Full length rack noise

[Victory_Overland]

Agree with all of the above @Ray_G. ProSpeed was not an option when most of us purchased our racks so therefore much of these conversations will go round and round about what is best. I do like the fact that we are seeing more options, too bad the trucks are just getting older and older while we wait...lol

 

[Abran]

Didn't take any as I did it, at least not close ups (all covered in my build thread), mainly b/c I didn't think anything of it. Here's what it looks like day to day. Rotopax mounts are gone now but otherwise the same.
View attachment 453285View attachment 453290
The three runners (two thin, one thick down the center) are sufficient to hold everything we've put up there-including us-without touching the glass. Distant shot, but folks get the point. At the end of the day for me what it comes down to is 90% of the time I don't carry anything on the roof-and for that the prospeed is the rack befitting the truck. I say that having had a frontrunner-which was great for the 10% of the time. In the end, as folks like Vijay know from sidebars, I firmly believe that choosing a rack is a buy once/cry once proposition that should balance out intended usage (and frequency), what aesthetically befits the truck, and of course the cost-but any rack is an investment so that can be a false economy at times when you shake it all out.

But I may well think too much and end up in self-inflicted rabbit holes.

For some reason I thought you made a whole rack the way you described!

 

[no-pistons]

Well I recently got the new wind fairing for the Rhino Pioneer rack. It doesn't work. Well it fits, and it reduces noise slightly (still a decent amount of noise), but it sits on top of the sunroof making it inoperable. Before I bought it, both Rhino rack technical support and customer service assured me that I will have no issues. Well it looks like they used me as a guinea pig and now my emails to return it are going ignored.

So anyone considered a Rhino Rack, be warned that their customer service is complete garbage.

 

[Abran]

Bummer. I will say that Frontrunner has world class customer service. Any negatives against the product is quickly overshadowed by their customer service.

 

[Victory_Overland]

Bummer. I will say that Frontrunner has world class customer service. Any negatives against the product is quickly overshadowed by their customer service.

I would agree with that wholeheartedly! When I had a corrosion issue on the corners of my rack, they settled up with a brand new set and arrived expedited shipping in a few days. Considering the rack was years old, they understood it was an old manufacturing problem on their end........no questions asked, just a clean fix.

I'm not impressed with the FR wind fairing for that price so I'll make my own! Personally, I do not believe a rack should come without one but designs change overnight so in that right if anyone from FR is reading this, make it an integral component of your rack from here on out, not an accessory!

 

[no-pistons]

Yeah the Rhino wind fairing is extremely overpriced for what you get.

It’s both sad and disappointing when you spend so much money with a company ($1000+ for rack and accessories) and they don’t even give a rat’s ass when you have an issue with their product.

I guess they’re just expecting me to never use my sunroof or remove the fairing and eat the money I paid for it.


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[krick3tt]

I have the full length FR rack and the questionable wind fairing is totally useless. I do believe that a great part of the wind noise is created by the cross pieces. At +35 mph the wind noise was a horrible scream. I made my own fairing and it decreased the noise a noticeable amount. It allows the air to ride above the rack and is a realistic approach, from my point of view. Others may find a reasonable solution to rack noise or merely accept it.
The fairing does not interfere with the operation of the roof vent.
Made from .250 mild sheet steel and braced to the rack at the top and at the forward most attachment bolts of the rack to the vehicle.

 

[ckrough]

Bummer. I will say that Frontrunner has world class customer service. Any negatives against the product is quickly overshadowed by their customer service.

Agreed. My Frontrunner bag stitching ripped and they refunded the price of the bags with no fuss. The bags are discontinued and couldn't be replaced, but their customer service made it right.

 

[Jwestpro]

A. Thule wise fairing can be rigged to work for many racks and is pretty cheap.

B. I have a Hannibal which like Ezi Awn, is one of the few orienting the slats front to rear which is quieter IMO. The tracks use simple M8 upside down hex nut bolts to secure things. You can use the threaded eyelets, linger bolts, whatever you can come up with.

Of course other methods work too. The RTT slides across easily when mounting, and the slats are plenty to walk on without having to add any surface materials.

It’s aluminum of course. Mine has Hannibal awnings attaches to rear and one side full length 83”x55”. Mine is the Disco 2 size I think.

 

[Jwestpro]

I actually float the RTT past the front edge which leaves exactly half of the rack still open at the rear. This also allows the ladder to set right onto the bull bar with tent floor flat and tight.

 

[Silmarillion]

I have the full length FR rack and the questionable wind fairing is totally useless. I do believe that a great part of the wind noise is created by the cross pieces. At +35 mph the wind noise was a horrible scream. I made my own fairing and it decreased the noise a noticeable amount. It allows the air to ride above the rack and is a realistic approach, from my point of view. Others may find a reasonable solution to rack noise or merely accept it.
The fairing does not interfere with the operation of the roof vent.
Made from .250 mild sheet steel and braced to the rack at the top and at the forward most attachment bolts of the rack to the vehicle.

Frontrunner recently released a new wind fairing for the LR3. About dang time! I just installed it and it's a fantastic improvement! I can use my sun roof for the first time in 4 years, even at 80mph! Highly recommended the investment. Wind noise is drastically cut down.

 

[A.J.M]

Got the front runner wind fairing on mine.
Had it about a month or so now.

Superb bit of kit. Can have sunroof fully open and barely notice it.
Plus the mpg is heading up on the average so another bonus.

Well worth the cash and takes about 10 minutes to fit.

Just wish the lettering was in white.
But will sort that come spring.

 

[DiscoDavis]

Looks very nice Alan

 

[A.J.M]

It's getting there.

This year should see more of it sorted. It's been green lighted a trip to Spain to cross the Pyrenees mountains with the OH so have that to plan for and get ready.

 

[krick3tt]

The new FR fairing does hold a remarkable resemblance to the one I designed for myself several years ago. I do appreciate the fact that they do understand that the small pieces of metal that they include in their kit does absolutely nothing to reduce rack noise and that is partly because their cross members are perpendicular to the wind direction and create a 'whistle' sound.
The attachment is different and mine does not ride on the roof of the LR. I tried that but the rack moves a bit and the fairing rubbed on the roof.
All and all I think they did a fine job of creating a fine bit of kit.