Cargo Basket / Roof Rack for Expedition Trailer

[SEOverlandAdventures]

Does anyone know who makes a roof rack / cargo basket similar to this one?

I am looking for one that is about 11" high (if a commercially made one exists) to accommodate a Dometic roof top AC unit.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

What are the dimensions of your A C?

 

[SEOverlandAdventures]

What are the dimensions of your A C?

So I have narrowed it down to 2 units, haven't made a final decision yet.

Dometic Penguin II 13.5 k - 29" deep, 40.5" wide, 11.25" high

Dometic RTX 1000 - 25.3" deep, 33.8" wide, 12.1" high

 

[Ozarker]

Why can't you fab some simple "L" brackets to raise any basket?

 

[NatersXJ6]

Baskets are pretty easy to make, but time consuming, so fab shops probably want big $$. If you weld your own, you can have anything.

I’m not 100% understanding your ask, but I think you are better off to keep the basket low and add hoops to hold the tent or whatever else you have in mind.

I made this basket for my AT Chaser. Given the experience, I can see a string of things I would do differently to lower the cost and amount of work it took.

 

[SEOverlandAdventures]

Baskets are pretty easy to make, but time consuming, so fab shops probably want big $$. If you weld your own, you can have anything.

I’m not 100% understanding your ask, but I think you are better off to keep the basket low and add hoops to hold the tent or whatever else you have in mind.

I made this basket for my AT Chaser. Given the experience, I can see a string of things I would do differently to lower the cost and amount of work it took.

View attachment 770741View attachment 770742

+ @Ozarker

I wish I could fab up one on my own but I don't have a welder or many metalworking tools. That would be the ideal solution given my requirements.

So to clarify the question, I have the same model BRX trailer as the photo in my post. The new model trailers come with that rack. My 2 main requirements are that it will accommodate a rooftop AC unit (or I can modify the rack to accommodate it) and I can mount a RTT on top of the track.

Of all the commercial racks I have looked at so far the highest side 6". I have reached out to BRX to see if I can purchase one directly from them but I haven't gotten an answer on that yet. I'm thinking they probably make those racks in-house so they will work with an AC unit.

 

[NatersXJ6]

+ @Ozarker

I wish I could fab up one on my own but I don't have a welder or many metalworking tools. That would be the ideal solution given my requirements.

So to clarify the question, I have the same model BRX trailer as the photo in my post. The new model trailers come with that rack. My 2 main requirements are that it will accommodate a rooftop AC unit (or I can modify the rack to accommodate it) and I can mount a RTT on top of the track.

Of all the commercial racks I have looked at so far the highest side 6". I have reached out to BRX to see if I can purchase one directly from them but I haven't gotten an answer on that yet. I'm thinking they probably make those racks in-house so they will work with an AC unit.

Okay, so your best bet is probably to buy the biggest commercial unit and then add, or have someone add, hoops to raise the tent. Remember that high sides are no good if they keep you from putting stuff in and out. My “open” height is about 10” and is probably less than ideal, as it makes it hard to put stuff like firewood or storage boxes in there.

Even without metal working tools or skills you can bolt together hoops made from uni-strut and hold a tent very nicely.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

So I have narrowed it down to 2 units, haven't made a final decision yet.

Dometic Penguin II 13.5 k - 29" deep, 40.5" wide, 11.25" high

Dometic RTX 1000 - 25.3" deep, 33.8" wide, 12.1" high

So you need a rack basket 11.25 or 12.1 tall that you want to mount an rtt to.

Said basket needs to have basically a whole on it 29 x 40.5 or 25.3 x 33.8 for it to clear the ac?

The basket racks are so low profile these days .

Could you attach 12.5 inch rails on both sides with two or three cross bars and position the cross bars to leave room for AC.

Or go with a cool breeze or the ecotherm ac

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

This is the tallest one I could find

 

[SEOverlandAdventures]

So you need a rack basket 11.25 or 12.1 tall that you want to mount an rtt to.

Said basket needs to have basically a whole on it 29 x 40.5 or 25.3 x 33.8 for it to clear the ac?

The basket racks are so low profile these days .

Could you attach 12.5 inch rails on both sides with two or three cross bars and position the cross bars to leave room for AC.

Or go with a cool breeze or the ecotherm ac

Yes, and I admit I am probably looking for a unicorn unless I make it myself.

I had the tent on the bar-style mount before but it was just too heavy (170 lbs) of a load. I had to replace 3 of the 4 bar mounts because they broke. If I can find a bar-style mount with a sufficient weight capacity that may be the answer instead of a basket-style rack.

Okay, so your best bet is probably to buy the biggest commercial unit and then add, or have someone add, hoops to raise the tent. Remember that high sides are no good if they keep you from putting stuff in and out. My “open” height is about 10” and is probably less than ideal, as it makes it hard to put stuff like firewood or storage boxes in there.

Even without metal working tools or skills you can bolt together hoops made from uni-strut and hold a tent very nicely.

Thanks, I will check out the uni-strut bolt-together options.

 

[SEOverlandAdventures]

So after searching around today I have options that should work well. Back to the bar-style mount (truck bed) instead of the basket.

Yakima OutPost HD

13" high, cross bars 60" (exact width of the trailer) and 300 lbs load capacity off-road. Downside is that once you buy all the pieces required to mount it on the trailer it is pretty expensive.

https://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/Yakima/Y67KR.html (this bundle includes the track system for the trailer install).



Overland Vehicle Systems Feedom Rack

Adjustable height 18" - 27", 450 lbs off-road load capacity, 60" cross bars. The tower bases are flat which will make it easy to install on the trailer roof. About $500 cheaper than the Yakima rack. Downside for this one is that the latter on the RTT may not be long enough to touch the ground since it will be a min of 18" off the roof of the trailer.

https://overlandvehiclesystems.com/bed-racks/

 

[NatersXJ6]

Kicking this around for a few days and I have a question:

Does your AC unit vent upward? Are you impeding airflow if you put something above it?

Than might be a bad idea overall?

 

[SEOverlandAdventures]

Kicking this around for a few days and I have a question:

Does your AC unit vent upward? Are you impeding airflow if you put something above it?

Than might be a bad idea overall?

Good question. The unit I am planning on going with is the Dometic Penguin II 13.5K AC/Heat Pump. Given the height of either of the 2 racks above there will be space for airflow between the AC unit and the bottom of the tent. I'll have to take a look at the manual for the AC unit to see if it has any info on the vent direction - it may be out of each side of the unit.