Thread: D4 Platform rack on Factory rails

Originally Posted by rhinosm

I went rogue and mounted Rhino Platform directly to Disco Long Rails.
I used the Rhino spacer and bolted thru rack to rails.
I don't have any up close photos currently, the better half has taken disco to work but these pics will show how low it sits.

I too didn't like the extra height the legs give it.
I'll get some closer pics tonight.

Would love to do the same with my D4 which also has the full length rails. Is this the 1928 x 1376 Tradie Rack? Can you tell me which Rhino spacers you used? Cheers mate

Hi
Yes it is the 1928 x 1376 Tradie Rack.
Spacers are per image from Rhino Web site.
I originally installed rack on RLT500 legs but didn't like the height.
You will need to get some suitable HT Bolts and Flat Nuts to slide into rails and drill holes in Platform rails to bolt thru.

A bit hard to explain but I will take more photos.
I currently just have 3 Rain cross bars on car for ladders and Roof Top Tent.
I wish I went for flat platform, not tradies as it is too high for car parks.

Originally Posted by rhinosm

Hi
Yes it is the 1928 x 1376 Tradie Rack.
Spacers are per image from Rhino Web site.
I originally installed rack on RLT500 legs but didn't like the height.
You will need to get some suitable HT Bolts and Flat Nuts to slide into rails and drill holes in Platform rails to bolt thru.

A bit hard to explain but I will take more photos.
I currently just have 3 Rain cross bars on car for ladders and Roof Top Tent.
I wish I went for flat platform, not tradies as it is too high for car parks.

That is pretty much how the Tracklander rack in my post is mounted. I cut some rectangular aluminium plates to slide in to the roof rails with a threaded hole in the centre. Then just a bolt through the rack in to the plate in the rail. The 3D printed legs are only as spacers. All 6 legs are different heights and orientation as the rails have curvature in both directions along the roof....

Thank you, I forgot to mention the different heights.
I think I used 2 spacers at front and rear and 1 spacer in middle.

Originally Posted by rhinosm

I went rogue and mounted Rhino Platform directly to Disco Long Rails.
I used the Rhino spacer and bolted thru rack to rails.
I don't have any up close photos currently, the better half has taken disco to work but these pics will show how low it sits.

I too didn't like the extra height the legs give it.
I'll get some closer pics tonight.

Looks good mounted low to the roof, just wondering how you wash the car roof, at least on the standard feet you can get between the two for a bit of a clean and polish

I know you are talking D4 , but I fitted a rack to my D2 , similar rails.

I simply used u bolts. Put the rack up where I wanted it and bought 8 x 8mm stainless steel u bolts, I can't remember the length , but I also got fish plates or saddle plates to suit and nyloc nuts. I used staino just in case any rustdrips from mild steel bolts found the roof.

The rack went on and off a number of times over the years , no permant fixing made it simple.

Im also interested in this discussion. Feels like I have researched this for years and never really found the right solution...

I also have the full length factory rails and would like to keep them, that means no frontrunner or backbone.

So far I've got away with either factory or Rhino cross bars for my application. However it would be nice to have a platform up there for the odd occasion, one I can remove easily.

I don't want a full length platform either, as I have a sunroof and keen to keep that accessible.

Best solution I can come up with so far is the Rhino platform/tradie 1528mm x 1376mm (I think this is the narrowest you can go), on RCL / RTL legs. However as someone stated earlier, this really sits too high off the roof for my liking.

Ideal solution would be one of these platforms and some other way of mounting so its sits lower. If anyone has any suggestions or info, photos to share, really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Finally got some photos.
Currently I have 3 cross rails on, but I mount the platform the same way.
Simple, low and rigid.