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Anybody have experience with roof bars?

steffen707

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I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ROOF BARS.

I want to connect a 2x4 to the oem Chrysler crossbars on my JT errr........van cough cough, so I can screw an awning to the 2x4. The cross bars are fat in the front and thin at back, like a wing. Any kind of thule/Yakima mount that will connect to these bars, so I can connect the 2x4 to the mount? I don't want to drill a hole through the bars to secure this 2x4.

The awning I'm getting isn't compatible with my cross bars without first putting their roof rack on.

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I found this thing, i think I can just use a long bolt through the 2x4 and go through the body of this thing, Thoughts? Also are OEM bars directly compatible with one brand or another, or is the wing design just a generic thing?

Thanks peeps!


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kayakmike

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I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ROOF BARS.

I want to connect a 2x4 to the oem Chrysler crossbars on my JT errr........van cough cough, so I can screw an awning to the 2x4. The cross bars are fat in the front and thin at back, like a wing. Any kind of thule/Yakima mount that will connect to these bars, so I can connect the 2x4 to the mount? I don't want to drill a hole through the bars to secure this 2x4.

The awning I'm getting isn't compatible with my cross bars without first putting their roof rack on.

I found this thing, i think I can just use a long bolt through the 2x4 and go through the body of this thing, Thoughts? Also are OEM bars directly compatible with one brand or another, or is the wing design just a generic thing?

Thanks peeps!
C'mon, even you know this should be in the rack section of the forum... ;)

I've got those same Yakima universal mounts. You can get the right size bolt to work with a 2x4. I've used them on 2x4s and 8020 extrusions. You may be able to rotate the bolt (put the bolt from the bottom with the nut on top) since I think the mount has a groove for carriage bolts with the square below the head (would have to look at mine again). All Yakima bolts are 1/4" or 5/16" so easy to swap out bolt lengths.

Yakima may make custom adapters (that match the crossbar cross section) for your crossbars too.

Thule probably have similar mounts (esp. since they make the Mopar rack mounts), but all my rack equipment is Yakima.
 
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steffen707

steffen707

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C'mon, even you know this should be in the rack section of the forum... ;)
there's a rack section? i was going to post it in bob reny tops thread, but didn't seem to fit there. i suck. =(
 
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steffen707

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Thule probably have similar mounts (esp. since they make the Mopar rack mounts
perfect, i'll look into this. Do you know if Thule designs the cross bars for mopar too?
 

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kayakmike

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there's a rack section? i was going to post it in bob reny tops thread, but didn't seem to fit there. i suck. =(
Racks, Carriers, Toppers, Cargo, Bed Mods
 

kayakmike

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perfect, i'll look into this. Do you know if Thule designs the cross bars for mopar too?
I bought Yakima racks ~30 years ago, and every new vehicle I buy I buy the same so everything is compatible, so don't know Thule details.

I don't know if Thule makes the crossbars, but noticed if you look at the Mopar accessories (https://store.mopar.com/accessories...ers_cargo_hauling_accessories-racks_carriers/) they are actually Thule (i.e. pull up the installation instructions and they say Thule on the top). https://dev.smartdealer.com/mopar_accessories_isheet/K6862296.PDF.

Still waiting for the bed cross bars to be available. I have an idea for the Yakima bed rack mount that I may modify to work with the roll up tonneau cover/trail rail system (crossing fingers). Just need my f**king LE so I can start experimenting with it.
 
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steffen707

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I bought Yakima racks ~30 years ago, and every new vehicle I buy I buy the same so everything is compatible, so don't know Thule details.

I don't know if Thule makes the crossbars, but noticed if you look at the Mopar accessories (https://store.mopar.com/accessories...ers_cargo_hauling_accessories-racks_carriers/) they are actually Thule (i.e. pull up the installation instructions and they say Thule on the top). https://dev.smartdealer.com/mopar_accessories_isheet/K6862296.PDF.

Still waiting for the bed cross bars to be available. I have an idea for the Yakima bed rack mount that I may modify to work with the roll up tonneau cover/trail rail system (crossing fingers). Just need my f**king LE so I can start experimenting with it.
gotta post photos once you figure it all out!
 
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steffen707

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Roof Bars, are the best, the view is always better than a ground level patio and all the cool kids sit up there.:LOL::beer:
I see what you did there. Rooftop bar last night before seeing Jason Isbell.

