Rotopax on roof?

[limamike]

Thanks pawzitiv, I appreciate the quick response (and don't suppose you're in the market to sell your RRO?):thanks:

Now, for something a bit more, on topic. Has anyone out there compared driving with the rotopax on the roof vs having them mounted lower in the vehicle (either in the cargo area, or on a rear tire mount)?
Since water/fuel are so dense, I'm curious if there is a noticeable difference between having that weight so high, versus keeping it closer to the center of gravity.

Thanks!

I can't imagine it'll make that much of a difference for so little fuel/water. Regular unleaded gas is what, 6.x lbs per gallon? Water is 8.3. So, let's say you're carrying 8 gallons of water on your roof with a weight of ~67 lbs. While I haven't carried liquids at that weight on my roof, I carried close to the same weight in a Storm case (which has a smaller footprint than 2x2 gallon Rotopax or 1x4 gallon Rotopax) from Washington DC to Glacier National Park and back without any issue at all. If the Rotopax are full then you shouldn't have too much shifting around either.

 

[phillyd2]

I simply out grew my RRO Adventure rack. I needed space for a 6-foot ARB awning, a Hi-Lift jack, 2 Rotopax 4-gal fuel packs, 4 RotoPax storage packs and 2 Seal Line 75 litre Zip Duffel bags.

What are your impressions on the storage packs? How waterproof are they?

 

[pawzitiv]

What are your impressions on the storage packs? How waterproof are they?

The usefulness of the Rotopax storage packs depends on what you want to store in them. Because of the molded mount holes that go clean through the middle, all items will have to be fairly small. They are also NOT waterproof so whatever you store in them has the potential of getting wet. I use mine for all the small camping odds 'n' ends as well as a recovery snatch strap and a couple of bow shackles.

 

[FatDave]

Fuel Transport

Has anyone out there compared driving with the rotopax on the roof vs having them mounted lower in the vehicle (either in the cargo area, or on a rear tire mount)?
Thanks!

deejayshag, I highly recommend NOT transporting fuel containers inside the passenger cabin. eace:

 

[FatDave]

3-gal Rotopax & Basketcase

Just opened a 3-gallon gas Rotopax, lock, and back plate. :biggrin2: I'm going to mount it on a Yakima Basketcase, which I "rigged" between the factory rails on my TE. I'll have pics ASAP.

 

[FatDave]

As promised...

Just opened a 3-gallon gas Rotopax, lock, and back plate. :biggrin2: I'm going to mount it on a Yakima Basketcase, which I "rigged" between the factory rails on my TE. I'll have pics ASAP.

It worked so well, I'm ordering another one...

 

[limamike]

It worked so well, I'm ordering another one...

Can you take some pictures of how you mounted the mounting plate to the basket, please?

 

[NYRunner]

FatDave- thats awesome! Can I pay you to do that to my LTD?! lolol.
Seriously, it looks like Toyota designed it to go there. Well done!

 

[toyslug]

Hi FatDave: How did you "rigg" the Yakima basket to your TE rack? ie. did you use Yakima mounts;if so which ones etc. TIA

Toyslug:thanks:

 

[Okki]

Not speaking for FatDave, but based on his pictures and what others have done, he's probably using a bolt with it's head in the track of the roof bars and a wing-nut on the basket side. I'm guessing there will be a large washer on each side of the rack wall.

Okki

 

[Okki]

Can you take some pictures of how you mounted the mounting plate to the basket, please?

The mounting hardware is a base plate (goes under the rack) and a plate with post (secures the pack) and the rack gets sandwiched in between. there are 4 (?) bolts that secure the two plates together.

Still waiting on some free time to mount mine... they've been sitting in the garage way too long now.

Okki

 

[toyslug]

Thanks Okki.

 

[limamike]

The mounting hardware is a base plate (goes under the rack) and a plate with post (secures the pack) and the rack gets sandwiched in between. there are 4 (?) bolts that secure the two plates together.

