Yakima Roof Racks

Beach

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
867
I'm tossing around a custom rack system or the Yakima system for the Hawk. If I do the Yakima system I want 10' tracks, but I can't seem to find any, are they avail. through dealers or are they special order??
 
You should be able to get two sets of 60" tracks as I believe the end caps are just that, caps, and butt each end of the 60" tracks up end to end. This may be the way FWC does it in the factory, not sure.
 
Hi Beach,
Yakima rails go up to 60" max in length. To achieve your 10' length you will need to put two 60" rails (end to end) together. This is how FWC does it. This is what (rails only) I had installed by FWC when I bought my Hawk last year. They chalk it up nicely. The full length really comes in handy for later installs, such as solar, luggage baskets, etcetera. That said, I have three 72" Yakima bars for sale if you're interested.
 
When you install the tracks make sure to put Butyl tape under the track to seal it up. I was recently talking to Stan Kennedy and that is what he recommend to me.
 
Fyreman said:
When you install the tracks make sure to put Butyl tape under the track to seal it up. I was recently talking to Stan Kennedy and that is what he recommend to me.
I'm getting ready to install some roof rack tracks. I'm not sure if butyl tape is the best seal. I think I would get a better seal with a thick bead of 3m sealant 4200 with a dab for each roof screw. Of course this just my opinion. Other who have install roof rack tracks, what did you use? Sealant or Butyl tape?
 
super doody said:
I'm getting ready to install some roof rack tracks. I'm not sure if butyl tape is the best seal. I think I would get a better seal with a thick bead of 3m sealant 4200 with a dab for each roof screw. Of course this just my opinion. Other who have install roof rack tracks, what did you use? Sealant or Butyl tape?
I don't know about the butyl tape, but Terry Bud told me FWC uses Silaprene sealant as you described. I removed my end caps to add landing pads and put a dab on each screw and a bead around the cap to reinstall them.
 
Don't know if you can even still get true butyl tape, but if you can its a viable sealing method. Using it probably means that you don't really even need the screws.....
 
JHa6av8r said:
I don't know about the butyl tape, but Terry Bud told me FWC uses Silaprene sealant as you described. I removed my end caps to add landing pads and put a dab on each screw and a bead around the cap to reinstall them.
JHa6av8r,
Do you happen to know what color Silaprene is?
 
super doody said:
JHa6av8r,
Do you happen to know what color Silaprene is?
The tube I bought from FWC was white.

127400950.jpg
 
I'm close to mounting a roof rack to my camper, and looking at different options. It seems most racks are mounted onto the roof and the 4 points of roof penetration are determined by the width of the bars.

I'm a little leery of puncturing the roof.

I'm curios why more people have not gone with the gutter mount rack system?
I can find the correct diameter round pipe in any length and create my own crossbars, in this case 77" is the width.

I believe the widest yakima bar is 72", and not sure about Thule.

Anyone else go this route? Looking for any reasons against going with the gutter mounting.

Thanks
 
mountainsun said:
I'm close to mounting a roof rack to my camper, and looking at different options. It seems most racks are mounted onto the roof and the 4 points of roof penetration are determined by the width of the bars.

I'm a little leery of puncturing the roof.

I'm curios why more people have not gone with the gutter mount rack system?
I can find the correct diameter round pipe in any length and create my own crossbars, in this case 77" is the width.

I believe the widest yakima bar is 72", and not sure about Thule.

Anyone else go this route? Looking for any reasons against going with the gutter mounting.

Thanks
Yakima's longest bar is 78". FWC should be able to give you the measurements to make sure you attach the tracks above a roof rib. A call to FWC could also get the pros & cons of why they chose the tracks instead of a gutter mount.
 
I have 78" bars from days gone by, but I am not sure if they are still made. If you want something bigger than 72", contact Yakima directly, or check places like Rack Attack and ReRack for used gear.
 
Wandering Sagebrush said:
I have 78" bars from days gone by, but I am not sure if they are still made. If you want something bigger than 72", contact Yakima directly, or check places like Rack Attack and ReRack for used gear.
78" is a standard size Yakima bar., and I think the ones FWC supplies if you order the complete rack They also sell 86" bars, but of a larger dimension due to the length.
 

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