$475 Hooke Road Discovery Roof Rack -- Review

[jacobrdoty]

I have to think China. If it was US it would be plastered all over the site.

Definitely China

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[Eruptioncamper]

Part 2.

Getting the front section assembled was pretty easy although the instructions are vague (with tiny pictures) as to the actual orientation of the caps on the front. You just keep turning pieces until they sort of make sense.

Once I got it all up I went and loosened all the bolts up slightly, wiggled the rack into what I thought was the perfect location and then went back and tightened it up.

Then I went for a test drive. The whistling started right at 55mph and just got worse. Again being the Harbor Freight of racks I anticipated this and bought the weatherstripping.

Which just happened to arrive as soon as I got back from the test drive.

I cut it at an angle on the ends so it matches the brackets. It looks, well, ok. Not ideal but if it doesn’t whistle after the next test drive I’ll be happy.

I do want to get a piece of PPF to put under the weatherstripping.

So for under $500 including the weatherstripping this isn’t bad. Perfect? No. But I don’t even know how long I’ll leave the rack on. Maybe a couple months. Maybe forever.

I am currently trying to fix this for a road trip, has this held up?

 

[jacobrdoty]

I am currently trying to fix this for a road trip, has this held up?

Mine has been working perfectly.

 

[swooshdave]

I am currently trying to fix this for a road trip, has this held up?

5000 miles into my road trip (and I’m only halfway there) and it’s been perfect.

 

[jrbreeland]

I will add that Hooke Road has the worst customer service I've experienced in years. I would only buy their product if there are no other options.

 

[swooshdave]

I will add that Hooke Road has the worst customer service I've experienced in years. I would only buy their product if there are no other options.

That’s not unusual at the low end of the market.

 

[21BL2DR]

i like everything about this rack except the design of the front “fairing”. There is zero reason why there should be a huge gap that needs filled with a 2.5” piece of rubber. I may buy one and redesign the front piece to sit with 1/2 “ of the paint. Then a simple piece of round automotive door seal will suffice. The “fairing should also stretch all the way across the rack at the bottom and cover the rail attachment points on both sides. Horribly designed…. But I think a newly designed front fairing would make it a winner.

I’m just not sure I want to pay 1500 for a TrailRax etc.

 

[swooshdave]

i like everything about this rack except the design of the front “fairing”. There is zero reason why there should be a huge gap that needs filled with a 2.5” piece of rubber. I may buy one and redesign the front piece to sit with 1/2 “ of the paint. Then a simple piece of round automotive door seal will suffice. The “fairing should also stretch all the way across the rack at the bottom and cover the rail attachment points on both sides. Horribly designed…. But I think a newly designed front fairing would make it a winner.

I’m just not sure I want to pay 1500 for a TrailRax etc.

I’m also going to do something else with the gap. The big rubber seal works but it’s… ungainly.

 

[Aztec1382]

Is there a 2 door version coming soon

 

[adamruiz2001]

i like everything about this rack except the design of the front “fairing”. There is zero reason why there should be a huge gap that needs filled with a 2.5” piece of rubber. I may buy one and redesign the front piece to sit with 1/2 “ of the paint. Then a simple piece of round automotive door seal will suffice. The “fairing should also stretch all the way across the rack at the bottom and cover the rail attachment points on both sides. Horribly designed…. But I think a newly designed front fairing would make it a winner.

I’m just not sure I want to pay 1500 for a TrailRax etc.

I was thinking the same exact thing, shouldn't be to hard to redesign the fairing to mount closer to the top of the bronco, but I am more curious what the mounting brackets under it look like, this would help out a lot on the redesign of the fairing.

 

[swooshdave]

I was thinking the same exact thing, shouldn't be to hard to redesign the fairing to mount closer to the top of the bronco, but I am more curious what the mounting brackets under it look like, this would help out a lot on the redesign of the fairing.

Pretty much trace out the existing fairing and just add an inch or so to the bottom. Then have someone waterjet one out.

 

[adamruiz2001]

Pretty much trace out the existing fairing and just add an inch or so to the bottom. Then have someone waterjet one out.

Thanks for that, seems easy enough, by all the pics, i kept thinking the mount looked to stick further forward than other companies, meaning if I was to make it straight it would still sit to far forward in front of the windshield, so a small bend would need to be necessary to have the fairing tight against the body of the bronco. But since you have one, I take your word for it. Do you have a pic of the fairing and bracket, like a nice close up pic, worse case, I just order it and make it happen.

 

[Graham1911]

So I ordered the stuff from other reviews. Seems to be working, just need to figure out how to make the one on the front fairing to look a little less....jank.

Filled in the first two crossbars as they're currently empty - love how professional this looks (don't mind the dirt lol).

This is the other gap filler. Not totally in love, but really does seem to be reducing the noise. Kinda crazy. How can I get rid of these stupid ripples? I cut slits into it, but that didn't work. It's pretty stiff.

I wish I could 3D print something for that gap instead... that'd be perfect!

Finished cross bars. Again, love how this looks.

Links to products:
Front fairing weather seal: https://amzn.to/3pIvGiT
8MM 5M Black (one roll filled 4 slots or 2 crossbars) https://amzn.to/3pJOxKs

I used same rubber on front. I folded it under using a plastic panel tool. It takes some effort but looks a lot better. Also solves 100% of wind noise problem.

 

[adamruiz2001]

I used same rubber on front. I folded it under using a plastic panel tool. It takes some effort but looks a lot better. Also solves 100% of wind noise problem.

Got a pic?

 

[Graham1911]

I will try to get one. It is on my daughter's Bronco. She is in Salt Lake and I am in Dallas. I ordered my Bronco in Feb. 22 and gave up this past Feb. and bought off a lot. I kept my order and she took it three weeks ago. She was here between contracts and took delivery. She is a travel nurse. We put the rack on and the noise was awful. The rubber fixed it. It just didn't look good. I bent the rubber back up under between the rack and top with a plastic trim tool. I think looks a lot better. I will try and get her to take pic. Here is the best I have.

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