Please school me on crossbars/roof rack

On my stainless bars, it looks like they are welded on the outside of the joints for the fairing bar, and for the regular bars, the joints are welded on the inside.

No evidence of spatter on mine, for what it’s worth.

 

any chance you could post a pic of your fairing bar. Showing both the standoff distance at the center, and where the sloping front meets the bracket end/sides... im actually having trouble understanding how it’s possible to make these with variances that large...doesnt make sense

 

I went outside earlier to take a picture and do just that but it was raining. I’ll try to remember to do it tomorrow.

 

I also submitted a ticket for my order to be changed before this order was posted, but they replied after a day saying my order was already posted. My fairing does not touch the roof, but when I put the rubber strip, it pushes on and bends the roof so i did not install it.

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Mine is just the normal steel, and it looks like weld splatter which was painted over.

 

I just need to check my expectations, so feel free to be honest. I’m asking, because Id like to understand if Im losing my sense of what is normal. Also, Just want to check if Im starting to turn into the “Karen” type (sorry any Karens out there)

If you ordered these LFD bars, would it be reasonable to expect that they would be in contact with the roof? Even if that means it pushes down and displaces the roof steel when using the rubber trim?

When I ordered these bars, I noticed there wasnt any info on the standoff distance to the roof. It didnt bother me because I thought the goal of making crossbars was to keep things off the the actual roof, especially things that can damage the roof.

 

As you can see, mine has lots more room. It's actually about 1/4".

 

Nothing a little grinding and rattle can cant fix
Just me

 

Yup, you are probably right, even if it’s just for my sanity.

 

Well, you you bought and paid for a brand new item expecting it to work without you modifying or fixing it to make it work.

I just checked mine, the center of the fairing is very low that wen I pus with my hand a little, it touches the roof... this will definitely mar the the roof if I put something like a few pieces of lumber...

Does anyone know LFD's working email?

 

I’ve been using the ticket system on their website. It’s clunky, but they are to responding to questions within a day.

 

Hence me saying 'just me' but I would address it with them and maybe get a pro-rated refund

 

Yeah, we’ll see how it turns out. Hopefully there will be a reasonable conclusion to this.

I actually dont mind trimming to fit, but, i just dropped three hundred bucks on two rails...do I hafta? What if I screw up the most visible part of my bars and have to explain that to my friends at the mall?

 

A reasonable resolution was reached! Back on the market for some crossbars.

Wondering if it’s worth rolling my own.

 

Ok, I removed everything getting ready to return the crossbars.

I am f888ing pissed right now as the center of the fairing has dug into the roof paint, it's so deep. Now I know this was where the vibrating noise was coming from every time there is high wind and when I'm driving about 75mph. It sounded like there was a loose nut/bolt just above my head that I kept checking if the crossbars went loose but no, they were tight... it's the f***king LFD fairing digging into the roof.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qow9gt4y-cE

 

Wow! Yo that is
I have no words @#$^^#;#&!??#($*×*@?#**%^^.....+**÷*=<#*(@[×
They better cover the body shop estimate!

 

Faaackin A man. That’s horrible! You said yours weren't even touching while at rest right? That’s the problem with designing them to be that tight. It really doesnt matter if the bars dont flex, everything they are attached to and the roof sheet metal itself flexes. That sucks. Royally sucks.

Even if you put the rubber strip on it (which has a metal inside it btw) it would probably be only a matter of time before vibrations wore through the rubber.

 

Well, scratch (sorry!) LFD off the list for a potential crossbar source.

 

I was at the shop today getting a rotate and balance and stuff when i spotted this Runner with a full Victory 4x4 rack. I saw some areas that were concerning.

 

Is "rotate and balance" code for stopping into Goldfingers

 

Busted heh-heh

 

I see you know the area.

 

I may have been once or twice, you know......for work purposes.

I lived in Mission Beach, Leucadia, and Oceanside for a while. I was a sales rep for a brewery so we had to visit all the establishments that sold beer.

 

These roof rack makers should really institute the “no touching” rule. I see two flagrant violations of the rule right in front of the nudie bar.

edit: that said, the area being touched at the front (of the 4runner) is not as “bouncy” as it is the in the midsection (of the 4runner). That midsection area is totally jiggly and would wear through anything touching it very prematurely. Ahem. Talking 4runner here folks

 

The way i see it, if your moving at 70-75 the wind is flexing not only the fairing, but also the roof. If you have anything touching the paint, it is going to wear the paint off. Even if you have a piece of rubber on it. You are better off to have no contact whatsoever, so i do agree with the no touch rule, but is there a happy ending to any of this?

 

My happy ending would be if LFD will pay to get my roof buffed out, hoping the cut is not deep enough, but "feeling" it says it's a little too deep especially the two separate "dots" on each end.

 

Sorry to hear this man, but I don’t think that will happen, But hey sometimes we get surprised.

 

I made DIY crossbars but for the hassle wish i had just got oem.
Then i got the universal fit Curt extended length roof basket from etrailer. I have a heavy duty rooftop bag that fits in near perfectly in the basket when i need waterproof storage. The basket & bag combo is a nice cheap and versatile way to go but lacks the security of a hard box up top. Bag folds up and toss behind a seat when not needed. Has worked out fine for a few years so far.

 

I think what will be funny is that after all this Ill probably end up going back home to factory too. Probably after going through great expense trying to do my own thing.

There’s a nudie bar lesson in all of this...Im not sure what it is yet, but there’s a lesson here.