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Dee Zee rack for Roof Top Tents

LittleDog

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I noticed that the original sticky Roof Racks List post is really cluttered now, and no longer being updated as new options are becoming available. An Administrator can please move this if they feel it is in the wrong place.

Kind of cross-posting from a post on Dee Zee's questionable 2019 SEMA offerings. I just noticed their racks are available on Quadratec: https://www.quadratec.com/p/dee-zee/24-roof-rack-jeep-wrangler-jk-jl-gladiator-jt or their site: https://www.deezee.com/product/roof-rack/

The interesting thing is that they have a front rack that is meant to be attached to the Freedom Panel gutters only. I came here to see if anyone had any experience with it, but I can't find any actual User information about the racks here or anywhere else, or even much info on the company's products in general.

The front rack has two crossbars, so you could attach a rack to just the front on have nothing on the rear portion of the hard top if you wanted. Since the Freedom Panel gutters and rear rain gutters are not connected, they give their front crossbars and rack a separate dynamic load rating of 200lbs, and 600lbs static, independent of a rear rack. This is higher than the Mopar rack's rating for the gutters, but besides the gutter mounts, there are four feet that push directly onto the roof, so this is plausibly true.

On the JK, the OEM Mopar roof rack had one cross bar mounted on the Freedom Panels, possibly because the rear gutter did not extend beyond the C pillar on the Unlimited. The Mopar rack for the JL is usually shown mounted entirely on the rear portion, though I still see ads for them with the front cross bar on the Freedom Panels; I think even FCA had one on the front in ads. The installation notes do give you precise mounting locations, both on the rear gutter, but in my experience, people put them on willy-nilly: two in front, one each, two in back, close together, far apart.

But if mounting on only the front panels is a viable option, it might make it an additional choice for people wanting a roof top tent without drilling, as you could place a tent toward the front to share a portion of the load. Even if you use Mopar's 150lbs rating for the gutters, using both the front and back would give you a theoretical 300lbs combined dynamic load, or a ridiculous 1,200lbs static, if you believe Dee Zee. (DeeZee?)

I don't believe that rating, I'm pretty sure they are just using the the "You want 3x more static than dynamic" formula backwards. But even at a more conservative load rating, using both racks would get you into roof top tent load range. I know some people already use a roof tent with just two regular gutter mount crossbars, and it looks a little hairy. But if reducing the rear load by even 33% is an option, I might go for it.

Personally, I almost purchased two sets of Mopar rails with the intent of putting on a tent, but seeing it explicitly stated in the instructions not to mount on the panels, I changed my mind. I know that the Freedom Panels on the JK were slightly different, requiring the removal of some screws, though I don't know if they are structurally no longer meant to handle a crossbar on the JL. But now I'm thinking that Fiat-Chrysler was just tired of people complaining that they couldn't take the panels off with a rack on.

I now have a nice white Inno box on top that matches the jeep, so what with the extra storage and the fact that I think it looks kinda like a spaceship, instead of a roof tent, I've ended up just sleeping in the back. But I'm still endlessly waffling between a Gobi rack and whatever new non-drill option comes out.

Anybody have thoughts on this?


TL;DR

Dee Zee (DeeZee?) makes front and rear roof racks. Dee Zee who? The racks are independent. They might be strong. They might support a RTT without drilling. My car does not fit in a garage. I waffle, but prefer pancakes. Thoughts?
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maguro

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I'm afraid I have no experience with Dee Zee but the front rack looks intriguing indeed.

But I find it interesting how they can rate it to 200lb's of dynamic load when the entire rack is mounted to the freedom panel. The little feet may help with static load but they wouldn't affect the dynamic would they?
 
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LittleDog

LittleDog

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I'm afraid I have no experience with Dee Zee but the front rack looks intriguing indeed.

But I find it interesting how they can rate it to 200lb's of dynamic load when the entire rack is mounted to the freedom panel. The little feet may help with static load but they wouldn't affect the dynamic would they?
Yeah, I don't believe the 200lb Dynamic since it it would be pulling up on those few plastic handles, but the for supporting a load it makes sense.

Are you a tuna?
 
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LittleDog

LittleDog

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Go buy it and let us know . I don't want to drill my roof rack for my RTT. I'm comparing this to Exposed roof rack https://www.smsparts.com/product-pa...18-2021-jeep-wrangler-jl-2dr-jlu-4dr-hard-top
I've also considered the Exposed roof racks. Same principle of spreading the load out using feet, though I like how the Dee Zee ones have them all the way out on the edge, where the strength would presumably be the highest. I don't know how much extra wind noise you'll get will all the feet on the exposed racks. My Mopar racks whistle between 60-70mph right now, so I drive everywhere at either 55 or 80mph. I've covered some of the gaps on one and it seems to have helped, so I may take them off and do them both correctly.

But like I said, stuff on the roof is not a very high priority right now. Maybe in the summer if I want to put on an awning or jerry cans with the cargo box.
 

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AnaBuffa

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I've also considered the Exposed roof racks. Same principle of spreading the load out using feet, though I like how the Dee Zee ones have them all the way out on the edge, where the strength would presumably be the highest. I don't know how much extra wind noise you'll get will all the feet on the exposed racks. My Mopar racks whistle between 60-70mph right now, so I drive everywhere at either 55 or 80mph. I've covered some of the gaps on one and it seems to have helped, so I may take them off and do them both correctly.

But like I said, stuff on the roof is not a very high priority right now. Maybe in the summer if I want to put on an awning or jerry cans with the cargo box.
we have exposed racks and have never noticed any wind noise.
 

AnaBuffa

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Go buy it and let us know . I don't want to drill my roof rack for my RTT. I'm comparing this to Exposed roof rack https://www.smsparts.com/product-pa...18-2021-jeep-wrangler-jl-2dr-jlu-4dr-hard-top
Go buy it and let us know . I don't want to drill my roof rack for my RTT. I'm comparing this to Exposed roof rack https://www.smsparts.com/product-pa...18-2021-jeep-wrangler-jl-2dr-jlu-4dr-hard-top
I've noticed quadratec now also sells the exposed racks
https://www.quadratec.com/brand/exposed-racks
 

AnaBuffa

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What do you used exposed rack for? Got any pictures on your jeep?
to carry kayaks for the most part. We got the brackets for the hard top and have used for ski racks ONCE this season. not much snow up by us this season unfortunately. Wish I had gotten a photo.

IMG_6788.jpg2.jpg
 

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Namib

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I pulled the trigger on this and will arrive tomorrow
This looks interesting. I would be curious on how much height it adds on top of the roof.
 
 



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