EcoTechne Roof Rack Installation (5th Gen)

[mynameistory]

This article popped up in my feed recently. It borrows a little liberally from my original how-to guide, but it's interesting to see what updates there are.

Ecotechne (Steel) Roof Rack Install and Review For the 5th Gen 4Runner

It looks like Ecotechne has changed their racks up a little more. The crossbars look skinnier and even less useful than before, and the front fairing has been significantly chopped down. The channel for light bar mounting looks smaller as well- mine is 3" wide which allowed me to perfectly tuck in the Diode Dynamics SS30 bar. This one looks to be about half that.

Problems with fit and finish, especially the powdercoat, still appear to persist with this rack. Now more than ever I would not recommend buying this rack unless you are prepared to do some cleanup work and source your own powdercoat. The one improvement seems to be that a stateside supplier has picked them up for distribution, so maybe shipping times and customer service will improve.

 

[tmmabey]

. . . I will update this thread with any long term rain or snow events, to see if my seals are working as intended.

It's been a few years now. How has this mounting method held up? Would love to get a report, since I am about to install a roof rack in the next few days.

 

[DEUS-MACH1NA]

My rack/seals still holding strong for me using mynameistory's install method 3yrs in PNW rain/snow conditions, no leaks, no rust. (btw: I ordered mine bare and powder coated it locally)

 

[mynameistory]

It's been a few years now. How has this mounting method held up? Would love to get a report, since I am about to install a roof rack in the next few days.

I posted this response on the other forum earlier this year. Have not removed the rack to check the bolts, but from the outside it's still going strong!

I might consider taking everything off to check it one of these days, just to see how it's holding up. I'm very confident in the integrity of the hardware, and the washers are said to be unaffected by sunlight, ozone, and water. My only concern is if the joints can't drain water away properly and pools, as I can't guarantee they're absolutely watertight. But so far I've seen no evidence of poor draining, and that includes several snow loads in Mammoth. I've noticed zero dampness in the headliner, and I've even pulled off the driver side kick panel to check for moisture (a common area that will collect water when running down the door frame). I've also heard horror stories of water collecting in this area and shorting out critical connectors and putting the truck in limp mode. So far all is bone dry.