Public Advisory: Baja Racks, 5th generation 4Runner.

[CuStOm]

Exactly!

When I was shopping for full length racks for my 4runner I noticed the mounting feet on the Baja extended out to the painted surfaces of the 4runner roof line. This is was HUGE problem for me and did not make sense at all. So if the spacers below the mounting plate are to short and someone is tightening down the nuts you probably are applying force to the sides of the painted surface of the roof and are denting your roof the more you are tightening down! I do not believe this is a weight issue. As I had 600lbs sleeping with 3 people on my 4runner using a Gobi. This is a DESIGN issue. Look at the pic below. That mounting plate does not make any sense at all over hanging to the left and right of the rain gutter mounting location.

I purchased a Gobi Rack had it for 2 years removed it without a problem a ding, scratch, etc. Sold the Gobi for good amount. I am now using a K9 2.2m rack with the mounting feet staying inside the rain gutter area as well.

Yes, I agree it is a design oversight but if manufacturing control was there and the spacers were the proper length and the foot platform at the proper angle, it would not be a problem. Now with the aluminum spacers I added the foot platform is about 1/8" off of the painted surface of the car. I added thicker weatherstripping foam to the bottom of the feat to fill the air gap. I can get a picture of that up and added to the thread for reference. They no longer touch like they do in the picture above.

I just forwarded this over to Sergio.

I have the same rack and haven't had any issues and we've spent plenty of time in it.

As far as weight goes, I use a James Baroud RTT on it and have 4 MAXTRAX on the roof, and we frequently sleep in it (girlfriend and I).

I agree, its not a weight issue as per above. Thank you for your assistance. In this thread and on T4R, there's at least 5 of us that have discovered the issue thus far. They have an issue that needs addressed.

 

[Krytos]

Is this an issue exclusive to Baja Rack and their designs or are people seeing this damage with full length racks from other manufacturers? (Gobi, Front Runner, Eezi-Awn, Etc.)

 

[BajaRack]

Hello Everyone, Matt just informed me about this thread and it sounds like we dropped the ball.
CuSTom/Keith_PDX (on 4Runner.org) – I did a quick search in my email inbox and I can't locate your name or e-mail that makes reference to this problem.
We have changed the design of the brackets, and if any of our customers have this issue, please e-mail me directly at smurillo@bajarack.com to get this issue resolved. I sincerely apologize for any delay in our response.

Sergio

 

[CuStOm]

Sergio. I will email you directly again in a new email. Perhaps the replies are getting filtered on your end. I can provide you with screenshots of the emails for verification.

The subject line of the emails is "Re:RV: Broken Awning Mounts for Keith...". Replies were sent from the original discussion I had with you and your team regarding the replacement of the awning mounte. Replies regarding the roof were sent on April 26, May 1st, May 4th and May 8th. Each time I tried to give you and your team a few days to respond. On all occasions I hit reply-to-all to the previous correspondence and they were sent to the following addresses:
smurillo@bajarack.com
support@bajarack.com
sales@bajarack.com
engineering@bajarack.com

Thanks,
Keith

 

[BajaRack]

Mounting Bracket Issue

To all of our Gen 5 (2010-2016) 4Runner customers - we are conducting a mounting bracket recall.
If you bought a BajaRack roof rack for your 5th Gen 4Runner in the last 2 years, please send to sales@bajarack.com the following information:

Customer Name (Purchaser)
Purchase Date
Place of Purchase
Rack Model Number (e.g: BR-TY4RG5-0)
Shipping Address
Telephone Number
Email Address

Thank you and our apologies for any inconvenience.

Sergio Murillo

 

[High Country Nomads]

I agree with you regarding customer service. When I had a Baja on my Land Rover, many issues came up and it usually took 4 emails and 2 phone calls for John to reply. I've owned 2 ARB Racks, 1 Baja & 1 Eezi Awn and I'll say the Eezi Awn is worth the cash. My ARB dented easily and my Baja rusted and had small metals balls from the weld stuck inside that just raced around the tubes for 2 years. The Eezi Awn has taken a beating in a year and still pretty awesome.

 

[CuStOm]

Excellent update Sergio. Glad to hear.

 

[Stifler]

Eezi Awn is worth the cash.

with the GOBI backlog, failure to respond from BAJA..... I ordered a 2 meter K9

 

[ORTaco4US]

Hi Keith/CuStOm,

I’m just down the road in Salem! And brand new here at ExPo. Please bear with me as I navigate my way around. I hope the images show up.


Thanks VERY much for posting your mounting issue with your BajaRack on your TR4. I have had a very similar issue with the Tacoma DC/direct mount model (purchased May 2015). When I attempted to mount the brackets I had a continual problem with the brackets wanting to tilt downward toward the roof center line. After a careful analysis of the situation I figured out the problems, most of which you mention, too, for your TR4.

I reviewed several forums for Toyota owners’ stories of mounting their racks over a roughly 4 year period and looked at the kind of issues they had related to brackets. I noticed for the Tacoma owners that the early bracket design caused most damage to the roof to the inside of the bracket. I know that BajaRack redesigned the Tacoma brackets once already, but I am sure they did not take the steps to weld round supports to the bottom of the foot as you say they did for the TR4 brackets. My brackets don’t have it.

