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Has anyone tried Exposed Racks?

mtbjeep

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Hi, I am interested in these racks for using on my hard top to add a yakima skybox or ski racks in the winter and then using with the top off in the summer to transport a paddleboard with a Thule Paddleboard rack or the skybox for extra storage. Was planning to get Thule wing bars but that won’t help me in the summer with the top off. Does anybody have experience using these racks for those purposes? Or suggestion for a better system. Thanks
I think they would work great for your purposes. I use them with a Yakima Megawarrior and they work great. I also have the components required to run the racks with the hard top off so that we can do paddleboards etc. In my opinion it is a very well made and extremely versatile system.

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Waxaholic

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I am getting ready to pull the trigger on getting the hard/soft top version of this. Just one question though. Does anyone use this in conjunction with a J-Tops sun screen? Any issues with the JLU mounting bracket bolt locations interfering with the J-Tops?
 

AggEyes

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Just a heads up, I've been using these racks with the click-in brackets since August with my 2 person Tepui RTT. Super solid construction, never worry about that, but because of the click-in brackets there is a little bit of wiggle room that makes a bit of a squeaking sound with the click-in and cross bar. I took off the RTT for the winter and the squeaking stopped, so I think I'll put in a rubber gasket between the two and see if that prevents it during next camping season.
 

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Just a heads up, I've been using these racks with the click-in brackets since August with my 2 person Tepui RTT. Super solid construction, never worry about that, but because of the click-in brackets there is a little bit of wiggle room that makes a bit of a squeaking sound with the click-in and cross bar. I took off the RTT for the winter and the squeaking stopped, so I think I'll put in a rubber gasket between the two and see if that prevents it during next camping season.
Bought these RTT racks for my hard shell roof top tent. At the last moment I changed my mind and ordered Rino rack backbone mounted cross bar set. I ride all of the trails in Moab and intend to to it with tent on the roof in July. I am sure it would work fine for normal usage but did not want to worry that my tent falls off at Hells revenge trail. Rack were never installed and who wants to buy them give me an offer.
 

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Bought these RTT racks for my hard shell roof top tent. At the last moment I changed my mind and ordered Rino rack backbone mounted cross bar set. I ride all of the trails in Moab and intend to to it with tent on the roof in July. I am sure it would work fine for normal usage but did not want to worry that my tent falls off at Hells revenge trail. Rack were never installed and who wants to buy them give me an offer.
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suicideTone

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Im debating getting both versions for my JLU hardtop and be able to use with the top off. I see the brackets allow install under the soft top but will it fit under the hardtop when it’s on? I’m thinking I could just pop the crossbars out when the hardtop goes on and leave the brackets. Would the installed brackets fit under the hardtop and since I’m asking, would the crossbars fit under if they are left on too?
 

Shub_32

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I haven’t reinstalled my soft top yet but I’m pretty sure you can’t leave them on. In fact, I think the use the soft top window frames you have to install with the soft top
 

IowaRaider

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I haven’t reinstalled my soft top yet but I’m pretty sure you can’t leave them on. In fact, I think the use the soft top window frames you have to install with the soft top
That is a correct statement, it uses the frames and replaces the bolts.
 

swang

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Sorry for the long post...

The supplied carriage bolts may strip out the hole when trying to remove. I stripped all of mine. The company was working on different bolts. They sent me hex caps that work much better and no worries of stripping them.
I purchased and received a new Exposed 3-crossbar rack from Quadratec for my 4-door hardtop Wrangler. The crossbar bolts were stainless hex bolts. The Exposed decal was upside down, but I installed one crossbar on the roof anyways. I did not use power tools, just two small crescent wrenches to tighten the 4 crossbar bolts (2 bolts/nuts per side). Later I called Exposed to let them know about the upside down decals. Lauren was very friendly and said she would send me new decals... nice! So I decided to remove the crossbar from the Jeep so I could replace the decal once the new ones arrived.

Using the same two small crescent wrenches, I started to loosen the nuts but encountered some resistance just after the nuts cleared the end of the bolts. This happened with ALL FOUR bolts. I tried to move the nuts back/forth, but they just seized tighter and tighter.

