dtortie
Well-Known Member
I hadn't heard of this company, thank you for your suggestion. I'll check out the rack system and drop-in kayak carriers. Have you received the 2 cross bars and had a chance to install them? I'll look forward to hearing your experience. I'm curious if the cross bars can be mounted (2 or more) on just the rear hardtop (not using the freedom panels).Check out SMS Auto Parts's Exposed Rack system for RTT that is easy to mount and take down w/ no drilling:
https://www.smsparts.com/product-pa...ack-3ppl-2018-2021-jeep-wrangler-jl-jlu-2-4dr
They are designed to spread the weight of the RTT evenly across the hardtop using rubber feet underneath the cross bars. They also have drop-in brackets for carrying kayaks:
https://www.smsparts.com/product-page/8-00-9844-offset-pin-y-kayak-mount
I ordered their 2 cross-bars system to start out and in the future if I want to do RTT, I can order another crossbar and supporting feet/bracket.
This is exactly what I'm hoping to find - a gutter-mounted system that can hold the static weight of a RTT plus two people. I had a feeling I may be over-the-top with my thinking. I'm not sure anyone has a definitive answer to the weight that our fiberglass hardtops can hold. Agree with your last statement 100% (plus I want the option of removing them underneath the rack system).I'm in a similar situation. I don't think any gutter-mounted system is capable of holding a rooftop tent. Remember to consider both the static (include the weight of people in the tent) and dynamic weight limits of the gutter-mounted system. I definitely wouldn't mount any crossbars to the freedom panels since the aerodynamic lifting forces on cargo carriers and tents can be quite high.
Sponsored