Still waiting on some free time to mount mine... they've been sitting in the garage way too long now.

Okki

Thanks for the info. I figured that's how it attached based on the pictures on the website, but I've never seen pictures of the plate mounted up-close and to scale, so I wanted to get a sense of the size of the hardware in relation to its mounting surface.

 

[Okki]

Thanks for the info. I figured that's how it attached based on the pictures on the website, but I've never seen pictures of the plate mounted up-close and to scale, so I wanted to get a sense of the size of the hardware in relation to its mounting surface.

I can take some pics when I get home, but the plate is circular and about 3~4 inch diameter.

Okki

 

[FatDave]

Can you take some pictures of how you mounted the mounting plate to the basket, please?

Easy peasy. The Rotopax base has 4 carraige bolts that extend downward. They sell an optional backer plate that has 4 holes which line up with the standard base. I just put the base on top of, and the backer underneath, the Basketcase. Had to get longer bolts, though. Depending on where you mount it, you might need 1/4" spacers/washers between the plates.

 

[limamike]

Easy peasy. The Rotopax base has 4 carraige bolts that extend downward. They sell an optional backer plate that has 4 holes which line up with the standard base. I just put the base on top of, and the backer underneath, the Basketcase. Had to get longer bolts, though. Depending on where you mount it, you might need 1/4" spacers/washers between the plates.

Perfect, thanks!

 

[FatDave]

Hi FatDave: How did you "rigg" the Yakima basket to your TE rack? ie. did you use Yakima mounts;if so which ones etc. TIA

Toyslug:thanks:

The Yakima Basketcase is 39" long.

The TE side rails are not parallel. They're wider at the front of the vehicle. They're about 39" apart in the rear, and 40"+ at the front. My install, which is sort of centered, left an 1/8" on either side in the rear, and 1/4" on either side in the front, which I filled with 3/8" ID 1" OD zinc coated flat washers.

The basket comes with most of the hardware you need. The includes square ID/OD washers that are supposed to be used to clamp the basket rails, but I used them to go in the side rail channels to hold carraige bolts. The bolts that come with the kit are a little long, so I got shorter ones.

At the other end of the bolts, you can use regular washers and the plastic wing nuts to secure it. That said, I ordered an additional fastener kit from Yakima so I could use the square washers as intended.

Another work around to buying the extra fastener kit is would be to dremmel the plastic crossrail clamps apart. They're box shaped, have carraige bolt holes through them, and they (probably) fit in the channels.

Finally, the basket can be raised or lowered about an inch due to the slotted affect of the basket's wire mounting supports. In the lowest position, it's at or beneath the factory crossrails.

 

[FatDave]

Tmi ?

Basketcase/Rotopax more:

I was adjusting the rack today, and one of the Yakima square washers spun in the side rail channel. So, I cut and ground the black plastic Yakima mounts and used them instead. (See my post on page 2 above). Kind of a PITA, but problem fixed. This option avoids the extra fastener kit I bought. :ybrick:

For those of you who go this route, consider grinding the Rotopax bolts down to the nylock nut head, to maximize roof-to-fastener clearance, and lay a towel down on the roof under the rack before attaching/detaching to avoid scratches. (duh).

Happy trails.

 

[Okki]

The rotopax hardware that came with my kit:

FatDave, did you get the bottom plate in the package, or did you order it separately?

Okki

(it may be in there, but I haven't opened the packaging yet :naughty

UPDATE:
I just went and ordered the base plates, because they are not included with the standard LOX Pack Mount. I also complained a bit, because there is no way to mount them to a roof rack without it. they should have made that more clear before making me pay shipping again. If I had known I would have included them in my original order.

 

[wdlsmaerw]

It worked so well, I'm ordering another one...

Well thanks for the change of heart! Time to sell the brand new Rocky Road Adventure rack and go with this set up. Now I can get the Roto-Pax and still fit in the parking garage at work (didn't think about that before buying everything...whoops!).

Thank you sir!