You should give it a try. People were wheeling in stick vehicles long before automatics became available. Everyone is a novice until they practice.
Yes, I'm using the factory roof rack. In order for the SmittyBilt gen. 2 tent to span across the roof rack cross members, I did have to move the front cross member back. And to do that I screwed the front of the cross member into the backmost hole for the front cross member, then drilled and mounted a new M6-1.0 Jack Nut (identical to factory size), and mounted the back of the front cross member to that new jack nut. Essentially just moving the front cross member back the length of the cross member. I hope the image helps to show the new mounting spot located behind the original rear spot to allow the cross member to be set back "one lenght" of the member. And this link for the jack nuts - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0O9UBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - is the bag of M6-1.0 jack nuts I ordered. I'm sure you can get just 2 of them from NAPA but I wanted more for future projects where I may want to use the same M6-1.0 "Bronco Bolts" for other things. I did go to ACE hardware to get 2 bolt covers to cover the front two mounting nuts so they aren't exposed. A couple of bucks, some time, and the willpower to drill/mount new jack nuts saved me from having to buy a roof rack for my roof rack. I hope this helps. Forgot to add...no issues with how sturdy the mounting is and no issues with the dynamic/static weights on the factor rack.
Super helpful, thank you! Saving this post for when I put my hardtop and racks back on this fall.Yes, I'm using the factory roof rack. In order for the SmittyBilt gen. 2 tent to span across the roof rack cross members, I did have to move the front cross member back. And to do that I screwed the front of the cross member into the backmost hole for the front cross member, then drilled and mounted a new M6-1.0 Jack Nut (identical to factory size), and mounted the back of the front cross member to that new jack nut. Essentially just moving the front cross member back the length of the cross member. I hope the image helps to show the new mounting spot located behind the original rear spot to allow the cross member to be set back "one lenght" of the member. And this link for the jack nuts - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0O9UBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - is the bag of M6-1.0 jack nuts I ordered. I'm sure you can get just 2 of them from NAPA but I wanted more for future projects where I may want to use the same M6-1.0 "Bronco Bolts" for other things. I did go to ACE hardware to get 2 bolt covers to cover the front two mounting nuts so they aren't exposed. A couple of bucks, some time, and the willpower to drill/mount new jack nuts saved me from having to buy a roof rack for my roof rack. I hope this helps. Forgot to add...no issues with how sturdy the mounting is and no issues with the dynamic/static weights on the factor rack.
Not to mention, the Crawler gear is like cheating. Makes it easy if you're going slow or uphill. You just drive normally (but slowly) in situations you would have thought would be tough on a clutch.
very welcome. And if that is your rig in your profile pic....love it. Is that an aftermarket or factorty soft top? And any issues with taking it off and putting the hard top back on? I was concerned that adding all of the extra weather stripping and hardware for the software top would make it difficult to put the factor MIC top back on....and then going back to the software top in spring; would you have to re-install all new weather stripping assuming it was removed for hard top re-install? Thanks,
That's mine! I'll have to get back with you on ease of switching back to the hardtop. From what I've read it's not too difficult. Most if not all the mounting hardware will have to come off but I should be able to keep the weather stripping in place. It's an aftermarket top, Bestop Trektop with black twill material.
Swapped out soft to hard top this week. Whole process took maybe 90 minutes. Left on all the weather stripping that was adhered to the truck with no issue. Seems to help seal up around the base of the hardtop and reduce wind noise!
