Lightbar/kayak rack

T

Tatrhed

New member
Sorry if this in the wrong section. I’m doing this on mobile and seemed like it fit.

I’ve looked into several options for carrying kayaks with my 2-door. Trailers, safari style racks, just the bars on the roof, etc. Lange makes a set up that best describes what I’m looking for but is pretty bulky when not in use. A T-bar that mounts to the rear tire and a front mount like a light bar. I don’t want to post links bc I’m still newish to the forum and don’t want to get booted for breaking vendor rules. Y’all have already helped me way to much for that.

Anyway, does anyone make a light bar that is not a big tube and light mounts under, that way I can strap the kayak to the bar without damaging the light? I have found one that I really like but the top of the bar is flush with the roof so the kayak would rub on the roof. I’m looking for something that I can remove when not using or is not overly bulky/cumbersome, and still allows easy access to remove the hard top and still carry the kayaks.


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The way most lightbar mounts work up the a pillar you could easily add a bolt on cross piece to sit a bit above the bar and remove it when you’re not using it.


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May not quite be what you are looking for BUT I have the rhino rack backbone with pioneer platform and it has suited me well. It may do what you are looking for. You can also buy it with quick disconnect feet that makes the platform come off easier or you can run the back bone with cross bars. Comes off with the hard top and I have used it to hoist it off my Jeep20200126_213504.jpg20200126_213614.jpg

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desertrunner said:
May not quite be what you are looking for BUT I have the rhino rack backbone with pioneer platform and it has suited me well. It may do what you are looking for. You can also buy it with quick disconnect feet that makes the platform come off easier or you can run the back bone with cross bars. Comes off with the hard top and I have used it to hoist it off my JeepView attachment 341441View attachment 341442

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Where did you find the feet? I looked all over their site to try and reuse the rack system on my undercover tonneau that worked great but will have to get rid of soon. Since you use it for the top, does that mean they mount through the top? A pulley system in the garage for the top is coming this summer.


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Snboarder113 said:
The way most lightbar mounts work up the a pillar you could easily add a bolt on cross piece to sit a bit above the bar and remove it when you’re not using it.


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I did find one mount that had a section for 2 lights I thought about doing that with top one.

It looks like I’d have fab something to bolt into the same spot the light would go into. Am I understanding you correctly?


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I used the Bestop HighRock 4x4 Black Tailgate Rack Bracket to make my rear setup. I think it was $120 plus a 4’ piece of 1” tube steel. I made it so the top piece can removed by pulling 2 pins.
IMG_8940.jpg
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Adjustments.jpg

For the front, I use the warrior light bar. It has quick release pins so it can be easily removed as well.


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Tatrhed said:
Where did you find the feet? I looked all over their site to try and reuse the rack system on my undercover tonneau that worked great but will have to get rid of soon. Since you use it for the top, does that mean they mount through the top? A pulley system in the garage for the top is coming this summer.


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The rhino rack backbone is what the feet are attached to for extra weight support, I don't hang in by the rack but I hoist it off of the jeep by it with no issues. The feet I have on mine are bolts that are a bit of a pain for easy quick removal so I just leave it on. The quick disconnect feet sit a little bit higher but remove really fast if you want to take the platform off. When I ordered it from quadratec there were 2 different part numbers one for the low pro feet like I have and another that was the quick disco feet.
The pads on the outside of the top screw into the frame on the inside of the hard top, so yeah I had to drill a few holes in my top. When you take the whole platform off you can hardly even tell they are there.
The backbone itself is what everything connects to, the platform or their cross bars all connect to those pads on the outside of the top

unnamed.jpegrhino-rack-backbone-mounting-plates-wrangler-jk-hardtop-kit_800x.jpegRhino-Rack-52x56-Pioneer-Platform-Mounted-on-Backbone-System-and-Quick-Mount-Legs-2-Door-Wrangl.jpeg20190823_215732.jpg

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Have you considered using a small trailer instead of a rack? I picked up an old bantam T3C and it works great, tons of room for camp/kayak gear and easily detached once you don’t need it.
 
