Custom Roof Rack?

[SPAZZ]

Better watch out for that belly button then..,......

[paultvx]

Coach... ABS and TOD monitors wheel speed. If you have different size tires on the ground, they will turn at different speeds (different overall diameter and circumfrence). That's why ABS and TOD will go ape sh@t on you.

You can see the Yakima Loadwarrior rack at www.yakima.com. I just picked one up from REI at their recent sale. Installed it a hour ago. Very handsome and sturdy. Light mounting brackets are also available. Coach, I have one of their older catalogs. If you're interested I can send it.

A note of clarification so no one can accuse me of undoing what multimediaman is valiantly doing with his own custom rack. I think what he is doing is great. However, his design is a bit of overkill for my needs... which may not be the case for everyone else. I also can't wait for something that may or may not be appealing to my tastes (I am a trained graphic designer and I am picky about things like that) your tastes are probably different. Nevertheless, what he is doing is great and it's people like him that makes this community great.

[webdog]

Full size spare fits with room to spare in Load Warrior.

[paultvx]

Image not showing. Nice red X.

[Daver]

I like the spare tire bracket for the Load Warrior. It's a very strong locking bracket...you can be sure the rack will peel off your roof before the tire comes off the rack. Maybe good, maybe bad. I also like that I can put a cover on the spare to protect the tire from the sun.



In the end, though...my VX requires 7' clearance with the spare on. Ultimately I'd really like a bracket to mount the spare on the outside of the rear-door instead.

-Daver

[webdog]

My full sized spare usually rides bolted to the floor
where the back seat used to be. Has anyone ever
bolted a full sized spare to the outside of the rear
door?

[paultvx]

I don't know how strong Tone's hitch is... but one could easily fab a swing away spare mount much like the ones Tomken has for the Jeeps.

Here's a picture... use your imagination on how one can be made for the VX. I wouldn't do it personally. Too much weight on the hitch and would hang back too far... not to mention the rattling.

http://www.tomken.com/partpics/large/tmc-0102-tx.jpg

[webdog]

Looks kinda big to me too.

[coachreed]

No thanks to the reciever mounted swing-away... I'll mount mine up top or not at all. I may not carry it around town as I have AAA but for road trips and all, I'd probably use the roof mount. I'll definitely check back into these once I arrive back in KC. I look forward to it.

Later!

Coach... aka Randy!