Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
I'm not running any spacers they fit without issue:wings:
Expedition Portal Project: 2008 Range Rover Sport
- Thread starter Chris Cordes
- Start date
This is a 2008 RRS with the "smaller" engine and the smaller brakes.
Spacers are only needed for 2010 and up.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Haha I love the "smaller" bit
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
New additions and updates coming soon!
Mate great choice I have the RRS twin turbo v8 diesel it is fantastic, prior to it I had a 2007 v6 petrol jk wrangler unlimited with 33inch tyres, it was loud thirsty and slow, yes it is good off road but if you are not one to go hanging it off rocks then the RRS will be nicer to live with, i have taken my RRS everywhere I did my jk, through sand, mud, river crossings, hill climbs and in most cases it did it slightly better given the aids it has, it gets far better mileage too, my personal best is 8.2l/100 kilometres compared to 16 on the jeep, generally the rrs tdv8 will average 10 so long distances are easy......and let's face it if you use it as a daily drive too then you are kidding yourself with something hardcore. Perhaps the soft top is a benefit where you are, but in qld australia it's either way too hot, or way too cold so the RRS sunroof is fine..... I will probably get roasted for bagging a jeep but let's keep it real here....and if I'm not mistaken in stock form it has a better fording depth than a defender, ouch. Good choice mate
Can you share more details about how the rails for the Eezi-Awn rack were installed? I've been considering possible options other than the factory roof rack (which strikes me as being badly over priced) for my 2014 FF RR, but there are basically zero options out there. Were you able to use factory threaded holes intended for a factory roof rack to mount the rails? Are the rails pre-drilled with holes that happened to line up or did you have to drill new holes in the rails (or new holes in the roof)?
This is the Eezi-Awn K9 roof rack, which up until now, had never been installed on a Range Rover Sport. Luckily, Equipt and Eezi-Awn understand that not every persons needs are the same and thus design their racks accordingly. The K9 can be bought as a package for a specific vehicle or you have the option to buy all the components individually to achieve the right rack for the job YOU need, even if your vehicle isn’t on their standard fitment list. For the sport we chose to go with a 1.6 meter rack which was just perfect for the truck. It maintained every bit of functionality from the rear antenna to the front sunroof, all features work flawlessly.
I chose to go with this rack for several reasons.
First, it’s made from anodized and powder coated aluminum making it exceptionally light. Just around 40 pounds in fact. This means you’re gaining plenty of storage space with minimal shift in your center of gravity. That also brings the advantage of being totally rust free after years of use.
Second, its designed with utility in mind first, and looks second. While I love the slim design and think it complements the vehicle, the purpose behind it is more practical. The most obvious advantage is that there is far less rack howling in the wind which for me is one of the best parts. This reduced noise is reinforced by the flat slats that run lengthwise with the car giving less resisting surface area for wind to hit, and the aerodynamically wedged sides that help reduce drag and therefore buffeting.
Third, the flat and edgeless design allows for cargo of any shape and size to be strapped to the rack more securely and with less or no modification. Instead of having to mount your roof tent on raised brackets to clear the traditional raised edges, the whole thing can sit flat on the surface. Small cargo can be mounted without falling through gaps, odd shapes can hang over the edge without having to sit out of balance on a lip, and any thule and Yakima accessories can slide into the mounting holes pre placed in the slats.
Finally, and admittedly importantly, is the look of the rack. There aren’t many roof racks out there that I believe look this good on a vehicle. I feel it completely changes the stance of the truck and makes it look like a proper Range Rover. Instead of an oversized bulky behemoth on the roof, it hugs the aggressive lines the sport comes with, and manages to give it a slightly more adventurous feel.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
I was able to screw right into the factory threaded holes without issue. We did drill two holes in each rail so that we could line it up how I wanted but it was not a big deal at all. 5 minutes and a lowes drill haha.
I will see what installation pictures I have today and send them to you. PM me an email when you get the chance
With the rack and the rods and bigger tires I can still fit in my garage without going into access mode. I also fit into the parking garage at the airport. I'll measure and find out but access mode should get you in the LOWEST garages around
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
They really are great trucks! I had an H3T on 35" tires with front and rear lockers. I can honestly say this truck has been more capable thus far. I am rather jealous of your diesel though! I would kill for one of those in the states
Like what you are doing with the modifications...somewhat curious about your assessment though of the Bajarack - seems to be quite a different experience than many of us had with the RRS specific Bajarack which has held up very well over many years of use - lightweight, strong and with the wind screen up front, virtually no wind noise. I do like the flat profile you have, and it would be easier to put a RTT on there if decided.
On the Cooper AT's...these look a little less aggressive than the NTG's just based on a visual inspection, curious to see how they hold up...what's the expected tread life on these if known?
On the Cooper AT's...these look a little less aggressive than the NTG's just based on a visual inspection, curious to see how they hold up...what's the expected tread life on these if known?
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Ive never used that specific baja rack for my vehicle so I can't speak from experience on its quality. I have however used roof baskets and known others who have and the general consensus is that they are less durable under heavy weights. Its mostly due to the fewer mounting points and generally cheaper construction.
I can say for sure however that racks that stick up that far increase the CG more than id like and will definitely have more wind noise. The RRS Baja rack is also made of steel and therefore weighs around 60% more than the K9. Not a huge deal but when its on your roof that extra weight can be something to consider.
As you mentioned as well the Baja rack design limits what you can put on it in many ways. Besides having the high edges which limits object size, it uses the older tube steel design making it harder to mount anything on the rack, especially small items. Those tubes are also placed width wise instead of lengthwise increasing wind noise and drag.
