Eric Rawson

I wanted to talk about roof load capacities and the practical use for roof racks/tents.

I just bought this Rhino Rack system for my JK to be able to put a roof top tent on it. I assumed this rack was sufficient to hold the tent as well as some other potential goodies (mainly just the tent). However, I am now reading that most of these racks don't take into account the OFF-ROAD capacity and how the additional stresses from off-roading can cause the rack to fail because its overloaded.

The manual states that the roof isnt a structural member and therefore cannot handle ANY loads, but clearly the Rhino Rack goes through the roof and is supported by the backbone. You can see in the second picture I used a roof load of 150 lbs, and it seems to show that I can only carry 97lbs (barely a roof top tent). I'm confused here and I am not sure which numbers to go with.

I basically want to discuss some of these weight capacity numbers and to make myself feel more confident in my purchase. I don't want to choose a rack that's going to overstress/overload the Jeep. I'm posting here so I can hear from experience and hopefully be smarter about all this.

Thanks!

horrocks007

Probably people do it, but I would not put a RTT on that type of rack. You really walking a tightrope hoping the hardtop doesn't crack or the 8 screws holding the top on the jeep don't fail on a windy night with the tent deployed.

Certainly it may never happen, but what a bummer if it does. Most racks that handle RTT's have a dynamic load of 300 pounds.

Eric Rawson

I'm really bummed about this. Are there any other low profile racks that can allow me to take the hardtop off easily? I really wanted to avoid an exo-style rack that begins to obstruct other parts of the vehicle.

I've seen countless people using these Rhino Racks and now it seems like they can barely support their own weight...What about the pioneer platform from Rhino Rack instead of the 3 crossbars?

horrocks007

I hear you! It's a tough decision. I have a Gobi rack, and have 9 years on it now. I do swap the hard top out for the soft top each season, but rarely take the top down because of the extra time. I do enjoy driving the jeep with the windows down, soft tope windows removed most of the time in summer. The exo-style rack is such a big decision and defines much of the style of your jeep.

Alternately, buying a used m416 military trailer and putting a simple rack on it for the tent is actually cheaper and would give you more storage for camping stuff.

Eric Rawson

I feel you, I've seen the Gobi and it's definitely a cool design I just think it is too much of a commitment at the moment for me. I really just want to be able to throw a tent up there so I was hoping to get a rack that wouldn't take up too much space, and wouldn't make taking the hard top off a total hassle.

Are there any other low profile racks that you know of that are similar to the Rhino Rack? I'm trying to make it work lol

Thanks again

Mark Doiron

The overhead rack from MBRP was touted as rated for 500 pounds when I bought mine. Back then it only fit the early model JKs (with the small windows on the hardtop). Not sure if they ever adapted it to the newer tops. It does bolt to the hardtop such that when you remove the hardtop, it's a part of it. Which means it takes more folks to remove the top because of the added weight. But it has braces inside the top that transfer the weight from the load up top to the Jeep tub. That means you must drill holes in the hardtop for the hardware that attaches the interior braces to the exterior down rods. There is no extra hardware to remove when taking off the top because, as I wrote before, it's all one assembled piece. I have the optional basket. And the optional front extension, which has been modified to accommodate my snorkel, a second spare tire carrier that a friend fabricated for me, and a bar for overhead lights that I fabricated. If removing the top, the optional front extension would need to be removed as a separate piece since it bolts to existing places by the windshield. Or it can be left in place if I want to retain the overhead lights. Here are a few pictures ...


Bonneville Salt Flat.


Fully loaded on the Dalton Highway, North of the Arctic Circle.


Front view along the TransAmerica Trail in Utah. Or maybe Nevada. Right on the border, anyway.


Rear view while headed out to Maclaren Glacier, AK.


Close-up of the rack showing my only real disappointment with it: The lousy powdercoating job that's rusting through. The rack has been on my Jeep for ten years or so, and is always outside.


Another view of the top of the rack. You can also see the second spare tire carrier.


