how do you mount the max trax on your LFD cross bars with two gun cases up there? the only way I've figured would work is something like this. can bolt right onto the crossbars. haven't tried it, but I haven't found a better way

Rhino-Rack Pioneer MaxTrax Side Mount Bracket : Amazon.ca: Electronics

I think the long trips was what got me... if I wanted a headache before I reached my destination, I would have bought a Jeep.

Here are a couple pics. They are actually X-Bull recovery boards. If I don’t mount the Hi-Lift and the small Rotopax, longer, better boards can fit if they are narrow enough. I do not recall the width of the X-Bulls.

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ok thanks for those. you mount them in the middle good idea. I probably need to move mine out a bit to make room

I'll bet you're amazing at tetris.

Yes. And the cases open up just over 100 degrees and rest against the boards to access. I just looked up the width on the MaxTrax vs the XBull. 13” wide vs 11.81” respectively. I have about an inch clearance on each side of the boards and cases.

Lol. I actually still play it quite often to relax after work.

Exactly what I came here to say. If you are doing anything fairly serious, you bought the wrong vehicle. $20k in upgrades to a $50k 4runner in Kings, racks, lights, wheels, tires, etc. obviously makes a capable vehicle, but will still be outwheeled by a stock rubicon. A JLR/JLUR with $5-$10k in 37s, a small lift and maybe some armor will get you literally anywhere you want to go and drive comfortably enough down the road. It is an AMAZINGLY capable platform out of the box. It's just a shame FCA makes it.

To answer the question, a Stock+ built 4Runner will be a perfect rig for most people. It's why I am here now instead of in another Wrangler. Couple inches of lift, 285's, especially in a TRD with the rear locker. Just get to know your limits.

I don't wheel much honestly. I live in NJ and there is nowhere to go unless I go to PA. I'm at a point where beating up my daily isn't a priority or fun like it used to be with my old Cherokees and pray we get out route 80 back home. But, it's nice to be built to go on some adventures when I want to with the kids. And it makes me happy that they like it......and also the moms at Starbucks.

“drive comfortably enough down the road.”
Ahhh, but the devil is in the details. You ever roadtripped a Jeep Jk/JL?

We did, and let me tell yah…it was eye-opening. We went from Cali to Moab and back, along with our 8k mile 4runner and a 240k mile FJ Cruiser. So brand new and VERY well-used modern toyota products.

Road miles in a Jeep vs. road miles in a 5th gen/FJ cruiser are not equivalent. Driver fatigue was much more pronounced in the Jeep. And honestly we did everything that the jeep did. (Granted a more highly modded Jeep FOR SURE leaves us in the dust on tougher trails)

But for the bulk of the overall trip the Jeep was Noisier, drafty, bouncier, not to mention, the well-cared-for JL with 40k miles had electrical issues on the way. LOL.

And yes, Jeeps are easily modded for offhighway use and 4runners do take more but let me tell you, having spent $40k on a 4runner and about $10k in mods to date. I’d MUCH rather have to shell out $5-10k more (front locker and gears),pull a winch-line or stack a rock here and there, than have to deal with jeep issues or the fairly terrible on-road ride.

(And just for full disclosure I have had 5 jeeps prior to our 5th GEN - 3 CJ’s, an XJ and a TJ - I definitely appreciate previous gen’s of the Jeep brand.)

do you have the cases pretty far on the outside of the rack? since the LFD cross bars work with the stock rails and LFD rails the usable area is the same on each bar. so now that I've seen someone make it work with traction boards in the middle I know it can be done! I have my cases a bit towards the centre so no parts are outside of the faring. thanks for those details

I am using Plano 42” double rifle cases. I placed the outside of the case with handle about flush with the factory rail. I’m not sure if these pics help.

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I've owned multiple other Jeeps (new and "old") as well and truly miss the older ones like you said. IMO, the new Wranglers are incredible vehicles and are really an impressive platform, but I'll find a TJ if I find my way to a Wrangler again as an extra car. One of my recent cars was a 2016 JKU with a 6 speed manual. 2" lift and 33s. The manual trans was the only thing I hated about it. It was PAINFULLY slow and this is from a current 5th gen owner, the second slowest vehicle on the road. Commuting with it in NJ traffic was terrible, but it was so much fun in good weather. Farthest I ever took it was 6-7 hours and although it definitely isn't close to my 4runner in comfort I felt it was fine. The JL is a HUGE improvement in drivability, but as I said I wish it wasn't FCA that makes it or I'd have one now. Too many issues, especially electrical. It's just not as good as a family car either. The 4Runner is hands down the A+ everyday car. A JLU would get maybe a B-. It get's into the Bs because it still always put a big fun smile on my face when I drove it.

My point was just to compare out of the box capability and that a 4Runner will never be able to wheel like a Rubicon can out of the box without significant modification. That can be said about any IFS vehicle honestly. If you want to go serious, the Wrangler is your true choice, but the 4R will get most where they need to go and is hands down the better "do both" vehicle.

those help. cases are about the same size as mine. I wasn't sure if I wanted the double cases at first and thought I didn't need that much storage. turns out I definitely did and now I can confirm traction boards also fit up there. nice set up

Great post, brother. Thanks for sharing your experience!

that's what i run too when i go camping, and i throw my tent on top of the traction boards (in between the 2 rifle cases). I have a full size roof rack, so my traction boards have since moved towards the front of the roof rack (sideways near the windshield).

I got one for recovery, collapsible buckets, and propane, and water hose (basically dirty shit, or stuff i dont want in the truck like propane). The other one, i put my full size cot in there, some flip flops or random miscellaneous stuff that i need to keep clean.

2 rifle cases is really low profile but i got two of the 52 inch ones since i run a full roof rack.