Baja Rack Powder Coating/Light Tabs

[mc813]

Hey guys,

I'm getting ready to purchase a rack, and am thinking of the Baja Utility rack. I had a few questions and haven't heard back from their CS department (granted it's been under 24 hours) so I wanted to ask on here:

-Does the utility rack allow for light bar mounting on the 4 tabs behind the wind fairing?

-How has the powder coat held up on recent purchases? I know I've seen in the past where it wasn't the greatest, and I don't necessarily want to buy something I'll have to take off and repaint in the near future.

Any other advice/experiences greatly appreciated, thanks!

Matt

 

[horsemarine]

I too am interested in coating quality. Also overall quality vs baja

 

[mc813]

Anyone? Trying to decide if the price difference between Baja and Gobi is worth it, I'm sure I'm not the first one.

 

[JSparky]

Anyone? Trying to decide if the price difference between Baja and Gobi is worth it, I'm sure I'm not the first one.

I'll bump this for anyone new with input on current Baja rack powder coating quality.

 

[Antman]

I have a Gobi- but can still provide relevant information as to the powder coating question.

You will need to refinish any rack if you keep it long enough because the powder coating will chip in places if you use the rack and allow rust to start. It will also get a chalky appearance from the sun. If you have a mall princess that stays in the garage it will last longer...Honestly, I hate matt finish powder coating, it just doesn't last, IMO- I would rather have good quality paint.

My Gobi sees a fair amount of use and is pushing 5 years old. If you inspect it closely it looks pretty bad. None of this affects the utility of the rack at all- just needs a little TLC.

From what I have read, the Gobi is a much stronger rack than the Baja- which is reflected in the price FWIW.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[wild_turkey]

OP,

The 4 light tabs behind the wind fairing can be used for mounting a lightbar. They are spaced 13.5" on center. There are also 2 tabs rear to mount rear facing lights.

Bajarack did switch PC facilities, but time will tell on how long it holds up. I just recently installed mine so I cannot comment on the durability of the finish.

I went with the baja over the gobi because height was a big factor for me. The baja utility rack mounting plane sits a couple inches lower than the gobi stealth. I will say that the pre-wired gobi is a nice feature, though. It makes your wiring super clean. I also think the mounting brackets for the gobi are better thought out with the spacer plates.

There are some nice aluminum racks out there, too. I wanted to go that route, but couldn't find a full length Aluminum rack that was as low profile as the baja utility rack that did not require drilling.

Good luck.

Hey guys,

I'm getting ready to purchase a rack, and am thinking of the Baja Utility rack. I had a few questions and haven't heard back from their CS department (granted it's been under 24 hours) so I wanted to ask on here:

-Does the utility rack allow for light bar mounting on the 4 tabs behind the wind fairing?

-How has the powder coat held up on recent purchases? I know I've seen in the past where it wasn't the greatest, and I don't necessarily want to buy something I'll have to take off and repaint in the near future.

Any other advice/experiences greatly appreciated, thanks!

Matt

 

[KingTaco]

Totally agree with [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION]

I have a Baja. I am happy with it, and have had great help from their Customer Service Dept. I did have the PC chipping away at some of the bolt connections. I ended up having my rack powder coated a new color (along with my wheels). I don't think either brand is super heavy duty; still adequate, though. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably make my own. If I was buying again, I don't see any reason to switch manufacturers. You just can't expect them to be bulletproof. Good luck.

 

[jpachard]

I should be receiving my Baja rack in the next week or so. If you want I can post up some pictures and first impressions.

James


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Simpleman74]

I love the look of gobi but I am going for a K9. I like the flat rack design and it aluminum. As far as the OPs question, I have heard their PC issues have been resolved

 

[Trixx]

Any more updates a year later on the powder coating of the Baja racks? I see above they switched vendors, and have read that other places as well, just looking for some longer term durability reviews with the new powder coating company.

 

[Rysandro]

I have a Gobi- but can still provide relevant information as to the powder coating question.

You will need to refinish any rack if you keep it long enough because the powder coating will chip in places if you use the rack and allow rust to start. It will also get a chalky appearance from the sun. If you have a mall princess that stays in the garage it will last longer...Honestly, I hate matt finish powder coating, it just doesn't last, IMO- I would rather have good quality paint.

My Gobi sees a fair amount of use and is pushing 5 years old. If you inspect it closely it looks pretty bad. None of this affects the utility of the rack at all- just needs a little TLC.

From what I have read, the Gobi is a much stronger rack than the Baja- which is reflected in the price FWIW.

Hope that helps a little.

There is no reason for the fading and chalkiness to be happening unless they are using an Epoxy or Hybrid Powder Coat, neither Epoxy or Hybrid are UV Stable. And FYI most "Flat Black" powder coats are not UV Stable, because they are indeed Epoxies. Matte Black however should not be a problem, they are usually Polyester or Polyurethane Powder Coats, both of which are UV Stable

 

[Antman]

There is no reason for the fading and chalkiness to be happening unless they are using an Epoxy or Hybrid Powder Coat, neither Epoxy or Hybrid are UV Stable. And FYI most "Flat Black" powder coats are not UV Stable, because they are indeed Epoxies. Matte Black however should not be a problem, they are usually Polyester or Polyurethane Powder Coats, both of which are UV Stable

Well, mine is chalky and it's matte black. I look at it every single day.