Gear's Baja JK Thread
- Thread starter Gear
- Start date
Gear
Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
The Deck material is King Starlite XL. This particular piece is 1/2" thick and was 60" wide by 96" long. I like the product but unfortunately it has a large expansion in the sun. If you look closely at the photograph below you will see it bowing in the middle. There is a gap between the crossbar and the King Starlite. This bow is mild in the photograph because the Jeep is in the shade. If I pull it out into the sun the middle section will go up almost 3". I am still looking for ideas to fix this. If I expand the attachment holes I will have to use a washer and a bolt that does not sit flush with the King Starlite.
Can you countersink it from the top down and use a flat head screw the the support bar with a lock nut underneath?
I can't see your hardware attachments from the picture.
Are you still happy with the pad for the fairing to cut wind noise down? I need to do something at least temp...mine is too noisy.
I can't see your hardware attachments from the picture.
Are you still happy with the pad for the fairing to cut wind noise down? I need to do something at least temp...mine is too noisy.
Gear
Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
Keithro
Actually that is how it is attached I have several (19) to be exact. I am using steal flat head cap screws. When the rack was built we installed the threaded inserts all over the place. My problem is if I expand the slots to allow for the expansion of the King Starlite XL I am afraid that the cap screws might pull out. There for I would need to use a large fender washer and a regular bolt that would not be flush with the surface.
Expanding on this further because you asked about the rack. My first two racks I used 1 1/8 tubing for the cross members. This allowed me to use Yakima Quick clips which just snapped onto the bar. I used 5 of them to attach the aluminum piece on my 03 Rubicon. This worked Great!! Well when I started building this rack I thought 1 1/8 was going to look to small with the overall length of the rack. So I incorporated the weld in nuts. Now I wish I had just add a few tabs so I could thru bolt anything I wanted to put on top. I am actually contemplating welding a few tabs on to the top to try this out.
Well a long reply but hopefully this helps.
Also -- Try out the rack pad it works well. You just need to take up the air space between the rack and the vehicle. If you are coming to OvExpo my Jeep will be there. You are more than welcome to check it out in person.
03 Rubicon with the Aluminum top panel.
Here is a shot of the Yakima Quick Clip that I used to attach the aluminum.
Man I miss this Jeep. Here is one more out in Anza Borrego.
Actually that is how it is attached I have several (19) to be exact. I am using steal flat head cap screws. When the rack was built we installed the threaded inserts all over the place. My problem is if I expand the slots to allow for the expansion of the King Starlite XL I am afraid that the cap screws might pull out. There for I would need to use a large fender washer and a regular bolt that would not be flush with the surface.
Expanding on this further because you asked about the rack. My first two racks I used 1 1/8 tubing for the cross members. This allowed me to use Yakima Quick clips which just snapped onto the bar. I used 5 of them to attach the aluminum piece on my 03 Rubicon. This worked Great!! Well when I started building this rack I thought 1 1/8 was going to look to small with the overall length of the rack. So I incorporated the weld in nuts. Now I wish I had just add a few tabs so I could thru bolt anything I wanted to put on top. I am actually contemplating welding a few tabs on to the top to try this out.
Well a long reply but hopefully this helps.
Also -- Try out the rack pad it works well. You just need to take up the air space between the rack and the vehicle. If you are coming to OvExpo my Jeep will be there. You are more than welcome to check it out in person.
03 Rubicon with the Aluminum top panel.
Here is a shot of the Yakima Quick Clip that I used to attach the aluminum.
Man I miss this Jeep. Here is one more out in Anza Borrego.
Nice TJ, I just sold my 06 rubicon a couple weeks ago now that I have the JK Unlimited.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the decking pulling through the hardware. Countersunk hardware distributes loads very well. There is a lot of surface area that the head contacts.
The other thing that comes to mind is maybe trying to put some wide Tee Nuts into the starlite and bringing the bolt up through the tube first and then into the nutsert.
I used to live in Murrieta just up the road from you.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the decking pulling through the hardware. Countersunk hardware distributes loads very well. There is a lot of surface area that the head contacts.
The other thing that comes to mind is maybe trying to put some wide Tee Nuts into the starlite and bringing the bolt up through the tube first and then into the nutsert.
I used to live in Murrieta just up the road from you.
Last edited:
FourByLand
Expedition Leader
That looks great!
Did it bolt right up?
Did it bolt right up?
HMR
Rendezvous Conspiracy
LOL!
Justin, if you put one on the other side you could have a modern day version of this:
The kids will love it! :sombrero:
The awning looks great! Any pics of it stowed?
I look forward to eating ice cream from your Engle while basking in its shade on a hot day. :sunflower
Similar threads