Modification on the down rod for the optional front extension to accommodate the AEV snorkel ...


Second spare tire carrier that a friend fabricated for me.

That friend has a 2012 JK (has large windows) to which he fabricated his own entire rack using similar interior braces so that he could carry an RTT.


Friend's homemade rack on The Road to Nowhere, Big Bend Ranch State Park, TX.


Another view of my friend's rack. Note how all of the rods are curved with the Jeep lines. This is why he made his own, instead of opting for a commercial one. I helped him to bend those rods.


It's surprising how much bend there is in those rods to match the Jeep lines.

Anyway, not sure that any of this will provide you a turnkey answer. However, it may give you some ideas of how to approach the problem. I don't have a photo of the interior braces on my hard drive and it's 3:00 a.m. If you'd like one, please message me (so I receive an e-mail) and I'll go take one after sunrise and post it here.

Liz P

Do you trust one tiny screw to keep you safe? In the case of Rhino Rack cutting hardware and design corners, it could’ve killed me or someone else on the road. To earn the name Rhino Rack you should have a tough rack and strong hardware, not cheap plastic and baby screws.
I purchased a Rhino Roof Rack Backbone Base Rack System ($850+ and installation fee $400). After, I had a Roofnest Falcon tent mounted (140lbs, far below the 220lbs every Rhino Rack description states the rack can handle).
I was only driving 15-20 mph on a gravel road the second day of my trip when the rack broke and my tent went over my windshield. Rhino rack cut corners: only 1 tiny screw with minimal threading and no locking mechanism holds each crossbar base. One of those screws popped out and catapulted my tent over the front of my Jeep. I was left stranded in the desert with no signal. Five men had to spend the day helping with repairs.
I’ve tried working with Rhino Rack for over a month and suddenly they say this rack can only handle 138lbs while moving, the two extra pounds of my tent (140 lbs) was too much for it, despite every distributer’s description of this rack (Backcountry, Autoanything, even their own Rhino site) lists the racks can handle 220lbs. And I was also told by Rhino Rack’s customer service that I shouldn’t have driven it off road, even though I was going 15-20mph and every description they have on many sites say this rack is for “four-wheel driving” and is a “desert- assault rack” and that their racks are great for rooftop tents. Apparently Rhino Rack expects us to camp on pavement, maybe just pop your tent up in your driveway because it’s not safe to drive with a Rhino Rack.
The moral of this story: your life, your family’s lives, and other people’s lives deserve better than cheap material. There are better options than Rhino Rack, and a lot more companies are more deserving of your business.

Nemisus

Few weeks back I bought the LOD from Northridge for my 2017 JKU. Bit pricey for most but the redeeming factor was the static load limit is an impressive 800 lbs and the moving limited is 300 lbs. While all the others are way more cost friendly they wouldn't have worked for my needs. The weight of most quality tents and me alone would go well beyond the limits of most other affordable racks. If I can't have my better half with me whats the point!

I went with their basic frame, 6 bar braces and ladders on both sides. Should be pretty neat once I get it! I know it's not a low profile version and is considered exo, but it's the nicest version I could find that had the specs needed. Maybe take a look!

Cheers

Nem

Sixty4x4

There are rack systems even made by Rhino that have a backbone system that fits under the hardtop. Makes sense for the loads we carry but I believe they should stand behind the OP and make it good again. After all they advertised the abuse it could take and that was obviously BS. I was advised with a rooftop tent (any) that I would need to install the backbone system first.

Swooperz

It's a year later but I wanted to reply that I also had this exact thing happen to me today, which is the second time it has happened. It's that single bolt that rips upward and out of the nut that it screws into. It really seems like a horrible design. I have the exact same setup as the OP.

Does anyone know if there is a workaround such as a longer bolt being used? Does anyone know if the Pioneer system would be better? It seems that its connection points to the hardtop utilize three bolts from what I have been able to find on the Googles.

Thanks,
Alan