The nuts became so seized that using the small crescent wrenches, I couldn't budge them either way. So I grabbed two ratchets and with the greater torque, I was able to free two nuts. The other two nuts still wouldn't budge. So I grabbed a 21" breaker bar and actually twisted the nuts until the bolts broke! I broke the bolt like a powerful drill can twist the head off of a smaller screw. The two nuts that I was able to free using the ratchets... those bolts and/or nuts are damaged too, and the nuts won't thread on smoothly.

What caused the seizing? I did not use power tools, there was never any load on top of the crossbar, and in fact the Jeep was never even driven with the crossbar attached.

Now I'm afraid to use the supplied stainless hex bolts to install the rack.

Thoughts?
 

Shub_32

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Sorry for the long post...



I purchased and received a new Exposed 3-crossbar rack from Quadratec for my 4-door hardtop Wrangler. The crossbar bolts were stainless hex bolts. The Exposed decal was upside down, but I installed one crossbar on the roof anyways. I did not use power tools, just two small crescent wrenches to tighten the 4 crossbar bolts (2 bolts/nuts per side). Later I called Exposed to let them know about the upside down decals. Lauren was very friendly and said she would send me new decals... nice! So I decided to remove the crossbar from the Jeep so I could replace the decal once the new ones arrived.

Using the same two small crescent wrenches, I started to loosen the nuts but encountered some resistance just after the nuts cleared the end of the bolts. This happened with ALL FOUR bolts. I tried to move the nuts back/forth, but they just seized tighter and tighter.

The nuts became so seized that using the small crescent wrenches, I couldn't budge them either way. So I grabbed two ratchets and with the greater torque, I was able to free two nuts. The other two nuts still wouldn't budge. So I grabbed a 21" breaker bar and actually twisted the nuts until the bolts broke! I broke the bolt like a powerful drill can twist the head off of a smaller screw. The two nuts that I was able to free using the ratchets... those bolts and/or nuts are damaged too, and the nuts won't thread on smoothly.

What caused the seizing? I did not use power tools, there was never any load on top of the crossbar, and in fact the Jeep was never even driven with the crossbar attached.

Now I'm afraid to use the supplied stainless hex bolts to install the rack.

Thoughts?
I had the same issue with the older bolts they supplied. Scratched my brackets so bad I requested new ones. They sent me the SS hex bolts and they worked great. Was able to put a socket and wrench on them. The first ones used an Allen wrench. Junk. Metal was too soft. Had to cut them off. Don’t know why they are seizing up
 

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swang

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They sent me the SS hex bolts and they worked great.
Have you tried to remove any of your SS crossbar bolts since you installed them? My bolts went on as expected, I just couldn't remove the nuts one or two days later.
 

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I am getting ready to pull the trigger on getting the hard/soft top version of this. Just one question though. Does anyone use this in conjunction with a J-Tops sun screen? Any issues with the JLU mounting bracket bolt locations interfering with the J-Tops?
Wax,

I ordered the racks and will be getting the Shadeidea sun shades. One can order a one piece sunshade from the front of the Jeep to the back. This type of sunshade would not work. I will be getting the two piece sun shade one for the front (over the front seats) and one for the back (over the rear bench) and I will be able to use the racks with those shades.

Getting my Jeep on Friday!
 

Trail Ghost

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I came across this on my Instagram feed. Has anyone tried them?

Jeep Wrangler JL Has anyone tried Exposed Racks? IMG_0974
I absolutely love mine! I did the 3 bar for my roof top tent. I have spoken to them a few times and I even received an influencer code to get people a discount. It's jeremyhedrick

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Trail Ghost

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Wax,

I ordered the racks and will be getting the Shadeidea sun shades. One can order a one piece sunshade from the front of the Jeep to the back. This type of sunshade would not work. I will be getting the two piece sun shade one for the front (over the front seats) and one for the back (over the rear bench) and I will be able to use the racks with those shades.

Getting my Jeep on Friday!
I have a discount code Jeremyhedrick
 

JollieOllie

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I have a discount code Jeremyhedrick
Hi Trail Ghost. Too late for me, but maybe somebody can use it. I have mine and will install this weekend. I can post photos/video.

Thanks!
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