Installing Yakima Rack

[drparrothead]

Hey, ten 39....try putting a 17 ft. canoe in the bed of a titan and you'll see the purpose. Racks are mandatory on all my vehicles. It sucks that yakima and thule haven't figured out a way for a removable system. I'm about to do a perm install without the track (just don't see the need for adjustment fore and aft in this case). If you canoe/kayak with big boats, roof racks are a must!

[tbizzle]

splifrover you are the MAN. I have been wanting to do this for about two years, easy (Titan Roof Rack ?), but haven't gotten the guts up to drill into my roof. i always just strap my canoe down on foam blocks, and have been wanting a rack up there, like i said, for about as long as i've had the truck.

i was doing another seemingly futile search and also just saw the video on rackattack.com and don't know how i have missed it. then i found your post here and am pumped.

you say you used the 54" track? it looks like it is just about the perfect length. if you did it again, would you get the 60" and cut it down a couple of inches? how wide are your crossbars? look like maybe they are the 58" bars?

and what was your problem with your drill bit - cheap bit, old bit, what? i would like to avoid parts of drill bits rattling around inside my frame if i can help it. even with the dual levels of metal, the plusnuts still worked out just fine for you? is the rack still nice and tight? have you had to go back and do any work on the plusnuts so far?

this has been about 5 months since you posted the install pics, any second thoughts, things you would do different?

again, you are the man for stepping up and doing this. i commend you for the cajones this took.

and for ten~39, this is why i need a rack...

[splifrover]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

splifrover you are the MAN. I have been wanting to do this for about two years, easy (Titan Roof Rack ?), but haven't gotten the guts up to drill into my roof. i always just strap my canoe down on foam blocks, and have been wanting a rack up there, like i said, for about as long as i've had the truck.

i was doing another seemingly futile search and also just saw the video on rackattack.com and don't know how i have missed it. then i found your post here and am pumped.

you say you used the 54" track? it looks like it is just about the perfect length. if you did it again, would you get the 60" and cut it down a couple of inches? how wide are your crossbars? look like maybe they are the 58" bars?

and what was your problem with your drill bit - cheap bit, old bit, what? i would like to avoid parts of drill bits rattling around inside my frame if i can help it. even with the dual levels of metal, the plusnuts still worked out just fine for you? is the rack still nice and tight? have you had to go back and do any work on the plusnuts so far?

this has been about 5 months since you posted the install pics, any second thoughts, things you would do different?

again, you are the man for stepping up and doing this. i commend you for the cajones this took.

and for ten~39, this is why i need a rack...

The 54 is perfect. I bought the 60, but it was too long. Also the 60 comes will bolt, not the plus-nuts. Due to the shape of the roof you definitely need two people to hold down the track to mark the holes. I put down blue tape and mark the holes. Yakima does not give you plus-nuts for all the hole so make sure you count the nuts before you drill. Drilling holes in the roof definitely made me sick. The way the Titan's made, there are two layers of metals along the out edge of the roof (were mine is mounted). You have to drill through both b/c the plus-nut will not sit flush with the roof. The bits we were using for the pilot holes were too small. That's why they broke.

1. Take you time
2. Lay out tape mark hole (BE SURE TO COUNT THE PLUS-NUTS)
3. Punch holes and drill (use a bigger bit for pilot hole, make sure the drill is parallel to the roof, use a drill bit stopper)

You also might want to look at mounting it to the roof itself.


Good Luck!!!

[tbizzle]

great advice, i was thinking about asking yakima so send me their plusnuts with the 60" tracks, but you have changed my mind. taking your time is an obviously essential part of this project.

what about your cross bars? what size did you have? i'd love to use my old ones, but i think they may be too short. i stuck them on the roof yesterday just to gauge it, and it looks like it may be the same size as yours - can you put two boats on the roof with your bars? ideally, i would like it to be big enough for two canoes, i may need to step up to the 77" bars for that.

and as far as the location goes, i want it on the outside structural edges for a couple of reasons - strength and leak resistance. john hardin convinced me of that a long time ago. i don't like how fragile the roof sheet metal is. i have been up there before crawling around and it flexes waaaay too much for my comfort.

again, thanks for the advice on the pilot hole, i'll def keep you posted as i progress.