For the Rackheads...

Tracks.
Install Thule or Yakima tracks on the sides of your roof. That provides a solid base for several types of rack. Tracks cost one or two hundred dollars, and if you do not feel confident to install them yourself, a body shop could do it in an hour.

Might consider shop-built rack mounts
I already mentioned this on someone’s recent rack-mounting discussion. Your local welding shop can build you a set of rack mounts, custom-built to fit those mounting holes. To save some money, you’d supply the padding that goes between each mount and the roof, and you’d take care of the surface prep and painting of the mounts themselves.



I don’t know what the cost would be, but it could potentially be not all that much more than Thule/Yakima mounts because their stuff costs more than it ought to from the start (not that this bothers most of us when planning to use the car for years and years). You can offset much of the extra cost of fabrication by having them build the mounts to accept aftermarket crossbars of your choosing, such as 2x4s or steel pipe from the hardware store. If it were my car, I’d make the mounts permanent and the cross bars easily removable, just to save wear and tear on the threaded inserts in the roof, and so that the contact area could be well sealed to prevent any chance of leaks (not that that’s necessary - the auto makers don’t seal the mounting points on factory racks and who’s heard of one of those things leaking).



You said you also want gunwale brackets, and those could be built too. If you chose a generic material for cross bars like 2x4s, there’s a guy on pnet who likes metal working who might even offer to build a set of clamp-on, adjustable gunwale brackets during winter for the cost of material and shipping. :wink:



Anyway, that’s something to keep in mind if Thule/Yakima don’t come up with what you need sometime soon.

That only works if you
spray paint the whole truck camo



Who doesn’t want to Redneck up a 2015 Toyota?

To clarify a bit…
Thanks to those with constructive suggestions. The Highlander is a really great basic vehicle. I didn’t pay anywhere near $39K as someone suggested. That was achieved by cutting all the frills such $1100 for soccer-mom racks that aren’t worth squat anyhow. I was blindsided by the fact, as pointed out by Pirateoverforty that the aftermarket rack companies have not yet caught up the new models. JackL, I have not found a manufacturer yet who makes a fit kit for the predrilled holes under the knockouts. I would have jumped on that like a duck on a June Bug. Most buyers in the re-sale market do not want racks on the vehicle and drilling holes for that purpose absolutely reduces resale value. I cannot locate a body mechanic who is willing to drill on a vehicle anyhow and I’m not experienced enough to attempt that.



This post is a cautionary tale to anyone with 2015 vehicles with bare roofs and a request to hear from anyone who had experience with the Rhinorack 2500 HD system, as that seems to be my only alternative.



Datakoll you might be taken seriously if you could reign-in that overactive machismo attitude. BTW, I don’t give a Possum’s butt what people in California have to say about this, dude.

Question on the knockouts
Aren’t those holes under the knock outs pre threaded ?



jack L

JackL

– Last Updated: Dec-20-15 8:03 PM EST –

I assume they are pre-threaded, but did not test them. Problem is there's 2 holes about 2 inches apart, at each location. There's no fit kit for that. Thule's fit kit 3134 for 2015 Highlanders has a single bolt that fits flush rails. They tell me their fit kit for naked roofs which uses clamps will not fit the 2015 Highlander. Rhino Rack is the only mfg. claiming a fit with clamps, for the '15 Highlander. I've never used a rack system with clamps and feel a bit uneasy. I can't find anyone who has used the Rhinos or even a forum in which they are discussed.

hold your tongue knave


ooooh how elegant and aero, Dude



https://goo.gl/NIdFsJ



now look. Place 4 smallish Al angle (irons) on that beeeeutiful roof. Draw a rectangle to fit, add a few cross bar pieces, be sure the rack angle the hulls down into the wind* then find a fabricator(s) n get estimates. In aluminum for the yaks plus whatever you can think off.



As I understand it, you are an expert on roof holes racks and resales values. I also understand that is not true and a complete delusional fabrication much like giving money to Padnet’s relation with Yakima and Thule.



A detachable rack is sooo cool. Ask the people looking at off road stuff over at expeditionportal ect.



I drive one. I built it. and we’re famous.



This is a Crusade.



Toyo’s rack looks every bit of 850 no more.



as an extra to a custom and detach Al grid rack. A small spoiler over the windshield on again removable mounts…you put studs in studs you know studs ? say 2-3" back and full width with a height of maybe 4" …in chartreuse…with small driving lights or maybe an integral LED bar…would throw most of the air up over the hulls and not thru… izza big deal.



Yawl have a yak and rack now with vehicle ?



The foil idea is drafting a semi with the roof load but without the 18 wheeler.










Time
Is money, by the time you figure all this out, and here’s hoping you don’t totally trash your truck in the process, those factory rails are going to look like a real bargain. tkamd

If they are flush with the roof
and are threaded, I don’t understand why you can’t use Yakima’s “Landing Pads”, with their matching towers.



They only require one hole. Just pick the same hole on each side.



They are about four inches long, and have a rubber gasket that goes on first that would cover the second hole.

