Suburban roof baskets
- Thread starter Flyboat
- Start date
upcruiser
Perpetual Transient
Curious to see what is suggested. I am looking for options for our 2004 k2500. This looks interesting http://www.jcwhitney.com/rhino-rack-pioneer-platform/p3087218.jcwx?skuId=9902186&filterid=c1516d317u0j1
I am not a fan of baskets as much as the versatility of the flat load surface type systems.
I am not a fan of baskets as much as the versatility of the flat load surface type systems.
that may be an option as well, I have dueling kayaks I load from time to time. I have a set of wide crossbars now, but the kids are both in scouting so camping trips are becoming more frequent. And they want to bring friends, and the dog, and the wife, and and and.... so something has to give.
I've looked around for one before and didn't really find anything. The image in my mind is like the full, flat platform Aluminess has for vans. The lower profile I would hope would produce less wind noise and items up top could always be properly strapped down, which I would do in a basket anyway.
Hopefully someone here has seen something, sub'd.
Hopefully someone here has seen something, sub'd.
rayra
Expedition Leader
never found any, and our Z-71 racks have been quite deep / useful as-is. Been thinking about a cargo coffin though.
As soon as I finish sewing my awnings (working every day on that right now), I'm building a flat deck from plywood, suspended from the side rails of the Z-71 rack, it will sit about 1/2" above the middle ribs on the roof. And about 3" below the top edges of the side rails. The platform will have hand-grip holes around the periphery of the 2 longitudinal panels, the holes being centered on the cross braces supporting the panels, the combination of which will serve as tie down anchor points. The panels will be attached with truss-head screws to the cross braces. Truss-heads are like pan heads but more broad and flatter.
I decided I wanted a solid deck after topics here last year discussing painting roofs white and other means of sheltering the vehicle from the beating sun. And after the first full summer of my black Suburban, I decided I REALLY wanted some built-in shade.
I'll post more details / plans for it very soon. I've got so many disparate projects going on re my suburban that I'm probably just going to make a build thread as a way to gather it all in one place, very soon.
Already revising the idea bit. Thinking to run a central C-channel or small angle iron up the middle, facing both ways. The two halves would go up and engage that channel and just be screwed at the outer edges, more accessible that way, than trying to reach the screws up the middle on the first design.
We'll see, after I get the awnings done.
As soon as I finish sewing my awnings (working every day on that right now), I'm building a flat deck from plywood, suspended from the side rails of the Z-71 rack, it will sit about 1/2" above the middle ribs on the roof. And about 3" below the top edges of the side rails. The platform will have hand-grip holes around the periphery of the 2 longitudinal panels, the holes being centered on the cross braces supporting the panels, the combination of which will serve as tie down anchor points. The panels will be attached with truss-head screws to the cross braces. Truss-heads are like pan heads but more broad and flatter.
I decided I wanted a solid deck after topics here last year discussing painting roofs white and other means of sheltering the vehicle from the beating sun. And after the first full summer of my black Suburban, I decided I REALLY wanted some built-in shade.
I'll post more details / plans for it very soon. I've got so many disparate projects going on re my suburban that I'm probably just going to make a build thread as a way to gather it all in one place, very soon.
Already revising the idea bit. Thinking to run a central C-channel or small angle iron up the middle, facing both ways. The two halves would go up and engage that channel and just be screwed at the outer edges, more accessible that way, than trying to reach the screws up the middle on the first design.
We'll see, after I get the awnings done.
upcruiser
Perpetual Transient
That's my situation as well. I need to be able to put kayaks, a canoe, and other random stuff up there and the flat load surface is great for that, especially if you fit stackers, or saddles to it. Also, the lower profile stuff doesn't inhibit the ability to squeeze into a garage, etc. I have Thule crossbars fitted so it sounds like your situation.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
I have a Rola Rack that used to sit on my 4runner and when/if I need a roof basket that will have to do. However, with just the wife and I the interior of the 'Burb is plenty big for our gear. We also have 2 flat-top kayaks that require 72" Yakima crossbars so when we take the 'yaks that pretty much precludes us from carrying anything else on the roof.
Texans Outdoors
TexansOutdoors.com
I'm subscribing to thi one. I am in the process of rebuilding a 99 sub 4x4. New crate 5.7l, new A/C and evaporator coil, new front end....
I'm looking for a new rack for the top.
I'm looking for a new rack for the top.
upcruiser
Perpetual Transient
Any pics of your Yakima setup? I have the Thule setup that uses the factory siderails. My issue is that the bars sit so low to the roof that whitewater kayaks can't go on their sides with a stacker, and any rocker in a boat laying flat or not in a saddle would rub the roof. IMO it needs about 2 additional inches to be more useful, especially when spread apart enought to properly haul a canoe.
I have 78inch bars in standard towers. The bars end up about 3inches above the roof..
I also have the 21 cubic foot yakima box which holds ton of gear. And if i put it over passenger side i can put a kayak up there.. I recently had 2 boxes up there fit well.
At some point im going to get a low profile basket.
Nic
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I also have the 21 cubic foot yakima box which holds ton of gear. And if i put it over passenger side i can put a kayak up there.. I recently had 2 boxes up there fit well.
At some point im going to get a low profile basket.
Nic
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
rayra: I've had a similar idea, which is a variation on the "tropical roof" that Land Rovers used to have as an option. In their case a second roof skin was about an inch or 2 above the cabin roof. That prevented the sun from directly hitting the cabin from above. It also allowed them to open hatches cut in the roof to let heat escape.
