Anyone Regret Their Gobi on a DD?

Kae006

New member
Planning to order a Gobi Stealth this week from trail duty for my 2012 SR5. My 4r is my daily though, I commute about 35 miles to work round trip so it sees a good bit of highway. Just wondering if anyone has regretted putting the Stealth rack on their daily driver before I drop $1600 in case there’s anything I’m missing. Thinking I’ll go with the standard setup so I can mount some shorter LED bars up front and not be limited to a 40” Rigid since I’m a cheap bast*rd. Being real, my main incentive is looks but it would be great having he extra storage room for trips with the kids and dogs as our two mutts take up the entire cargo area. I was on the fence between the nfab and Gobi and just can’t justify spending 1/3 the cost of the Gobi on something that doesn’t even replace the factory rails.
 
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Planning to order a Gobi Stealth this week from trail duty for my 2012 SR5. My 4r is my daily though, I commute about 35 miles to work round trip so it sees a good bit of highway. Just wondering if anyone has regretted putting the Stealth rack on their daily driver before I drop $1600 in case there’s anything I’m missing. Thinking I’ll go with the standard setup so I can mount some shorter LED bars up front and not be limited to a 40” Rigid since I’m a cheap bast*rd. Being real, my main incentive is looks but it would be great having he extra storage room for trips with the kids and dogs as our two mutts take up the entire cargo area. I was on the fence between the nfab and Gobi and just can’t justify spending 1/3 the cost of the Gobi on something that doesn’t even replace the factory rails.

If you're doing it purely for looks I would think twice. Adding that amount of weight and air resistance will bring your MPG noticeably down. Worth if for extra storage and functionality but not for aesthetics.
 
But seriously, the Gobi did affect my mpgs more than the sliders & 33s.
There are other lighter-weight options such as frontrunner
 
I've read Gobi is about a 2-3 mpg loss but I don't know if that's the stealth or normal one. I'm buying the Ecotechne rack this weekend which is apparently about a .5-1mpg loss due to the low profile.
 
Is your dd your only option when you go out and adventure/have fun?
The mpg will go down, that mesh has a lot of friction/resistance, skin your knee on it and you'll find out real quick. It's "our" only family vehicle that replaced a LB taco, so it's been very useful. Her commutes are on city streets, maybe 5 miles tops, still pushing 14mpgs hahah
 
The only regret I have since buying my gobi stealth for my dd is buying it to fit a 40" light bar lol. Just not my cup of tea anymore and I'm trying to figure out what to mount up there and still liking how it looks. I thought i would like the 40 but I really don't. And I rarely use it lol.

For you it depends. Idk how much everyone else lost but I lost about 1 mpg (about a 50/50 split of highway and slower driving miles) if my public school math was right. Are you willing to lose 1mpg for aesthetics? As for the wind noise...the only time I drive without music is when I'm going slow and then there won't be much wind noise anyway.

For me, having the looks and ability to pile shit on my roof and not take away (or get dirty) the interior has been worth the money. But you have a different paycheck than me so it's your choice. I didnt buy my 4runner to stay stock and not beat on so the added weight, drop in mpg, and weird noises dont really bother me. I just turn up the radio and hope it doesnt break down before i get close to a shop lol. Hope this helps a little. Good luck.
 
I would say buying a roof rack to mount an expensive high powered light bar that will almost never be used would be a bad idea.... (i dont thing the foward facing roof mounted lights are all that necessary)

That said, I have used my flat rack quite a bit.

The key is that it is flat and full length. I have moved sheets of plywood, sheets of drywall, 16' basemolding, a full set of mustang mounted wheels and tires, luggage, etc
 

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If you're doing it purely for looks I would think twice. Adding that amount of weight and air resistance will bring your MPG noticeably down. Worth if for extra storage and functionality but not for aesthetics.

It made virtually no difference for me, but I am already running a 2.5" lift, and 285 tires which did hurt the gas mileage quite a bit.
 
Planning to order a Gobi Stealth this week from trail duty for my 2012 SR5. My 4r is my daily though, I commute about 35 miles to work round trip so it sees a good bit of highway. Just wondering if anyone has regretted putting the Stealth rack on their daily driver before I drop $1600 in case there’s anything I’m missing. Thinking I’ll go with the standard setup so I can mount some shorter LED bars up front and not be limited to a 40” Rigid since I’m a cheap bast*rd. Being real, my main incentive is looks but it would be great having he extra storage room for trips with the kids and dogs as our two mutts take up the entire cargo area. I was on the fence between the nfab and Gobi and just can’t justify spending 1/3 the cost of the Gobi on something that doesn’t even replace the factory rails.

I have a Gobi Stealth on my 2011 TE daily driver. My only regret is that it has cross bars. I would have it made with no crossbars if I was doing it a second time. It seems like every thing I want to put up there would fit better if the cross bars weren't in the way. I have even contemplated cutting them out and patching the holes or coming up with some type of movable or removable cross bars.
 
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Just finished 1300 miles of mixed driving. About a third within 10 of the speed limit on the highway, 1/3 dirt/country/off and back road and the final third averaging 93mph (highway lol) and with my set up 12.8mpg was the worst I saw, 13.6 was the best tank of gas.

The more you put on the lower the mpg. Looks like for your needs [MENTION=117927]TRUSTYAXE[/MENTION] has it best. Strip the top and buy a $500 trailer for the day-to-day and random trips.

I have three kids and a GF so I keep the trip luggage in and on my truck. Astetics and function for me but at a cost. No regrets, only future options. The day I get real about a turtleback trailer or modifying a M1101 or 1102, my rack is coming off and FD lights are going inside.

Good luck!
 
Share the info when you get it. Curious about that unit as well.

If your shopping I've got some NFAB steps that will go nice with your new lift.
[MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION] can give you the reality of roof racks and sliders. Can't find your post man but you mention the rust on the roof racks, and girlfriends stumbling off sliders. I think it was your post that talked me off that ledge.
 
If your shopping I've got some NFAB steps that will go nice with your new lift.

[MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION] can give you the reality of roof racks and sliders. Can't find your post man but you mention the rust on the roof racks, and girlfriends stumbling off sliders. I think it was your post that talked me off that ledge.

The girlfriend post wasn't me but I am looking at the racks. Id much rather haul gear up top then in the back.
 
I've read Gobi is about a 2-3 mpg loss but I don't know if that's the stealth or normal one. I'm buying the Ecotechne rack this weekend which is apparently about a .5-1mpg loss due to the low profile.

Gobi Stealth is good for at least 1-2 mpg loss.............probably from the reduced aerodynamics as much at the added weight.
 

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