I think you nailed the underlying problem, and I had independently come up with an almost identical solution for the Tacoma mount after coming to the same conclusion. So back in February I had a machine shop make the aluminum spacers shown below. The machinist took his own measurements with an angle finder but actually made them a little too wide and drilled the holes in slightly the wrong place so I had to have them machine them down further to make things better align as I did not want to pay for another complete set.


Assuming the brackets are welded at the right angles to be level where the rack mounts, here are the key issues (for the Tacoma mounts; not sure I fully understand the TR4 mount issues):

1. Additional support spacers need to come up high enough to get the bracket off the roof and only bolted to the rain gutter channel. I looked at how FrontRunner mounted their rack and sure enough, there are round mount spacers that went down to the bottom of the rain gutter. Probably a similar idea for the TR4 mounts? (BTW, I tried to add the link for Front Runner but this system wouldn't let me?)

2. The support spacers have to be angled to maintain the angles that are inherent in the mounting brackets and the roof line (different front from back). The spacers have about a 5 degree angle.

3. There is a difference in wall height between the inside and outside of the rain gutter channel relative to the channel floor. Since the rain gutter mounting angle and the roof line angle are not parallel (note in my spacers), angled washers are necessary to compensate under the bolt heads so that there is no undue stress on the bolt head or the threaded mount in the roof This is one of the main reasons the brackets wanted to pitch inward when tightened. The bolt heads were wanting to seek a level position parallel to the rain gutter channel. This is analogous to tightening brake shoes on a bicycle and getting the shoes to toe in at the rim. There are special conical washers on the inside and the outside of the brake arm to make it work. I have yet to make the 8 washers with stock aluminum and my angle grinder and drill.

Last year after purchasing, I had a few phone calls and one or two emails to John Gjata, in June or July, I think. In one phone call I tried to explain the situation above wherein he said he had never heard of any problem like that. I sent him an email showing a photo(s) of the rain gutter channel (below) trying to illustrate the angle problem. I received no response.

Maybe Sergio can address this one too, for Tacoma owners.

Thanks again Keith for your awareness and enlightenment and best regards, Richard Worth

 

[WertyToe]

Same thing happened to me

Hello all,
Exact same thing happened to me. I purchased a 2016 4Runner TRD Pro last month (May). I spoke to Baja Rack direct, to confirm proper mounting to my new 4Runner. It was explained to me that "the brackets kind of float in the channel". Once I received the rack, I was slightly perplexed, because the brackets didn't seem to float at all. However, there is a certain amount of trust when purchasing a product that comes with such stellar reviews. So, not being an engineer, and confident after speaking to Baja Rack direct, I proceeded with the install. I followed the directions exactly, and once everything was in place, I snugged it all down. Now here is the reason the damage is easily missed; when snugging down the rack, you are standing just below the roof line (on the perimeter of the vehicle), so you are watching the outer rail. From that point, everything looks good. But by the time you are finished, the bracket is bending inwards (toward the inner roof) and caving it in. So like others before me, by the time you see what's happening, the damage is done! I don't even have license plates on my TRD yet, but I do have major roof/body damage at 4 locations. After searching the web, and finding this same issue on multiple websites, I see that Baja Rack was FULLY AWARE of this problem, yet they sold me this product just two weeks ago. These are the exact ingredients of a class action law suit.
Meanwhile, since this damage is irreversible by me, I removed the rack, added neoprene washers, stacked 3- 1/16" stainless washers at each location (for spacers), then put the rack back on. The question is, why am I doing a temp fix on a product that has been promised, and sold to me to be correct, and fully functional, if the directions are followed?

**I have since contacted Baja Rack again, and am having an onsite meeting, and inspection of the vehicle, to address the damage. I will keep you all updated.

 

[Ryanmb21]

lame

 

[Happykamper]

I only read the first page her. But Baja is responsible to build and market for profit a rack designed for the roof of a vehicle that won't dent or damage the vehicle. If they cannot do so one of two options is there for them.
1. Being don't build racks.
2. Put out a disclaimer that using this product for the intent it was made for could damage your vehicle. And that Baja is selling these products as-is with no recourse to the customer if this should happen.

But to blame the customer for Bajas poor design and poor customer service is insane.
I for one will go out of my way to deter any friend from purchasing anything from this company.

 

[cam-shaft]

How annoying.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I have and LOVE the Utility BajaRack on my Tundra Camper Shell

I went there to get it in person and met everyone there.

Great folks and top notch service! But......

Their utility rack awning brackets are absolute junk and I immediately replaced with them some stout aluminum aftermarket units and all is well! Love the rack and the quality!!

Here is the link to the awning brackets I am using, top notch stuff: http://www.fourtreks.com/modular_awning_mounts.html

 

[MetalDog]

I had the same issue as the poster on my Landcruiser 200. They have known for years that the design of their feet press flat spots into curved roofs and do nothing. Stay the hell away from this company. Since then, I've owned a K9 and Frontrunner racks. Vastly superior products. it's not even close.