Seems like you are obligated to spread misinformation.

I wonder why they only give it a load rating of 175lbs on their website. (the load rating is listed in plain English)

http://www.rhinorack.com/en-us/fit-m...rails-10-to-15

Pioneer Platform SX Roof Rack | Rhino-Rack

The ones for the jeep are different. Rated at 225..

I agree that most people don't need extreme capacity. But no matter how you slice or dice it... this particular setup (mounted to the stock rails) is not as strong as many other full racks on the market.


So as a member of this site and not the OP, I feel obligated to call BS when I see it ;-) Again, glad you are happy with your purchase. Your gleaming endorsement will carry more weight after a few years of heavy use.

He feels obligated to

The manual specifically says "maximum permissible load is set by the vehicle manufacturer less the weight of the trays above." It also says that it was tested and approved AS1235-2000. It does not mention 175lbs anywhere. So now I'm obligated to let everyone know I'm 100% confused.

Note to self: do not ever load more than 1 tire, shovel, hijack, awning, TredsPro recovery tracks, and a couple tanks of gas....

Any more than that might go over 100lbs-150lbs.

For those need more than that on their racks, please keep in mind the 175lbs load capacity, you may need a different type of rack.

@wfo9, not sure why I never saw that load rating before. Must have looked at the site 20 times before saying anything.
@pauldavis , looks like the corners indeed.

Still seems like a nice rack option to me. It may not be suited for the most rugged of use but for most I'm guessing it will do a great job. This would be the first strap on rack I would recommend to someone looking for one.

No doubt, it looks nice and is an easy install... and should be able to carry what most people need. The gotcha with these types of racks though is both a pro and a con. The design allows for all types of cool well engineered attachments, which happen to be very expensive and specialize for the unique design.

Great option for some folks, but not the best choice for everyone.

Exactly. Money was not the issue, I was actually debating if I should just go with gobi and get one with a ladder. It will serve it's purpose for what I need it for, and if one day I decide to I need something else, I can easily remove and sell this one to someone here.

Removed rack, removed rails and painted them black... This is the final result. Anyone need the factory crossbars? Took those off while the rails were off.

Attached Images

 

How much for the cross bars? My TEP looks like your TRD Pro's little brother.

PM me your zip code, I'll check shipping.

Fantastic! Definitely looks finished, and best with the rails black as well...Sweet!

Does look good on there. And, I need that damn Toytec kit immediately.

I have the rhino rack vortex bars, and I have to say I do love rhino rack. You might be able to spot the bars in the pic below.

The multi purpose holder is one of my favorites. I strap down oars or fishing poles in seconds and I don't have to worry about getting water, mud, or fishing hooks all over the inside of the 4runner. The holders attach in about 3 seconds, it is such an easy system to use. I have two sets, one for oars and another for the fishing poles.
Multi Purpose Holder - #RMPH | Rhino-Rack


The vortex bars are rated at 175 as well. I was thinking of the pioneer platform, but I'm torn between that and a baja rack. I think part of the 175 rating is the fact that they are clamped down. You not only have the wight from above to consider, but I'm guessing that above 175 the ability of the clamps to keep the rack (and your cargo) in place may be uncertain (they might slip under hard braking).

They do seem very strong though, and rhino rack says they're good for light/moderate load and off road use. The quality seems high, I don't have any reason to doubt them.

I like the modular nature, quick and easy changes for whatever I'm doing. If you're active (bike, camp, kayak), then rhino rack is pretty sweet. You can attach awnings too; they really have lots of accessories which is impressive.

Gobi and baja do carry more weight; if long rough overland trips where you carry the kitchen sink is your main thing then that is the way to go. If you like flexibility and active pursuits, then Rhino Rack is probably a better option.

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@simonsay by the way, I think the rack looks really good.

I too had searched the threads wondering if anybody was using the pioneer platform, and was surprised I couldn't find any info. It looks much better than I thought it would, and the painted black rails make it look even better.

I haven't decided what I'll do yet, this or a baja rack, but all the accessories are really tempting and I can utilize the 175 lb weight limit and be ok with that. I already have some rhino stuff, and bikes, kayaks, and fishing gear are more likely to be on top of my t4r than the heavy overland loads I see in many of these pics. The pioneer platform will be fine for shorter overland trips, if I was doing a multi week trip on a regular basis, then baja or gobi for sure.

Quick update since I installed it last week. I have had no noise that I can hear from the rack or wind. I do not think my mpg has dropped either, at least not that I can see in the past week of driving. There seems to be no noticeable difference with it installed. This is of course without any accessories on it yet. Jack and shovel mount will be installed next.

Do you have to drill holes into the rack or is ready out of the box? I saw a set-up video and it mentioned drilling as part of the assembly, and just wanted to clarify.

Thanks!