Mounting Cargo Box on Prinsu, Slimline?

[Snowgun]

So after reading a crazy amount of material in this great forum regarding racks, I think i've narrowed it down to some aluminum low profile racks. (maybe)

My personal design criteria is a rack that will let me get into parking garages (including my 3" lift), haul the occasional piece of lumbar/christmas tree, and possibly mount some stuff for camping/hunting. I don't need crazy load bearing weight, I don't want some heavy steel job that will inevitably rust, and I won't be throwing a tent on there.

The thing is, I think I want to be able to mount a cargo box (like a Thule 625 XL), and while half of me things I should just get the yakama timberline mounts that attach to the factory rails, I would love to get a nice rack (Prinsu? Slimline?) that I can easily attach the cargo box too.

So...Does anyone who has these racks (or has a Thule box who has seen these racks) have some experience mounting a cargo box? Or seen a way it can be done? Or even some info about the experience with just the racks themselves?

Thanks!

 

[Snowgun]

Looking at the 3/4 rack version, does the fairing possibly raise up so high that it will hit a cargo box?

Does anyone have the 3/4 version?

 

[Seattle206]

I have the 3/4 Prinsu rack and though I do not have a cargo box I do mount my ARB awning and TREDs on them. I made my own mounting system for them. With the Prinsu rack I'm sure you can figure out a way to mount your box. Maybe some U-bolts coming up through the cargo box?

 

[Offcamber]

Do you mind a response from a 4th gen owner? Of course there are some obvious differences, but I have a Prinsu rack and I have a Yakima cargo box. I hauled the whole family on a camping trip last weekend and I quickly realized I needed the extra cargo space. It looks like your Thule box has a similar mounting system in that you can use the mounts to grab one of the crossbars of the Prinsu rack. My box has a beer belly that drops down the middle of the box, so I was able to relocate two of the bars for and aft of the belly to clear the bottom of the box. The Prinsu rack has enough flexibility in crossbar placement to allow fitment of the box and remain completely solid. Even with a heavy load of gear in the box, I was able to bouncy my way up and down a trail with absolutely no problems. While the rack is low profile (one of the reasons I bought the rack - the rig is lifted and I wanted to clear my garage door), there is enough height for the mounts to grab the crossbars and not rub on the roof. Perhaps a 5th gen owner can comment on the distance between the bottom of the crossbar and roof.

 

[p_j_o]

I am finally getting to install my full length this weekend - probably tomorrow. I will let you know my clearance with my Yakima box once it's all on...

pjo

 

[marshal]

The **** you need a basket for?

Get a full length front runner rack, go to Home Depot and get yourself some nice outdoor grade Pergo and lay a little floor on it. Mount the Gobi ladder and get yourself a nice snow peak chair and end table and a bottle of Jameson from your ARB fridge and watch the sunset.


-sincerely, someone with a full length Prinsu rack

 

[Snowgun]

This is the kind of info I was looking for!

Do you have a full length or a 3/4? I"m leaning toward the 3/4 because I have a sunroof and I don't think I'll really need the front part (plus I don't really feel like drilling holes). I do worry about there being enough rack to mount the cargo box forward so that the lift gate doesn't hit it though...

Do you mind a response from a 4th gen owner? Of course there are some obvious differences, but I have a Prinsu rack and I have a Yakima cargo box. I hauled the whole family on a camping trip last weekend and I quickly realized I needed the extra cargo space. It looks like your Thule box has a similar mounting system in that you can use the mounts to grab one of the crossbars of the Prinsu rack. My box has a beer belly that drops down the middle of the box, so I was able to relocate two of the bars for and aft of the belly to clear the bottom of the box. The Prinsu rack has enough flexibility in crossbar placement to allow fitment of the box and remain completely solid. Even with a heavy load of gear in the box, I was able to bouncy my way up and down a trail with absolutely no problems. While the rack is low profile (one of the reasons I bought the rack - the rig is lifted and I wanted to clear my garage door), there is enough height for the mounts to grab the crossbars and not rub on the roof. Perhaps a 5th gen owner can comment on the distance between the bottom of the crossbar and roof.

