The best roof rack doesn't exist 🤷

[TLO]

So I just bought a new, 2025 4 door (moved up from a 2 door)
And I just can't seem to find a rack that works for me...
For example...
the Prinsu is too low profile. How do you easily mount an tent??

The DV8 rack crossbars are set down inside the rails... Is there enough room for my basket and Foothill tent side by side??

The RCI comes close, but that crazy side rail filler piece? Probably needed for the weight I'm carrying but the design seems less than ideal.

I DO need the slotted rails to adjust the crossbars 100% because of my (almost) fixed mounting location of the Yakima basket.

The Traikrax setup looks good, but I don't want the side Pax (I don't think).
And there's obviously a reason they added the front rail braces as an option? Failures? Breaks?

The Westin is a nice looking, well engineered rack... The utilization of the t-nuts and the crossbar "saddles"
I like the nice clean side rails but I can't see a way to mount my Yakima awning to it? There's a single t-slot rail and it's angled up, not vertical

And also, I need Canadian distribution. No way I'm having one sent up from the US. Just way too much money.

Thoughts and experiences?
Thanks

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[ThunderFlash]

Have you looked at these?

https://www.leitnerdesigns.com/products/acs-roof-over-cab-platform-rack-for-ford-copy

 

[JediMcMuffin]

Have you looked at these?

https://www.leitnerdesigns.com/products/acs-roof-over-cab-platform-rack-for-ford-copy

I have the TrailRax (you don't have to use the side rax) - It's okay, but I have found it too tight to the roof for my liking. I know OEM targas can come off with it, but the Turn Offroad one can't, so that kinda stinks. If I was buying today, the Leitner is the one I would get.

 

[ThunderFlash]

@JediMcMuffin, I just learned of these the other day. I have the TrailRax with the Pak Rax as well and it's fine for me, though it could be improved a bit. I'm thinking I'm might spring on the Leitner gear pod ROOF. Pretty cool being side opening and I like that the mount releases a locked inside the box.

https://www.leitnerdesigns.com/products/gearpod-roof

 

[TLO]

@JediMcMuffin, I just learned of these the other day. I have the TrailRax with the Pak Rax as well and it's fine for me, though it could be improved a bit. I'm thinking I'm might spring on the Leitner gear pod ROOF. Pretty cool being side opening and I like that the mount releases a locked inside the box.

https://www.leitnerdesigns.com/products/gearpod-roof

I like those... But if they're designed to stay in your roof 90% of the time, it's useless for me as my awning would block access to the roofrack.

 

[TLO]

Have you looked at these?

https://www.leitnerdesigns.com/products/acs-roof-over-cab-platform-rack-for-ford-copy

Clean... But the side rails look like they'd be next to impossible for mounting an awning or t-boards to

 

[TLO]

Actually just stumbled upon this one...
https://www.westinautomotive.com/mesa-roof-rack

Never heard of them before and the social media presence is utter shit...
But wow! This looks amazing... Clean, well thought out...
I can space out my crossbars exactly how I want...
The covered light bar/wind deflector is pretty sick
And a great price!

 

[ThunderFlash]

@TLO , I think Westin is in the same group as Smittybuilt and a couple of other aftermarket companies.

You could probably fab your own out of 40 series T-slot extrusion. Maybe nab front and rear mounts from some commercially available unit and work from there. Stuff is hella stout in the standard profile and even the lite versions. It's metric accepting lots of 6 and 8mm fasteners and fittings. That's what I used on my rear seat delete cargo deck. It ain't cheap, though. McMaster Carr has quite a bit of stuff, but I believe a company called 80/20 is the source for most of it. It pains me to say this being a red blooded American, but my #1 wish for the TrailRax TRMR rack was that the had used a metric profile extrusion and hardware since the truck is all metric and my DIY deck is metric.

It was kind of funny, but on my 2 door cargo deck, 1 meter length rails fit perfectly between the for/aft side members. The side members perfect length was 48" also known as 4 feet.

 

[SkyKing]

I have the Badass Tents rack (and yes you can remove the 2nd row roof panel): https://badasstents.com/product/2021-22-ford-new-bronco-full-size-roof-rack/

 

[TLO]

I have the Badass Tents rack (and yes you can remove the 2nd row roof panel): https://badasstents.com/product/2021-22-ford-new-bronco-full-size-roof-rack/

A nice clean design... Must be steel side rails, considering the short cross section?
I really need fore/aft adjustable crossbars though

 

[TLO]

@TLO , I think Westin is in the same group as Smittybuilt and a couple of other aftermarket companies.

Possibly? Different rack completely from the Smitty one...
On Westin website, they show their own building
Maybe owned by, but still independently operated hopefully

 

[SkyKing]

A nice clean design... Must be steel side rails, considering the short cross section?
I really need fore/aft adjustable crossbars though

They are now all aluminum. The Gen 1 version I have has steel and aluminum for the rails, and all aluminum cross bars. The price has gone up. And fortunately, I found a way to get a good discount.

 

[ThunderFlash]

@TLO, that might be bad info. Sorry. If the Smittybuilt and Westin were held by the same company at one point, they don't appear to be now.

 

[TLO]

They are now all aluminum. The Gen 1 version I have has steel and aluminum for the rails, and all aluminum cross bars. The price has gone up. And fortunately, I found a way to get a good discount.

The side rails don't look nearly beefy enough.
My Valkyrie prototype on the Bronco had a second revision, with much sturdier components, 50% taller side rails...

 

[RC Bronco]

My RCI rack is supplemented with the RCI roof support and JCR roof supports; I also have their side panels. It holds weight fine, I didn’t even need the reinforcement brackets. Once you figure it out, you can get the front panels out by yourself. You can do the middle panel by yourself too, but it’s more difficult for sure

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