My Suburban is black and in Hotlanta, I'd love to experiment with my own tropical roof. I'm seeing a couple of purposes of rooftop seating (for races), gear storage, and the aforementioned heat management.
My Suburban is black and in Hotlanta, I'd love to experiment with my own tropical roof. I'm seeing a couple of purposes of rooftop seating (for races), gear storage, and the aforementioned heat management.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Exactly, Ultralite. The second skin was mentioned in that white roof paint topic months ago, it was probably you? I'm also messing with ideas for roof mounted or roof-stored solar panels. Have a deck makes a lot of things possible and easily configured or attached.
Both ideas were in large part about shading the roof. I used to spend a lot of time in SoCal deserts, hope to do so again. So 'shade' is high up on the list. Partly why I'm pushing thru to finish my awning project too.
I'm looking at bar straps, EMT, or 3/4" square tubing for cross braces right now. The straps would be no-weld, I can bend their ends to form hangars, have already figured to use 5/16"x1" carriage bolts as my attachments to the side rails, as the square shoulder of the bolt perfectly fits the inner slot in the C-extrusion side rails of the Z-71 rack. And the carriage head sits well on the interior lip, no extra bracketing needed. Put it in the rail, a fender washer, the bar metal or whatever attachment tab of the cross bars, a star washer and a nylock nut. With (4) crossbraces and the plywood providing most of the structure, it should be more than enough for my purposes. You'd probably want 4-5-6 braces of 3/4 tubing or 1" square if you intend to use it for a viewing platform.
I'm also looking at the front fairings of the Z-71 rack, looking to integrate a light bar mount into the rear screw position on those nose fairings, so the light bar sits trailing but above my sunroof yet still below the top of the rack railing. Probably make a tilt-down guard / glare shield for the light bar. And that way light bar is separate from my deck, in case I ever really need to break it down. And the light bar is protected somewhat by the rack itself. I could fab a more robust mount that is itself some sort of protected housing. 3/8" rod making a sort of cage, maybe. But I like the idea of a sheet or plate metal front fairing on the light bar, painted satin black like the rack, that just tips down to unmask the lights and serve as a glare shield. I'm trying to sort of conceal all the stuff I'm adding to the vehicle. Or at least make it non-obvious to the casual or idle observer.
I'm also thinking to run m electrical up the interior C pillar and into one of the middle feet of the side rail and up into the rails. I want a all-weather power-port-style connector up there for solar panel connection and for some moveable / clamping area lights. And I'm thinking about the rear / backup floods inset in the rear rack fairings. I want it set up so all three 'systems' work together but also work without each other, so I can easily reconfigure things whenever and however I want. I have a bunch of other power related plans it is all tying into.
Both ideas were in large part about shading the roof. I used to spend a lot of time in SoCal deserts, hope to do so again. So 'shade' is high up on the list. Partly why I'm pushing thru to finish my awning project too.
I'm looking at bar straps, EMT, or 3/4" square tubing for cross braces right now. The straps would be no-weld, I can bend their ends to form hangars, have already figured to use 5/16"x1" carriage bolts as my attachments to the side rails, as the square shoulder of the bolt perfectly fits the inner slot in the C-extrusion side rails of the Z-71 rack. And the carriage head sits well on the interior lip, no extra bracketing needed. Put it in the rail, a fender washer, the bar metal or whatever attachment tab of the cross bars, a star washer and a nylock nut. With (4) crossbraces and the plywood providing most of the structure, it should be more than enough for my purposes. You'd probably want 4-5-6 braces of 3/4 tubing or 1" square if you intend to use it for a viewing platform.
I'm also looking at the front fairings of the Z-71 rack, looking to integrate a light bar mount into the rear screw position on those nose fairings, so the light bar sits trailing but above my sunroof yet still below the top of the rack railing. Probably make a tilt-down guard / glare shield for the light bar. And that way light bar is separate from my deck, in case I ever really need to break it down. And the light bar is protected somewhat by the rack itself. I could fab a more robust mount that is itself some sort of protected housing. 3/8" rod making a sort of cage, maybe. But I like the idea of a sheet or plate metal front fairing on the light bar, painted satin black like the rack, that just tips down to unmask the lights and serve as a glare shield. I'm trying to sort of conceal all the stuff I'm adding to the vehicle. Or at least make it non-obvious to the casual or idle observer.
I'm also thinking to run m electrical up the interior C pillar and into one of the middle feet of the side rail and up into the rails. I want a all-weather power-port-style connector up there for solar panel connection and for some moveable / clamping area lights. And I'm thinking about the rear / backup floods inset in the rear rack fairings. I want it set up so all three 'systems' work together but also work without each other, so I can easily reconfigure things whenever and however I want. I have a bunch of other power related plans it is all tying into.
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I'm in texas too, and mine is a 1996 K1500 survivor with 215K on it. Maybe we can trade notes.
\I have 78inch bars in standard towers. The bars end up about 3inches above the roof..
I also have the 21 cubic foot yakima box which holds ton of gear. And if i put it over passenger side i can put a kayak up there.. I recently had 2 boxes up there fit well.
At some point im going to get a low profile basket.
Nic
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I like this option too. If I could get the sleeping pads and bags and chairs and stuff up there that would free up tons of room.