 

[Snowgun]

I have the 3/4 Prinsu rack and though I do not have a cargo box I do mount my ARB awning and TREDs on them. I made my own mounting system for them. With the Prinsu rack I'm sure you can figure out a way to mount your box. Maybe some U-bolts coming up through the cargo box?

How do you like your 3/4? Do you have a picture of the top of your rack? All the pictures I see of the 3/4 are from the side or from low...

I want to be able to use the quick attach feature of today's cargo boxes, instead of having to bolt them (like the old one I have).


Say, Do you think that Prinsu has fixed/addressed the issues with the rack that you had? (the clearance with the roof, the faring with the sunroof, ect?)

 

[Snowgun]

Looking at the Prinsu close up, I could probably fab some specialty cross bars out of 80/20 extruded if I needed to as well... to make a slim bar for instance...

https://8020.net/catalog/category/view/s/shop/id/837/?cat=379

 

[TK-422]

This is the kind of info I was looking for!

Do you have a full length or a 3/4? I"m leaning toward the 3/4 because I have a sunroof and I don't think I'll really need the front part (plus I don't really feel like drilling holes). I do worry about there being enough rack to mount the cargo box forward so that the lift gate doesn't hit it though...

Just get the full rack. Drilling the holes is no big deal. The stock rack mounting holes are the same as the plus nuts. Just measure carefully.

The 3/4 rack fairing is more of a pain with a sunroof than a full size rack. It is right in the way. With the full size rack you simply omit one of the cross bars that would be in the middle of the sun roof and use it somewhere else.

The full size rack also gives you a great way to mount a light bar should you decide you want one now or later.

 

[TK-422]

Looking at the Prinsu close up, I could probably fab some specialty cross bars out of 80/20 extruded if I needed to as well... to make a slim bar for instance...

https://8020.net/catalog/category/view/s/shop/id/837/?cat=379

80/40 is the standard bars they use 80mm x 40mm.
40/40 is the square bar that one is included (full rack).
80/20 could be used but it is pretty thin.

Any of the above can be used with this versatile rack. You just cut it to the right length, tap the ends and screw them in.

You could really use any of the extruded aluminum bars or connectors for this rack. It is the adults erector set.

 

[JLink]

This is an older thread now, but I just found it because I have a prinsu rack and I’m trying to figure out how to mount my cargo box to it.

Most cargo boxes on the market right now are designed to be mounted to 2 cross bars. The box hangs down in front of the fron mount and behind the rear mount. The area where the mounts are is approximately 1” higher than the ends, so when it’s sitting on a platform style roof rack, the mounts won’t touch the rack unless you bow the middle of the box down.

I need a set of cross bars that can mount to the top of the prinsu rack, to mount the cargo box to. I was hoping there was an easy accessory available, but so far haven’t found anything besides prinsu’s roof top tent mounting feet, which I could probably make work. But for $80 + shipping, I could probably fabricate something myself for less.

 

[El Dusty]

This is an older thread now, but I just found it because I have a prinsu rack and I’m trying to figure out how to mount my cargo box to it.

Most cargo boxes on the market right now are designed to be mounted to 2 cross bars. The box hangs down in front of the fron mount and behind the rear mount. The area where the mounts are is approximately 1” higher than the ends, so when it’s sitting on a platform style roof rack, the mounts won’t touch the rack unless you bow the middle of the box down.

I need a set of cross bars that can mount to the top of the prinsu rack, to mount the cargo box to. I was hoping there was an easy accessory available, but so far haven’t found anything besides prinsu’s roof top tent mounting feet, which I could probably make work. But for $80 + shipping, I could probably fabricate something myself for less.

A few thoughts, If you can remove the crossbars that interfere with the new rooftop box style that would be easiest. I do something similar for my ski rack setup but obviously if you have other equipment on the rack this is not an option.

Another simple DIY Option. Buy some additional 1x2" t-slot bar to run vertically above an existing bar. Use a short piece of 1x2" for vertical posts to space it appropriately depending on clearance you need. Get yourself a few 90deg brackets (see link) or fab yourself something similar to assemble it all.

McMaster-Carr

 

[icyhotahs]

Prinsu also sells extra bars.

Anyways, good luck.