In terms of the coopers they don't look very aggressive but I promise you they outperform any tire I've used before included a set of Nitto Terra Grappler M/Ts. That being said you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming article in Overland Journal.
I can say for sure however that racks that stick up that far increase the CG more than id like and will definitely have more wind noise. The RRS Baja rack is also made of steel and therefore weighs around 60% more than the K9. Not a huge deal but when its on your roof that extra weight can be something to consider.
As you mentioned as well the Baja rack design limits what you can put on it in many ways. Besides having the high edges which limits object size, it uses the older tube steel design making it harder to mount anything on the rack, especially small items. Those tubes are also placed width wise instead of lengthwise increasing wind noise and drag.
In terms of the coopers they don't look very aggressive but I promise you they outperform any tire I've used before included a set of Nitto Terra Grappler M/Ts. That being said you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming article in Overland Journal.
I see...OK, because in your prior comment, you mention the following:
...the Baja rack which is really an attachable roof basket and not a full strength and quality roof rack...so was wondering what issues you had encountered or why this observation specifically.
True that the Bajarack is steel and weights 65 lbs vs. the low profile and nice looking K9 at 40 lbs, but that delta of 25 lbs if concern is around CG is fairly negligible. The load capability of 300 lbs static is far more than I would ever carry anyway up top, the most I have had up top is 2 jerry cans full (85 lbs approx.), firewood (25 lbs), a softbag of tents, rolls and other items...perhaps another 50 lbs. On other occasions, have loaded 3 full Rotopaxes, firewood and the same softbag. The advantage I see of having slim line side rails is that items such as jerry cans and Rotopaxes or a box or bundle of firewood have something to lean against and be strapped to easily. The # of mounting attachments to the rails of 4 vs. the two on the Bajarack also doesn't seem to be a an issue...one could always add an extra set of feet to attach. Are you planning on putting a RTT on this, perhaps a Maggiolina or some other choice?
Curious about the AT's...I was considering going to the AT Falken's I saw last year at OV Expo when my current set of NTG's runs out, but will check out the Coopers as well now...
...the Baja rack which is really an attachable roof basket and not a full strength and quality roof rack...so was wondering what issues you had encountered or why this observation specifically.
True that the Bajarack is steel and weights 65 lbs vs. the low profile and nice looking K9 at 40 lbs, but that delta of 25 lbs if concern is around CG is fairly negligible. The load capability of 300 lbs static is far more than I would ever carry anyway up top, the most I have had up top is 2 jerry cans full (85 lbs approx.), firewood (25 lbs), a softbag of tents, rolls and other items...perhaps another 50 lbs. On other occasions, have loaded 3 full Rotopaxes, firewood and the same softbag. The advantage I see of having slim line side rails is that items such as jerry cans and Rotopaxes or a box or bundle of firewood have something to lean against and be strapped to easily. The # of mounting attachments to the rails of 4 vs. the two on the Bajarack also doesn't seem to be a an issue...one could always add an extra set of feet to attach. Are you planning on putting a RTT on this, perhaps a Maggiolina or some other choice?
Curious about the AT's...I was considering going to the AT Falken's I saw last year at OV Expo when my current set of NTG's runs out, but will check out the Coopers as well now...
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Colin Hughes
Explorer
I had the Cooper AT3's on my D1 and was very impressed with their ability in all weather conditions including snow and ice. I've previously had General Grabbers on my D2 and they were just plain scary on ice. I've ordered a set of Cooper AT3's for my LR3 to go on the 18" wheels for summer driving.
jh.
ambitiose sed ineptum
Thank You
While it was essentially a foregone conclusion that we would end up with a white RRS (because that's what she likes - a tonga green LR3 can wait, since that's what I like); it's official as of today ('06).
We've been looking for about a year and while the timing was perfect (we just found this particular RRS last week "only" 600 miles away from home), it was this thread that pushed me over the top as far as me being ok with it as my weekend hunting/camping vehicle and eventual hand-me-down. Thank you.
May even end up selling my Disco... :Wow1:
While it was essentially a foregone conclusion that we would end up with a white RRS (because that's what she likes - a tonga green LR3 can wait, since that's what I like); it's official as of today ('06).
We've been looking for about a year and while the timing was perfect (we just found this particular RRS last week "only" 600 miles away from home), it was this thread that pushed me over the top as far as me being ok with it as my weekend hunting/camping vehicle and eventual hand-me-down. Thank you.
May even end up selling my Disco... :Wow1:
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
Sorry for the confusion! I didn't take as much time as I should have on here. The bajarack isn't a poor quality rack by any means. They make a great product. My experience with the roof basket designs in general has been more that way. The two feet aren't an issue just less support. If I'm perfectly honest I would never load enough weight on the rack to make those upper weight limits an issue. Though I haven't checked the site I would assume the Baja has higher than a 300lb static load limit? If that were the case wouldn't the weight rating for movement be quite small?
Like I said though that 25 pounds weight difference isn't a huge deal its just every bit of weight on your roof adds up.
In terms of the side rails anything slimline isn't going to provide that much support if you're strapping to it because its just not that big. You're better off strapping them down onto the lower slats which eliminates the need for the sides all together.
And in terms of the roof tent... mmaayybbbeee haha. Yes one is on. Im hoping to update the rest of this thread to current progress today
Like I said though that 25 pounds weight difference isn't a huge deal its just every bit of weight on your roof adds up.
In terms of the side rails anything slimline isn't going to provide that much support if you're strapping to it because its just not that big. You're better off strapping them down onto the lower slats which eliminates the need for the sides all together.
And in terms of the roof tent... mmaayybbbeee haha. Yes one is on. Im hoping to update the rest of this thread to current progress today