Installing a Yakima Roof Rack

[Pinecone]

Has anyone installed a yakima roof rack on your trailer? I need more cargo space and I already have a lot of $$ invested in a Yakima Roof Rack system for my TV, including a Rocket Box. I'm looking for tips, bad mistakes, successful installs, whatever advice you have.

I'm hesitant to install a rooftop track system because I don't want to risk leaks and I don't want bolts sticking down from the ceiling in the cabin. After doing a little research, the install that looks to work best on my TD looks like the Yakima Raingutter Towers: http://yakima.com/shop/racksystems/naked-roof/1a-raingutter

and the Widebody side-mounts since the TD does not have rain gutters: http://www.yakima.com/shop/rack-systems/permanent-installation/wide-body

Other ideas I have once the rack is installed:
-Somehow rigging up a detachable privacy room or retractable awning using the rack's crossbars.
-Mounting a removable solar panel

Have any of you experienced any tricky or hazardous driving dynamics with a bike, cargo box, canoe, or other toys on a rooftop rack on your TD?

Thanks for any advice or tips that you might have!

Greg

[Redneck Teepee]

I would think through the side wall would be best if you have a good solid areas to "Sandwich" the mounting brackets with some "sex bolts" available from vendors like Mc Master Carr. Sex bolts will give a very minimum appearance or profile on the inside areas. Just looked them up and now that we are in a PC world they are now called "Binding Post"

[grant whipp]

The Yakima racks are an excellent system, and I've used them on many vehicles over the years ... ...! However, as you've already discovered, their towers lean in too far for standard gutter mounting on the straight up sides of our teardrops, and require that optional stand-off accessory you linked to. A quick calculation puts you at about $304.00 into the complete package, including crossbars, not including accessories, and before any S&H.

An alternative might be the rack system I sell, here: http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts5.html#RoofRack



The towers are straighter up, and if the rain-gutter sections are properly placed, will not make contact with the roof edge of the trailer. They are compatible with nearly all Yakima accessories (at least, the ones designed for the round tubes), and I've installed them on several customers' teardrops as well as most of my own over the years.

If I can help, please let me know! Good Luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

[Prototear]

I'm not far enough along on my build yet to try it, but I'm leaning toward using Yakima Tracks along the roof which can then take Yakima towers and use normal Yakima attachments. It would also allow some forward/aft adjustment. Because of Yakima's round bars (compared to Thule square bars) I won't have to worry about the curve of the roof causing the bars to be tilted compared to one another. I have many Yakima rack parts and bars so I could reuse what I have.

I had these tracks on a minivan that didn't have its own factory rack about 15 years ago and they worked really well with no problems, no leaks, and the fasteners were all hidden in the headliner. Since a van roof construction is different from these trailers, we'd need to have some minimum support and proper fasteners. The thing I am not yet sure of yet is how much the Tracks can be curved to match the shape of my teardrop roof. I was thinking of going to a store and see how flexible or rigid they are, and if the Control Tower fasteners can still slide when it's curved.


These come in different lengths and with or without their Plusnuts. I'd use my old Control Towers and their Landing Pads (#1, since other #s are for certain factory racks). These Tracks would have the advantage of having a low clean profile when not being used (without the control towers). Another approach would be to just fasten down the Landing Pad #1 in 4 places but it wouldn't be adjustable like on the Tracks.

My trailer has a steel frame in the walls and cross-members across the walls for the roof structure, so I can use them for load support of the rack, and I have only a few places on the walls with posts for support for the side attachments. I'll also consider Grant's solution to use the sidewalls but don't have to make a decision on buying parts until I get further along with my build.

I'm interested to see what you do....

[Pinecone]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I'll do more research with the information you provided before making a final decision about how to proceed.

I have to say I'm somewhat honored that Grant Whipp posted a reply. I was listening to teardrop radio the other day, and Brooke Folk (the host) referred to Grant as the grandfather of the modern teardrop movement. I'm so new to the scene I'm just learning the who's who! I heard Grant's name on the podcast, then poof there he is responding to my post!

I can't make the Dam Gathering this year, I work for a nonprofit hospice and we are having a fundraiser that weekend. I will likely be at IRG5.0, still working out vacation details with my family. I feel like I have a deadline for May 1 to have my Pinecone's 2014 enhancements ready. I wonder if other tear droppers have an annual cycle of scheming, tweaking, and traveling.

Greg

[Kharn]

Two things to consider are you might have to put a low-profile lid on your roof vent, and setting the height of the rack to let you open the vent while the rack is installed.

[PubUltraStar]

Seems like you're on the same page as me. I pulled the trigger on the Yakima control towers with landing pads, but my original design was to use the tracks. I have since decided to permanently mount the landing pads to the roof, so I won't have the ability to slide them back and forth. I will be using either naked bars for mounting bikes, or use the load warrior gear basket, so I should be able to set the distance that will work with my accessories, and then not have to worry about it. The nice thing about the Yakima racks is that you can go with or with out them very easily. Just remove the towers and crossbars if you don't need them. It's a long way off before I'm remote ready to install a rack, so I'll be watching yours. If you actually find the rails in a store to examine, I'd be interested in seeing how they bend to match the contour of the roof without kinking the channel. Good Luck.