I am assuming that the holes on your roof are in line -front to back



Once installed, they are part of the vehicle, and are rock solid.



Jack L

Don’t know about the rack
but skip the canoe stops - those are a waste of money in my opinion.

hmmmm


the 1100 ‘rails’ indent into the common roof surface ?



well, there goes your $1100…



your savings over 100k miles in gas and engine rpm ?



if we spot you $200 on the aero indent then subtract



$2000 for the 2 canoes and crossbars…minus possible corrosion thus loosing your skirt in resale…



we only see a Toyo fleet advantage in aero gas savings translated, by Toyo’s cost accountants, into potential sticker gas ad sales.



This discussion wanders off into general application not specifically your problem ( unidentified) which is good.



There is an all autoparts site if you search for cargo or luggage racks listing roof stuff for every vehicle including these Rhino parts.



If you had gone with 5/16ths studs with the Al angle (irons) and rectangular steel bars…you paint. That rig costs the same as the Rhino but is 3x stronger and more adaptable to developing use ages.



The end product here is common that is with the DIY rig you can move on with it but with the commercial setup your horizons are limited.



What you can lok at…by doing it…is place canoes on the Rhino then see if 8 u-bolts will fit to the Rhino cussbars either side gunwales. Each U bolt then needs one extra strap that you will cut and drill from Home Depot stock. Is best to curve the bottom strap to the cussbar curve by banging on the strap ends as the center is held to a similar diameter water pipe. Steel needs painting and maintenance so ferrous doesn’t bleed onto the limo’s roof thus killing it’s resale value.



Also possible to drill holes thru the cussbars mounting a bolt and strap fixture for threading cam fabric straps…Seattle Fabrics (parts) or NRS…thru the fixtures. We use Home Depot utility cabinet pulls mounted directly to a platform rack…that is a separate roof over the roof for shading, wildlife observation…



like so but with a oblong hole for a fabric strap



https://goo.gl/ax5ETb



Lastly, we question this resale perception. Over several years of canoe hauling, is there wear and tear from the hauling activity ? More than or less than 8 5/16th’s spots and 4 blurry pads areas best compounded back into gloss with ScratchX ? Molehill molehill…










more more
uh…the angles with holes can go on as gunwale stops. The canoes need lifting over the stops…I use a stick with mobile roof pad for levering.



The hull is then fixed to the crossbar with a cam/fabric strap, strap looped under and around cussbars both sides and bow and stern: 2 canoes gives 4 straps plus 3 spares. What is that ? 14’ straps ?



I use gunwale stops then the loop straps with a cord multiple loop at stern.



Seattle Fabrics has super cams in stock.

one for the road
when you need a longer cussbar, for the 2 canoes on a Highlander bolt/ubolt 2 from HD onto the CUSSBARS.

tkamd
Probably so, but hindsight is such an easy virtue. My thinking was along the lines of, “surely there is a good aftermarket rack system for this vehicle, after all it is a popular model”. Turned out not to be the case. Also, this particular vehicle was sitting on the dealer’s lot, sans rails and the 2016’s were to arrive any day, so they really came down on price.

right
I’d think the model you found was probably pretty uncommon; you’d probably have to do a search otherwise, not sure if you can custom-order toyotas.



I’d echo what pirate said about waiting for Yakima and Thule to catch up. It’s your vehicle but there are more reasons than resale to avoid drilling holes in your roof.

yakima tracks
I had a 2002 Saturn VUE with predrilled and threaded holes to mount the factory side rails. I bought a set of Yakima tracks and cut them in half. I mounted a pair over the front seat of factory holes and a set over the rear holes. Yes the track holes did not line up with the roof holes, but it was simple to drill a new hole in the track to fit the roof spacing. Then using flush head metric allen bolts I fastened the tracks to the roof. From there I used Yakima Landing pads for the tracks and control towers for the cross bars to mount to the landing pads. With Thule you could do the same thing using a section of artificial rain gutter, like the Yakima top mounts and attach Thule towers to that. Drilling a new hole in the topmount bracket would not be damaging to security or the car roof.

Id love to have a flat roof with threaded holes on my 2007 VUE. It came with raised rails and the rails start behind where the factory sun rood is positioned and the bar spread is too short for the long canoes I favor.

Hope this helps you,

Bill

cross sections
https://www.google.com/search?q=yakima+crossbar+section&biw=1032&bih=480&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjqxPCC6O3JAhWEOCYKHcVSC3AQ_AUIBygC



https://goo.gl/gWckht 150 pounds at center 60” bar weighs 15 pounds plus paint.

Hey Plaidpaddler…


That’s the best idea I’ve heard. Thanks, that would work and it’s easy.



Pag

Hey Plaidpaddler
Looks like the Yakima faux rain gutter brackets are only for camper shells or RV’s. Same for Thule, as they are to be mounted on the side not the top. Am I missing something?

get a trailer. Much easier on the back
and the wallet. Can be used for other things too. Will incur other cost as in tags and additional charges on pay tolls and parking… but I have loved my trailer!