Roof rack on a fiberglass top?

[becida]

Does anyone have any experience with mounting 'things' on those fiberglass high tops on vans?


I was looking at a van with a fiberglass high top & wondered about putting a rack for a solar panel or kayak (40-70lbs) on top. Has anyone done it?

Thanks.

 

[LeeRevell]

One method I have seen is to use a 'backer' block of wood, or a metal plate, on the underside of the FG topper. It provides a secure mounting and spreads the load. You would need to temporarily remove any internal lining first.

 

[SternWake]

Yes, I've done it.


I used 2 sets of U bolts and large washers inside and out to spread the load on each Thule roof rack leg.  One U bolt was faced inward, one outward and these made for nice tie down's inside and out.

Pay the extra for Stainless hardware, and some rubber washers to seal the through holes.

one trip to the tip of Baja, I had 1/2 inch plywood ripped into to ~7 foot strips 2 feet wide strapped under the roofracks.

I used to bring my camp chair up there and drink my morning coffee, or evening beer, and watch the waves peel down the points.

The plywood came in very handy in other ways too.

Now I've got solar panels up there, and quit going to Baja because of the proliferation of meth addicts down there.

 

[MikeRuth]

Does anyone have any experience with mounting 'things' on those fiberglass high tops on vans?


I was looking at a van with a fiberglass high top & wondered about putting a rack for a solar panel or kayak (40-70lbs) on top. Has anyone done it?

Thanks.

Once you do don't forget to measure your height!!!

Last thing you want is to tear it up on a low over hang. 

I got real luck many moons ago when my wife at the time took our Toyota Pickup truck which had a bicycle rack on top to USC. She never even thought about it and drove into an underground garage, cleaned it right off and dropped it into the bed of the truck, LOL. No major damage but could have been. 

 

[SoulRaven]

Use a rack that goes all the way down and connects to your rain gutters.

 

[bpeck]

I'm looking to do the same with my fiberglass high-top Ford E150 conversion. I purchased all the parts but haven't done the actual work yet. The best info I found came from the VW adventure crowd who like to set up roof racks for hauling toys on the top of their Westfalia conversions, the common technique seems to be mounting "artificial rain gutters" made by either Thule or Yakima by drilling through your top and bolting them on. They create new mounting points near the top of your roof (fake rain gutters) for any sort of rack that attaches to the drip rail.

See:
http://www.vanagontravels.com/2011/04/yakima-roof-rack-for-vanagons.html
http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/produ...ories/thule-artificial-raingutters-542-_-1036
http://pages.uoregon.edu/jlund/new poptop 2.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-440rvMsqE...M4yF0/s1600/vanagon+with+yakima+roof+rack.JPG

Good luck!

[Edit:] Or like Off Grid 24/7 mentions above, you can find "tall" rack bars that are designed to attach to your original rain gutters and have enough clearance/spacing to fit over your high top. I found these for sale on eBay, but the price was not right (for me at least): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Conversion-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item562b7756f3&vxp=mtr

 

[highdesertranger]

it depends on the fiber glass top. the better ones can handle mounting racks to them no problem. some however need reinforcing. some thin single wall ones need significant reinforcing. some double wall ones have a cardboard honeycomb in the center, do not try to mount anything though this type you will not be able to tighten the brackets they will just crush the cardboard. the rain gutter ones also have some draw backs. highdesertranger

 

[wagoneer]

fortunately mine had racks in place.