Mounting a solar panel on the roof rack.

[Aussie Jeepster]

I have an Army Perentie and am looking at mounting a 120/140 watt solar panel on the "roof rack".
The rack is not heavy duty and is only really rated for a cam net and poles, but I don't see an issue with the weight of a solar apnel.
I plan to mount it lengthwise on the rack but I'm struggling for mounting options.
Given the vibration and shakes it will get from driving, the mounting options I've seen look rather inadequate, with 4 bits of plastic, one on each corner with a couple of screws holding it all down.
I'm interested to see what have others done to mount panels on racks which take into account the banging around which a vehicle gets off road?
Thanks
alan

[weeds]

Have you felt the weight of two or three cam nets and poles.....no problems with a solar panel.

Your rack should have four rubber mounts between it and the canopy bars......

I would use four rubber mounts (shockie rubbers) to mount the sad panel to the rack....hang on are the rack dead flat? Buggered if I can remember??

Plenty of 4wd's with panels on the roof.......once you are over idle the Isuzu stops shaking the car to bits.

[Aussie Jeepster]

Have you felt the weight of two or three cam nets and poles.....no problems with a solar panel.

Your rack should have four rubber mounts between it and the canopy bars......

I would use four rubber mounts (shockie rubbers) to mount the sad panel to the rack....hang on are the rack dead flat? Buggered if I can remember??

Plenty of 4wd's with panels on the roof.......once you are over idle the Isuzu stops shaking the car to bits.

The rack is flat in the middle, it slopes off to the sides, which is why I thought I'd mount it front to back. My issue is that the plastic mount thingy's I've seen don't look like they would stand much abuse. I guess I could use the plastic mounts, then put a ratchet strap front and bock to make sure it stays on.

[Homestar]

I mounted 2 pieces of aluminium angle between the tilt hoops on my 101 and screwed through that into the aluminium surround of the solar panel. Although I don't do a lot of aff reading in it, just driving it anywhere gives anything a hard time, and it was up there for 18 months like this without issue. I've only just pulled it off to stick on the van - I've left the mounts on the 101 - I'll go take a pic.

[Homestar]

Here's a pic - you can see the bolts I've used - just some 6mm bolts through the hoops with nylock nuts. You can see the 4 holes on each piece that I screwed into the panel with. I just used self drilling screws, but a better idea would be put some rivnuts into the panel then use panel screws with split washers.

Solar panels aren't that heavy in reality and don't have much inertia behind them, so your fastenings aren't going to cop that much of a hard time.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Mick_Marsh]

I mounted 2 pieces of aluminium angle between the tilt hoops on my 101 and screwed through that into the aluminium surround of the solar panel. Although I don't do a lot of aff reading in it, just driving it anywhere gives anything a hard time, and it was up there for 18 months like this without issue. I've only just pulled it off to stick on the van - I've left the mounts on the 101 - I'll go take a pic.
And here's me thinking you read lots of affs in the 101.

[Homestar]

Bloody hell - I proof read my post twice and still missed that! :D

OFF ROADING

Stupid auto correct....

[Aussie Jeepster]

Thanks - that solves it for me! When I've done it, I'll throw up some pics. Now to order the panel!



Here's a pic - you can see the bolts I've used - just some 6mm bolts through the hoops with nylock nuts. You can see the 4 holes on each piece that I screwed into the panel with. I just used self drilling screws, but a better idea would be put some rivnuts into the panel then use panel screws with split washers.

Solar panels aren't that heavy in reality and don't have much inertia behind them, so your fastenings aren't going to cop that much of a hard time.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=102653&d=1449270857