ST1FLER
Banned
expect closer to 12 lol
DIY: Gobi Stealth Roof Rack/Ladder Install
- Thread starter W8kbrder
- Start date
Sundog7121
Member
This post is SPOT ON!!
With these photos, the write-up and the Gobi instructions you can install this rack in a couple of hours. It took me all of an hour to install the ladder and "feet" today. Tomorrow I get help to lift the rack on, and it shouldn't take more than an hour to put in and tighten a bunch of nuts.
With these photos, the write-up and the Gobi instructions you can install this rack in a couple of hours. It took me all of an hour to install the ladder and "feet" today. Tomorrow I get help to lift the rack on, and it shouldn't take more than an hour to put in and tighten a bunch of nuts.
W8kbrder
New member
Thanks! Yeah the only time consuming part is thoroughly cleaning out the troughs and waterproofing. Easy but time consuming to do it the correct way.
**To date I have not had a leak....and the 4runner sits outside all the time. We've had some serious rain here on the coast over the past 6 months. Still dry. Like I said...if you go overboard with waterproofing the bolt threads along with the surrounding area and gaskets/bushings, you wont have any problems.
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W8kbrder
New member
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EL CID
New member
I'll echo the many thanks already posted here, I'm doing my install tomorrow and will no doubt be referencing the sh*t out of this thread! A couple questions for you:
On the plastidip, how much of a section did you put down, i.e. did you try to contour it to exactly under the wind fairing or just do a rectangle to match the rough length/width of the fairing?
Also, I was planning on giving the roof one final wax before install. How do you clean under the rack now, just wash and dry? I realize you're in NC where you get plenty of rain so it's probably not a huge deal, but I'm curious what sort of access you can get under the rack (a hand, a towel on a stick, an army of trained chinchillas covered in McGuiars...?)
Thanks, I know this has been addressed anecdotally elsewhere but figured I'd ask you anyway!
On the plastidip, how much of a section did you put down, i.e. did you try to contour it to exactly under the wind fairing or just do a rectangle to match the rough length/width of the fairing?
Also, I was planning on giving the roof one final wax before install. How do you clean under the rack now, just wash and dry? I realize you're in NC where you get plenty of rain so it's probably not a huge deal, but I'm curious what sort of access you can get under the rack (a hand, a towel on a stick, an army of trained chinchillas covered in McGuiars...?)
Thanks, I know this has been addressed anecdotally elsewhere but figured I'd ask you anyway!
littlezavasaurus
New member
people attach a microfiber to a Swiffer and its apparently a perfect fit. I think there are pictures of someone using the Swiffer earlier in this thread.
TravelWest01
New member
If it arrives this week will be 16 weeks.
bjohnston115
New member
Tamper proof torx button head bolts are probably the best in terms of a bolt. Other than that, buy the Chinese light bar. Or drill a hole in the cooling fins and run an aircraft cable through it and then to the rack.
Two things on the install: my fairing came with a hollow rubber-like pad on its bottom side, I don't see where plasti dip would even go. I did put a strip of paddle board rail tape on the paint where this rubber strip makes contact. Rail tape is similar to clear bra car protectant, a heavy clear tape. Also, on the ladder install, there is a pressure plate that takes the stress off the inside of the bottom of the lift gate so the clamp bolts won't hurt the paint under there. For the two set screws at the top of the tail gate, they are intended (apparently) to screw right into or against the paint at the top inside of the gate. I wasn't comfortable with that, so I took two dimes, put double sticky tape on them, and used them as a sort of pressure plate so the set screws could bite into them instead of the top of the tail gate. Cost me 20 cents though ...
hstexan
New member
Not sure where to post this and this seems like a fairly active thread.
Kind of a specific question, but does anyone know if you could mount something like the Thule Portage 819 on the rack and it would provide enough rise to get a canoe over the raised front? Or would it be necessary to just order the rack as no rise?
It's not something I'd need to do all the time, but more than just once in a blue moon.
Kind of a specific question, but does anyone know if you could mount something like the Thule Portage 819 on the rack and it would provide enough rise to get a canoe over the raised front? Or would it be necessary to just order the rack as no rise?
It's not something I'd need to do all the time, but more than just once in a blue moon.
codyHTX
Member
This is just speculation but I don't think that specific Thule mount will give u the clearance required. Those look too low profile to give you the guesstimated 3" (someone can give an accurate measurement) u need to clear the rise. While that particular one may not work you could probably find an option that sit a little higher.
I have the Thule portage, and the rise is under one inch. The rise to the Gobi Stealth front bar is 2 inches. if your primary thing to carry is a longer boat I would get the no rise. You could always use some of those foam blocks to get your canoe high enough to clear the front bar of you went with the standard Gobi
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hstexan
New member
Thanks for the responses. Know of some pictures of a no rise Stealth rack with a 40" light bar? Trying to figure out how that would work out--figure if you go no rise you either do light bar or fairing, but wouldn't be able to do both. Perhaps a grill mounted bar would have to do.
As far as light bars go, my no rise rack has light bar mounts, but the lights will stick up higher than the top of the top bar. The top bar is set back far enough to allow this. Not too practical. Unless you can find a light bar that's one inch tall. I might go with the regular rack and use the foam blocks to raise my canoe up, or just carry it with the front a little higher than the back.
codyHTX
Member
Custom brackets for the no rise gobi that came forward and angled down to hold a light bar just in front of the fairing could be cool. While the mounting setup would be different look at [MENTION=120209]tigger[/MENTION] build thread to get an idea, he has a light bar mounted in front of a baja utility rack (another good rack option for carrying canoes, sups, kayaks, etc)
I originally had the light mounted to the top of the rack where it is supposed to go, but it created too much drag and noise up there. So I moved it to the lower bolt holes of the fairing. Works better there but I do get more glare on the hood.
Sorry been away for awhile. I'll snap a few pics today.
Update: pics snapped
What did you end up using for the bottom of your wind deflector? From your pics, it looks like a small molding. Where can we buy that?
BTW, awesome write-up! My rack is supposed to be in tomorrow and I'm going to use this guide for the install!
