Roof rack retrofit - track length?

[kitmann]

I am retrofitting a mid-90's Hawk. Removed the old square tube aluminum racks to install tracks for Yakima or Thule bars. I got the longest tracks I could find which are 72". This is just about the length of the main body without the over cab section. I see from photos that FWC and most of the posts show butting two pieces of track so that the tracks go all the way end to end. The old racks were installed on the very back and very front.

I'm trying to figure out if this is a strength issue, or is it just about the convenience of having more room to adjust the bars and put stuff? Would ending the track a couple feet short of either end of the top somehow put more weight on the center of the roof, keeping in mind that the track would be 'broken' somewhere in there anyway, so would not be actually continuous. And how would that be significantly different than having a full length track, but placing the bars, and hence the load, in the middle. I guess the track itself adds some strength and rigidity but how would that improve with it going end to end? Or another way to think of it, is the roof framing itself adequate to hold the racks and their loads, or should it be more like a bridge, spanning from end to end (again, though broken in the middle).

Thoughts?

 

[Fyreman]

I removed the factory rack from mine and added yakima tracks. I think I did two 60" sets. It covered the entire length. The reason I did the entire length was to have my solar mounted to the track too. When I was taking to Stan at FWC or maybe it was Brenda I think they mentioned something about just splitting the track and putting half on front and half on back. It limits your placement options but works just the same. I carry smaller items so the full track make sense for me.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I use three sets of bars on my 10' tracks. One set each at the extreme ends (canoes) and one set up from the back end so I can attach a basket case.

 

[BFH4N]

FWC put full-length Yakima tracks on the roof of my Fleet. They span from within 6 inches of the back to about a foot from the front. While each track is actually 2 sections (5-foot each, I think), the slot is continuous. The nuts can slide right through from one section to the other. There are 4 nuts captive in each track. So, you could put racks, or whatever, anywhere along the tracks. I got them to make solar panel installation easy.

I see no disadvantage to having the tracks long. FWC put them on, so they must think it's OK. I guess you wouldn't want to put anything really heavy over the cantilevered part at the front.

Presumably, they mounted these tracks right above the frame members. Someone at FWC could probably tell you where that is on your Hawk.

- Bernard

 

[kitmann]

I'm definitely going to give FWC a call.
To try to clarify, yes the track will go right on top of the framing member. I will be removing existing roof skin screws and putting the track along that framing member and screwing back down. And yes, I understand that with longer tracks, you can put more stuff, more bars, up there. But...let me try the question a different way:

Has anyone installed tracks that are 'short' and terminate a couple of feet back of the front, and noticed any bowing of the roof when loaded?

 

[Tomas Tierra]

One thing to consider re far forward or far back mounting...the camper roof is framed in one and a half inch square material(except for the edges wich are one inch). At the front and back of the camper,at about 8 inches from both ends, the one and a half inch material is "pinched" down to one inch to meet the one inch material used around all four sides... So, mounting your track all the way back or all the way front will create a slight (1/2 inch) bow downward and possibly affect your rack mount..
when I built my rack out of square aluminum tubing, I mounted my rear towers almost all the way back... I do have a slight down angle on my rear basket.. Does not affect my usage..

Just an FYI!

Wander on!

TT

 

[Fyreman]

The roofs are rated for something like 1000 static pounds. That's far beyond the specs for any load bars. I have not seen or heard of the roof bowing with a "normal" load up top regardless of the size of track.

 

[DesertDave]

Once upon a time you could order Yakima tracks installed by Fwc in choice of two lengths, 60" or 120". The website photos I recall of the shorter tracks were located to the rear half of the top.

I have the 120"long double tracks, and have both crossbars positioned on the rear track, which carries the weight of my kayaks. I only use a third bar way forward on the front track to tie down the nose of long sea kayaks, in place of the bow line I use to tie to the front of the car when that is vehicle of choice. I have noticed no bowing of the roof with the weight all on the back half.

As an aside, I place the rear crossbar as far aft as it will go, as then I can tie down boats to the rear bar by standing on the bumper. I need a ladder to tie to the front crossbar.

As a second aside, I have learned the factory lays the track on top of butyl tape, then seals each screw with Silaprene, and seals the perimeter of the track to the roof with silicone. I can attest that one screw without adequate silaprene will produce a roof leak, since water sits in the track center.

Hope this helps.

 

[kitmann]

Thanks all.
Just an FYI about after market tracks. I bought some from a company called Proline. Good price, but I realized after I had installed them and was putting bars on that their tracks are tall with a narrow base, making them quite unstable laterally. I was able to push them back and forth with just my hand, can only imaging what a couple of kayaks on a rough road would have done. Maybe the addition of racks would have stabilized things, but I don't want to risk tearing my roof up with a failure. Pulling them off to install wider base tracks: Yakima, Thule and Rhino all have wider bases, lower profiles.