How much does the factory roof rack system weigh?

[Outrider]

I have one sitting in the car port waiting to be painted.

just went and took it, thing is light.

I'd say 15 lbs, by feeling it. Definitely not 25-30 lbs like I quickly read above.

edit: went out with my scale. 13 lbs.

The OP question was answered accurately in an edit. ^^

 

[phattyduck]

What a very cool mod! I wish I had known about this, when I got mine about 14 years ago. That would have saved me 14 years of cussing about a damned 4' long (not wide) rack, when 6'+ is possible, when I was carrying a 16' canoe up there. Or an 8' L sheet of plywood, unable to get up to highway speed because of too much unsupported length flapping around.

However, keep in mind while carrying loads up there - every bit of the load is supported only by the sheet metal on the roof. I saw that yesterday when I was screwing around with making a crossbar extender to help with canoe/kayak loading on mine. I pulled out the extender, pulled down on it to simulate a load, and the track on the other side of the roof was lifting up noticeably, probably about ready to rip out the mounts in the sheet metal. The roof sheet metal was just flexing upward with it. That tells me that there is nothing structural under the rack.

The other issue - the roof curves, so you can't hold flat material across 3 or 4 load bars on the roof.

My dream setup is extended OEM roof tracks (I have those parts) with extra strengthening material underneath (fender washers or metal strap, depending on what fits) and a RMR Matterhorn rack on top, bolted down in the front (instead of just resting on pressure pads).

-Charlie