Can I drill into this part of the roof rack?

[EricHartley]

I'm wanting to mount a roof basket from a land cruiser onto the roof of my 4runner. Was going to drill through the 2 main cross beams of the oem roof rack and mount the basket with long nuts / bolts.

Yay or nay?

 

[MyHigh]

I don't see why not, I'd just make sure you drill into the center of the bar and not on the edges where it thins out.

What's your concern about it?, are you drilling to mount something?

Also, and I say this with experience of screwing things up. I would probably put a thin piece of wood under it, just incase while drilling, once you punch through the rail it doesn't continue on to the roof of the rig.

 

[TCMach]

Yep. Just do what [MENTION=88597]MyHigh[/MENTION] said. Keep it centered, go slow, dont drill your roof. That basket will be mounted in no time

 

[rideexileex]

I might also recommend the yakima quick clips I think they're called... adapters without having to drill.

 

[EricHartley]

Thank you for the info guys!

This is the basket I plan to mount.

As you can see there is checker plate for the "bed" of the basket, and I plan to drill through it, and through the roof racks

 

[MONTYMTB]

How much does that thing weigh (including stuff that you plan to put in it)? I think the OEM cross bars have a stated weight limit, but I can't remember how much it is.

EDIT: just went out and looked, and it says "165 lbs, evenly distributed"

 

[ARC]

How much does that thing weigh (including stuff that you plan to put in it)? I think the OEM cross bars have a stated weight limit, but I can't remember how much it is.

EDIT: just went out and looked, and it says "165 lbs, evenly distributed"

I would remove the factory crossbars and attach the new basket directly to the tracks for two reasons:
1) The bars are weak.
2) Mounting to the bars is going to make the basket even higher.
-More aerodynamic issues
-Needlessly raises COG slightly
-Creates more clearance issues (garages, low branches, drive throughs, etc.)

 

[txbonds]

I agree. Lose the cross bars and mount directly to the tracks. You should be able to come up with a bolt setup using a washer that will slide into the tracks. You can space a few in each track to reach up through the new rack and attach a washer and lock nut.

 

[ARC]

Just use the factory nuts that come in the track. Should be 5 per side giving you a rock solid mount. I used 3 points per side to mount my RTT and am very happy. Just go to the hardware store and get the proper length bolts that match the factory thread pattern.

 

[habanero]

Yes, you can, the rubber's the more annoying part:

I wasn't worried about doing that to the load bar that holds the lights, but I don't think I'd want to compromise what strength they have drilling holes and then mounting a rack to it.

The husbandio did the uni-strut route on the 99 and it came out nice and also lower than it would have if he'd mounted the rack to the factory crossbars- and seems more sturdy too. The rack's low but not in danger of touching the roof:

It's a lot like ARC's but with a 'spacer' in the form of the unistrut.

 

[EricHartley]

thanks guys! il most likely use the factory rails that run the length of the vehicle. il also checkout those Yakima quick clips

like TCMach said, this rack will be mounted in no time. now its just a matter of getting it home