Roof rack feet

[osajaj]

O2batsea, like to see you ideas or solutions. I have the same exact rack with holes in the feet. About to paint my roof and want to make sure I have the best option for securing the rack. If its drilling holes thats ok too, but I want to make sure it is. Thanks!

[o2batsea]

Well, honestly the best way is to poke a hole in the gutter and bolt the thing down as they tell you to. This has several good points to consider. One, there is no hardware on the "outside" of the rack feet to snag on obstacles. Two, it's pretty darn secure an non rattling. And finally it's a really simple solution.
All that said, I am not going to drill holes in my newly galvanized roof gutter. What I may do is take advantage of the holes that are already there; the rivet holes. Since they are located every inch or so I can make a simple bracket that is L shaped in profile, and put holes along the bottom of the L that match up to the roof rivets. 4 or maybe even 6. A single hole in the top of the L for a turnbuckle or j bolt which will attach to one of the square tubes, probably in one of the relief holes. I have to think about this a little more as I might have two holes in the top of the bracket and run two turnbuckles one angled forward and one angled back. That would prevent the rack from creeping.
These brackets can be permanently installed, so that removing the rack is just a matter of undoing the turnbuckles or j bolts or whatever. The nice thing is that these will also stay "Inboard" of the gutter so will be less likely to snag. They can be installed with pop rivets or 5/32nds machine screws and nuts (are those size 8 or 6? can't remember). A little 5200 under them to seal out the water and that's that.

[luckyjoe]

Roof rack feet

I'd modify it to some sort of clamp. Below are pics of how RN used to build their SS racks. Not sure if they still do this or not.

Foot side view:


Foot inline view:


Foot with clamp hardware:


I'm about a month away from actually installing this rack (roof rebuild not yet complete). so I' cannot say how well they work.

[JimCT]

bolts

There is nothing as secure as the through bolted feet. The clamps tend to get hung up on trees and branches .

I'd modify it to some sort of clamp. Below are pics of how RN used to build their SS racks. Not sure if they still do this or not.

Foot side view:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6905[/ATTACH]

Foot inline view:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6906[/ATTACH]

Foot with clamp hardware:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6907[/ATTACH]

I'm about a month away from actually installing this rack (roof rebuild not yet complete). so I' cannot say how well they work.