Roof rack issues.

Hi all!

I brought an expedition roof rack off of eBay for my 68 swb and I’m just wondering if there’s any knack on how to put it together.
I got it flat packed and the brand is unknown, although I can only assume it be be sh1tpart.

I bolted it up and tried to fit it but I’ve had to use a ratchet strap and a mallet to try and squeeze it in the gutters, and the fixings seem as if they’re slipping off of the bottom of the gutter, not really looking like they’ll hold up much.

Am I missing some kinda knack...?

Any pictures or a link to what you bought? its hard to say without seeing it.

If it's the galvanised one I found it best to put it on the roof all bolted up, then unbolt everything so it's all loose - fit it in the gutters, fix it in place and then tighten everything up again.

Still have trouble with the front fixtures though as they catch the door tops, haven't figured out what to do there yet so have left the two front ones off.

I also didn’t consider the door top gap when I built my roof bars.

The two I have sit behind the front doors but could do with another for long sheet materials up front. It’ll just be a case of a narrower gauge bracket but that won’t take much weight.

I made my own roof rack and used ally angle for the gutter clamps, at 1/8" it just clears the door tops. The other option if its a full rack is to put one set of clamps just behind the door and the other on the front corners above the screen and avoid the door all together.

This is an intersting approach, no clamps but turnbuckles that hold the rack down and 2 feet in the gutter above the screen. I was going to copy this design but my fear was weight on the rack would take the tension off the turnbuckles.

Hopper78 said:

If it's the galvanised one I found it best to put it on the roof all bolted up, then unbolt everything so it's all loose - fit it in the gutters, fix it in place and then tighten everything up again.

Still have trouble with the front fixtures though as they catch the door tops, haven't figured out what to do there yet so have left the two front ones off.

Click to expand...

Atleast it’s not just me that’s been having the same problem. I’m due to fit another roof soon so I shall try this when I refit it.