeway. However, with the softop closed, I have never had any issues as you describe. One thing that did happen, is that I stripped out one of the bolts, so now I have to figure out how to extract it (tried drill out method and did not work).

 

[PrepVet]

@PrepVet I actually purchased these and they work great. With the softop open, it does increase the wind noise level especially on the freeway. However, with the softop closed, I have never had any issues as you describe. One thing that did happen, is that I stripped out one of the bolts, so now I have to figure out how to extract it (tried drill out method and did not work).

How so? Or how did you get it to do it? Any modifications to the brackets? I would love to make this thing work.

 

[guyparker]

Okay, I installed my rack last weekend and the noise over the speed of 55 or 60 is terrible. I discovered that the culprits are the cross bars. They vibrate up and down hitting the soft top. I could put my hand up against the inside of the roof and feel the cross bar slapping against it.

One solution is adding additional support. I ordered and installed a "basket" rack on top of the cross bars. That has fixed the cross bars slapping. If I had more time I would have trimmed some pieces of wood and strapped them across the cross bars side to side. A better solution would be to fabricate replacement cross bars with better vertical strength.

 

[PrepVet]

Any updates on making these things useable? Mine is still sitting one he corner of the garage and I wish I could use it.

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