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C'mon, even you know this should be in the rack section of the forum... ;)

I've got those same Yakima universal mounts. You can get the right size bolt to work with a 2x4. I've used them on 2x4s and 8020 extrusions. You may be able to rotate the bolt (put the bolt from the bottom with the nut on top) since I think the mount has a groove for carriage bolts with the square below the head (would have to look at mine again). All Yakima bolts are 1/4" or 5/16" so easy to swap out bolt lengths.

Yakima may make custom adapters (that match the crossbar cross section) for your crossbars too.

Thule probably have similar mounts (esp. since they make the Mopar rack mounts), but all my rack equipment is Yakima.
I know the JL roof rack (bars) was Yakima, so I don't think all of the Mopar racks are Thule. Well, I know they all aren't, but maybe the JL is the only one? That page doesn't actually list the roof bars, just the accessories, but they're generally compatible with any roof rack, not typed to Yakima or Thule, with a few exceptions.

Not sure on the JT (roof bars are going to be the same Yakimas obviously), but I was thinking about getting the bars for the bed so I could run my Thule roof bubble on there for dry/locking storage.
 

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I know the JL roof rack was Yakima, so I don't think all of the Mopar racks are Thule. Well, I know they all aren't, but maybe the JL is the only one? Not sure on the JT (roof bars are the same Yakimas obviously), but I was thinking about getting the bars for the bed so I could run my Thule roof bubble on there for dry/locking storage.
@steffen707 is referring to his Pacifica factory racks (for now), which are probably custom factory design, but must be compatible with Thule since the Mopar accessories are Thule.

Roof rack for JT is probably the same as JL. Someone had a photo where they took their JL roof rack and installed on the JT (with different bar spacing due to the shorter roof span).

The bed rack/sport utility rails are what I'm eagerly waiting for details on. I'm guessing these will be similar to the Ram bars (https://store.mopar.com/accessories...d_side_rails/sport_utility_bars_82211186.html), but the JT trail rail system is different from Ram, so mounting details are TBD. Ram instructions are marked Mopar, so may be unique.

Started discussing the bed rails here:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/bed-rack-storage-for-kayaks.14148/
 

Bobzdar

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@steffen707 is referring to his Pacifica factory racks (for now), which are probably custom factory design, but must be compatible with Thule since the Mopar accessories are Thule.

Roof rack for JT is probably the same as JL. Someone had a photo where they took their JL roof rack and installed on the JT (with different bar spacing due to the shorter roof span).

The bed rack/sport utility rails are what I'm eagerly waiting for details on. I'm guessing these will be similar to the Ram bars (https://store.mopar.com/accessories...d_side_rails/sport_utility_bars_82211186.html), but the JT trail rail system is different from Ram, so mounting details are TBD. Ram instructions are marked Mopar, so may be unique.

Started discussing the bed rails here:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/bed-rack-storage-for-kayaks.14148/
The way most Thule stuff works will mount to any style roof rack. My Thule roof bubble easily mounted to my Yakima (mopar) bars - and actually Thule (and Yakima) make a couple of different style of cross bars, so they have to make their accessories somewhat generic in operation or they'd only fit one type of their cross bars and not the others.

I'm debating getting the mopar bed rack or getting one of the height adjustable ones - I'd like to be able to put my bikes in the bed under the rack but for trips where I don't want to take the bikes, be able to have the rack at bedside height instead of up in the air. Maybe I'm asking for too much...
 

kayakmike

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The way most Thule stuff works will mount to any style roof rack. My Thule roof bubble easily mounted to my Yakima (mopar) bars - and actually Thule (and Yakima) make a couple of different style of cross bars, so they have to make their accessories somewhat generic in operation or they'd only fit one type of their cross bars and not the others.

I'm debating getting the mopar bed rack or getting one of the height adjustable ones - I'd like to be able to put my bikes in the bed under the rack but for trips where I don't want to take the bikes, be able to have the rack at bedside height instead of up in the air. Maybe I'm asking for too much...
Looks like bed rails are available end of the month:
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/mopar-bed-rails-now-available.17833/

I'm really looking for the bed rails for short whitewater kayaks on the rails, gear in the bed, and my Kuat hitch mounted bike rack.
 
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steffen707

steffen707

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so i just realized I was probabaly overthinking this. if I just use those mighty clamps and put the awning mount directly onto it, I don't need a piece of wood or whatever, then I can slide the awning mounts up and down the channel on the back of the awning to dial in the right distance from the rear liftgate.

DUH!

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