07 4Runner Roof Rack Systems - measures and recommendations?

[gcraig]

I have a 2007 4Runner Limited 4WD with factory roof bars. I also have very tight garage situation height wise. Looking for favorites amongst readers in roof rack systems. I need to haul 4 snowboards and other gear. Reading here leads me to strongly consider Yakima megawarrior for summers and the snowboard system mounted on the factory crossbars. Wondering if anyone who has either of these installed on a recent 4Runner limited could give me a measurement on total clearance height of combos. Should I forgo the snowboard system and just use the megawarrior if it fits? Any favorite racks or ones to steer clear of? Salt isn't much of a worry as mostly drive in CO mtns where sand is used.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can offer.

 

[CNI]

From what I understand the measurements that Yakima and Thule give on their sites for height are measured from the factory or their proprietary bars. You might measure your 4R to the top of your door with your 4R parked directly underneath and find your maximum clearance.

Are snowboards a standard width? Your clearance from someone else's might vary too. You have local store to which you can take in your widest snowboard and mount it on their rack and then measure the overall height in the store and see if it works? The store I go to here allows me to take it out to my car and try it out.

Here are your local dealers for Yakima. Might call them and see if they have what you want in stock and you can try it before you buy it.

TRAVELING TOTS
(970)728-6618
(970)728-2964
TELLURIDE

CHRISTY SPORTS
970-369-4727
TELLURIDE

JEANS WESTERNER
(970)249-0103
(970)249-5205
MONTROSE

MOUNTAIN BIKE SPECIALIST
(970)247-4066
(970)385-7445
DURANGO

FOUR CORNERS RIVER SPORTS
970-259-3893
DURANGO

 

[Jaebster]

I have a 2007 4Runner Limited 4WD with factory roof bars. I also have very tight garage situation height wise. Looking for favorites amongst readers in roof rack systems. I need to haul 4 snowboards and other gear. Reading here leads me to strongly consider Yakima megawarrior for summers and the snowboard system mounted on the factory crossbars. Wondering if anyone who has either of these installed on a recent 4Runner limited could give me a measurement on total clearance height of combos. Should I forgo the snowboard system and just use the megawarrior if it fits? Any favorite racks or ones to steer clear of? Salt isn't much of a worry as mostly drive in CO mtns where sand is used.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can offer.

I've got a 4R limited with factory bars and the load warrior (with ski attachment for the winter on the load warrior). Personally, I like the fit of the loadwarrior better than the megawarrior cuz its narrower and shorter (I don't know if there is a difference in height). Anyways, when I get home (in a few hours), I'll measure from ground level up to the top of the load warrior to give you an idea about cleaerance. If your 4R with load warrior or mega warrior fits in your garage but will have cleaerance issues with a snowboard attachment, you could always swivel down the snowboard attachments to avoid the cleaerance issue. I'll take a pic of what I mean. I have the old Yakima Ski Slope that holds 4 skis or 2 snowboards and I believe it is the tallest ski attachment that Yakima ever made (from early 90's).

 

[gcraig]

Thanks for all the detailed replies and help. I'll get the measuring tape out. Snowboards are standard width but I can easily take the board(s) off before going in garage. Assuming of course I remember which I didn't once with an expensive mtn bike and my jeep. That's when I discovered the racks are designed to fail before the bike which was the better choice $$-wise.

Greg

 

[gcraig]

Measured things I essentially have 12" of clearance from top of roof rack to ceiling of garage at lowest point. That's seems like it's going to work with yakima load or mega warrior and a snowboard rack too. Will next head to local dealer and see if they have what I need to test it out.

 

[Hank]

I have both the Yakima Megawarrior w/extensions and a pair of Yakima Big Powderhound SE. I the past, I would just mount the Ski/Board carrier to my megawarrior, but this winter I decided to buy the MightyMount (10V) to mount the ski/board carrier directly to the factory crossbar. 2 reasons:

1. Height clearance. I don't park my 4R in a garage at home, but I do park in parking garages at different job sites. Depending on the specific parking garage height clearance, you may have a problem. I once entered a garage with both racks on and as I headed up to the 2nd level, I heard a loud scraping noise. I slowed down and then I heard it again. As it turned out, it scraped the concrete support beams above me. I cleared the entire 1st floor without any issue and I cleared the "height caution bar" at the garage entry way, but I guess the maximum height info may be off.