Saharaunlmtd said:
I used the Bestop HighRock 4x4 Black Tailgate Rack Bracket to make my rear setup. I think it was $120 plus a 4’ piece of 1” tube steel. I made it so the top piece can removed by pulling 2 pins.
View attachment 341449
View attachment 341450
View attachment 341451

For the front, I use the warrior light bar. It has quick release pins so it can be easily removed as well.


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Do you have that mounted to the stock tire carrier or do you have a carrier mounted to the bumper?


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desertrunner said:
The rhino rack backbone is what the feet are attached to for extra weight support, I don't hang in by the rack but I hoist it off of the jeep by it with no issues. The feet I have on mine are bolts that are a bit of a pain for easy quick removal so I just leave it on. The quick disconnect feet sit a little bit higher but remove really fast if you want to take the platform off. When I ordered it from quadratec there were 2 different part numbers one for the low pro feet like I have and another that was the quick disco feet.
The pads on the outside of the top screw into the frame on the inside of the hard top, so yeah I had to drill a few holes in my top. When you take the whole platform off you can hardly even tell they are there.
The backbone itself is what everything connects to, the platform or their cross bars all connect to those pads on the outside of the top

View attachment 341455View attachment 341456View attachment 341457View attachment 341458

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I like the way it braces and doesn’t just go on the top. What is your weight limit on that? I’d go with the high mount because that what I have in the truck already and the quick disconnect is really easy to use.




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dustinfromohio said:
Have you considered using a small trailer instead of a rack? I picked up an old bantam T3C and it works great, tons of room for camp/kayak gear and easily detached once you don’t need it.
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I have looked into the trailer and still undecided. This summer will be figuring out if I want to use regular tent/rtt or a small tear drop. I won’t always use both at the same time so If go tear drop, I’ll put the kayaks on the Jeep.


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Tatrhed said:
I like the way it braces and doesn’t just go on the top. What is your weight limit on that? I’d go with the high mount because that what I have in the truck already and the quick disconnect is really easy to use.




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Hummmm I'd have to try and find it again but I think it's something like 500lbs static 250lbs dynamic. Something in that range, I have crawled up on it just fine. It's pretty sturdy with the weight really being supported by the body of the jeep and not the hard top at all

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desertrunner said:
Hummmm I'd have to try and find it again but I think it's something like 500lbs static 250lbs dynamic. Something in that range, I have crawled up on it just fine. It's pretty sturdy with the weight really being supported by the body of the jeep and not the hard top at all

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No need to go through all that. That’s plenty. I was curious because the 2 kayaks I carry are 60-65lbs a piece and if I use the same set up as the truck, I can put a cargo tray in between.

Not my set up but don’t have a pic of it. It’s basically this with a set of “J” hooks on either side.

IMG_2317.jpg


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Tatrhed said:
No need to go through all that. That’s plenty. I was curious because the 2 kayaks I carry are 60-65lbs a piece and if I use the same set up as the truck, I can put a cargo tray in between.

Not my set up but don’t have a pic of it. It’s basically this with a set of “J” hooks on either side.

View attachment 341542


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Yeah so you can just buy the backbone that is the frame on the inside and attached what ever you already have to it and it should work just fine.
Do you have rhino rack cross bars already?

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desertrunner said:
Yeah so you can just buy the backbone that is the frame on the inside and attached what ever you already have to it and it should work just fine.
Do you have rhino rack cross bars already?

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Yep. Cross bars, basket in the picture above and “J” hooks. It works really well for what I use it for. When I initially looked on their site I thought it went straight on the top and (still) not sure about getting the kayak on top. Its an awkward 60 lbs to lift over my 5’7” frame. The only reason I’m looking now is because I’m getting rid of the truck.


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Tatrhed said:
Yep. Cross bars, basket in the picture above and “J” hooks. It works really well for what I use it for. When I initially looked on their site I thought it went straight on the top and (still) not sure about getting the kayak on top. Its an awkward 60 lbs to lift over my 5’7” frame. The only reason I’m looking now is because I’m getting rid of the truck.


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Yeah I mean all you should need is the back bone then which shouldn't be too expensive. As for the awkwardness cant help ya there haha my 8' Walmart kayaks are light

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