Attaching awning to original LR roof bars

[hiker]

Hi there,

Have just bought an ARB 2.5m aluminium encased awning and it seems quite (very?) heavy. Is this OK to attach to the LR bars or should I look at Rhino Rack heavy duty bars.

ARB advises that the awning 'simply attaches using Rhino Rack brackets - is this the case?

Many thanks

Grahame

[scarry]

Do you have LR bars attached to the LR rails?

They are heavy my Foxwing weighs close to 19KG from memory.

[loanrangie]

You just need 4 T nuts that slide into the channel that the brackets with bolt 2, i had rhino bars but its the same process.

[hiker]

Do you have LR bars attached to the LR rails?

They are heavy my Foxwing weighs close to 19KG from memory.

Thanks scarry - OEM LR bars and LR rails

ARB states that the weight is 16 kgs, so looking good.

ARB advises to use the Rhino brackets, but thinking of cruising the bracket section of Bunnings for 150 x 150 brackets and bolting through the roof bars.

We won't be doing any serious off roading, no Cape, no Kimberley - just a couple of old farts cruising the country - with occasional 'soft roading'

[hiker]

You just need 4 T nuts that slide into the channel that the brackets with bolt 2, i had rhino bars but its the same process.

thanks for that - will drop in to local repco, supercheap etc etc and check them out (20mm x 20mm)

cheers!

[Macadamia]

the OEM LR bars are rebranded Rhino racks (edit: maybe it was Rola) AFAIK. to attach the awning you unlock and slide the ends out, pull a bit of the rubber insert out and slide the T bolt into the channel. I'll get you photos tomorrow if you need.

[hiker]

the OEM LR bars are rebranded Rhino racks (edit: maybe it was Rola) AFAIK. to attach the awning you unlock and slide the ends out, pull a bit of the rubber insert out and slide the T bolt into the channel. I'll get you photos tomorrow if you need.

Thanks Macadamia - my roof bars are LR Part VPLAR0001

I can't see a bracket system extending from the bar channel out to the car body - seems to need about 200mm - from the aluminium channel, where it joins the black end piece.

[hiker]

The R-Rack dealer wants me to buy these - assuring me that they will fit and slide along the LR factory rails.

Has anybody fitted these and had success (or story!)

Thanks

[Macadamia]

sorry my description wasn't great. I'll get you photos tomorrow of what I mean if they're the same OEM roof rack bars that I have

[Macadamia]

my roof racks are currently off the car because I'm replacing the rubber insert and haven't gotten around to measuring and cutting it to fit my snowboard carrier. Anyway... here ya go. It's not an ideal way to fit the awning but it works...

This is the OEM roof rack bars I have.
IMG_3542.jpg

unlock the end and open it up
IMG_3544.jpg

take the plastic cover out to expose the channel
IMG_3546.jpg

take the T bolt from the awning
IMG_3549.jpg

and position it in the channel where you need it. it may take some trial and error and adjusting the height and orientation of the awning to get it to work with these type of bars.
IMG_3551.jpg
You may also need to cut the rubber insert and keep a small piece removed.


The roof rack bars I had on my old car had a better system where the rubber insert pushes down into the channel. No cutting and removing necessary. Lately I've been debating getting a platform instead.