Fortunately, there was no real damage to my powerhound. Surprisingly, there's barely some scratch marks. Since it was mounted to the round bars of the megawarrior, there's just enough play that it tilted slightly backwards, decreasing the overall height. So I angled the rack back a bit more and slowly drove out of that parking garage.

2. Inconvenience of mounting the Megawarrior just to install the ski/board carrier. I would just get the Mightymount to install it directly to the factory crossbars.

Don't get me wrong, the megawarrior is great for hauling stuff, but I don't use it all the time. I only mount it when I need it. There's too much wind resistence with it on, especially with a ski/board carrier tacked on.

Come to think of it, you might be able to use the load/megawarrior and a low profile ski/board carrier (FatCat) and the height may not be an issue.

BTW: Thule makes great stuff too and I'm only slightly partial to Yakima since the Megawarrior was the biggest rack I could find!

 

[Gromulus]

Value Rack

I agree that the larger Megawarrior look better on the 4th gen. 4Runner. If you do consider the Loadwarrior but would like to save some money, check out the Coleman Sport Rack from Costco. It is virtually the same size and dimensions as the Loadwarrior:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1


I bought and installed this (Coleman) safari rack last fall. I don't think you can get anything even close in quality at triple the $75 price! While I like the dimensions of the Megawarrior better for my 4th gen Runner, this was too good of a price to pass up. It mounts directly to my factory rails and crossbars and has a fairly low profile while still providing 6 1/4" height.


This unit is built in Canada by Sportrack (owned by Thule). The same unit sells for about $180 on other sites. A 22" extension (66.75" total!) is available for about $90.

http://www.sportrack.com/a21030

A very good review by Rackoutfitters.com:

http://www.rackoutfitters.com/car-r...ier-96p1504.htm


Thiss rack also works with Yakima attachments like the axe/shovel bracket, Load Stops, and the optional Loadwarrior crossbar.



http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27398

 

[gcraig]

thanks for all the help everyone gave me on this subject. mounted the yakima big powderhound on the factory rack this afternoon. had to add the lifters to get bindings to clear roof when carrying 4 boards. everything fits and I clear the low spot in my building's garage by at least 1"! megawarrior waiting until spring.

again thanks.

greg, telluride, co

PS: this site is GREAT!

 

[mcflavin]

I have both the Yakima Megawarrior w/extensions and a pair of Yakima Big Powderhound SE. I the past, I would just mount the Ski/Board carrier to my megawarrior, but this winter I decided to buy the MightyMount (10V) to mount the ski/board carrier directly to the factory crossbar. 2 reasons:

1. Height clearance. I don't park my 4R in a garage at home, but I do park in parking garages at different job sites. Depending on the specific parking garage height clearance, you may have a problem. I once entered a garage with both racks on and as I headed up to the 2nd level, I heard a loud scraping noise. I slowed down and then I heard it again. As it turned out, it scraped the concrete support beams above me. I cleared the entire 1st floor without any issue and I cleared the "height caution bar" at the garage entry way, but I guess the maximum height info may be off.

Fortunately, there was no real damage to my powerhound. Surprisingly, there's barely some scratch marks. Since it was mounted to the round bars of the megawarrior, there's just enough play that it tilted slightly backwards, decreasing the overall height. So I angled the rack back a bit more and slowly drove out of that parking garage.

2. Inconvenience of mounting the Megawarrior just to install the ski/board carrier. I would just get the Mightymount to install it directly to the factory crossbars.

Don't get me wrong, the megawarrior is great for hauling stuff, but I don't use it all the time. I only mount it when I need it. There's too much wind resistence with it on, especially with a ski/board carrier tacked on.

Come to think of it, you might be able to use the load/megawarrior and a low profile ski/board carrier (FatCat) and the height may not be an issue.

BTW: Thule makes great stuff too and I'm only slightly partial to Yakima since the Megawarrior was the biggest rack I could find!

Hi, can I ask how you installed the ski racks on the Megawarrior? How did you fit the powderhound around the front fairing?

Thanks!
Steve

 

[Hank]

Actually, I mounted the front ski rack to the 3rd/add-on crossbar that comes with the megawarrior and the rear ski rack to the rear crossbar of the megawarrior. Although I don't believe that the fairing would prevent the powderhound round mounting hardware from clipping onto the front crossbar of the megawarrior.