I’m thinking of the Quick-N-Easy roof rack system for my 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport. Are the rain gutters on my Jeep sufficient for this? I will only be transporting 2 forty lb. rec. kayaks.
Ya bet they are
– Last Updated: Apr-26-07 8:50 AM EST –
The Jeep Cherokee Sport rain gutters are plenty strong. Ah' have carried 5 canoes (driving carefully) at one time usin' Quick & Easy Towers (wit decent straight-grained wooden crossbars) an' now wit TracRac van racks on my Cherokee Sport. Ah' also carry lumber, furniture, etc. They will hold de weight, but just as in every case wit carrying a load on top of a vehicle, it affects de center of mass, so drive acccordingly. Don't worry about the strength, the rain gutters are very strong attachment points. Nice thin' too is dat ya kin attach de towers to de gutters all de way forward an' all de way back givin' ya a nice 6 foot spread.
FE
Thanks
for the input. Would you recommend wooden 2x4 crossbars or pipe? Any advantages/disadvantages to either? besides cost.
Ah’ like wood
– Last Updated: Apr-26-07 1:37 PM EST –
Believe it or not ah' used the same Q&E towers on me old 1973 Ford Pinto, next on my '81 Bronco, then on my E-150 van an' now me Jeep. Way back whaan ah' first used Quick & Easy towers ah' used the pipe crossbars, but soon changed to wooden crossbars. The pipes do sag a little bit but with your kayak weight it shouldn't too much. Ah' always carried canoes an' heavier loads, so ah' found nice straight-grained 2x3's or 2x4 wood crossbars preferable. You can make them any length you need and swap dem out for differnt sizes to fit your needs at the time. The towers go on and off in 30 seconds wit de lever-action clamp so you don't need ta drive around wit dem on all de time. Ah'll go out an' take a couple photos of my setup today ta give yer some idea.
FE
After 20 years…
– Last Updated: Apr-26-07 11:35 AM EST –
After 20 years of using Quik & Easy towers mounted on 2"x4"s, on a variety of vehicles, with varied(occasionaly quite heavy) loads, and occasionally in extreme weather, I have come to this conclusion.......
2"x4"s are probably overkill. I recently cut both of the 2"x4" on our racks down to 2"x3"; I anticipate no problems.
I always use bow & stern tiedowns on each boat I carry.
BOB
2x4’s are Fine
If you made them long though watch your head when you get out!! I do miss those Q n’ Easy’s and have cursed the car makers for doing away with raingutters!!!
2x3s be wat
ah’ always used me’self. Never a failure in 30+ years. Ah’ carpeted de tops of de crossbars wit outdoor carpeting ta protect me gunnels. Ah’ do make new wood crossbars every 4-5 years though, ta play it safe since mine were on all de year long an’ ah’ use bow an’ stern tiedowns all de time jus’ in case.
(Sorry, JackL)
FE
Just noticed
that the top edges of my doors only clear the rain gutters by about 3/8". I want to be able to use all four doors. Will there be enough clearance once the Quick-N-Easy clamps are secured?
I think so
I used Quick-n-Easy clamps years ago, and the part that hooks under the gutter was sheet metal about 1/8-inch thick, coated with the plastic stuff they sometimes put on tool handles. With the coating, that hook was perhaps 1/4 of an inch thick. You could always remove that coating if it makes the hook too thick, and just put padding under the side that matters. Then it would surely fit, if it doesn’t already.
Dats wat ah’ did on de Jeep
– Last Updated: Apr-29-07 1:45 PM EST –
on the front doors. Scraped off the thick coating off the Q&N brackets, bent dem a teeny bit flatter and put a thin coat of dat plastic gloop ye kin get in Lowes or HD to coat tool handles. They will clear the doors, but not by much. Here's photos
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2352186870094647494cmwuHG
FE
I once saw
a toyota corolla SW that was carrying an aluminum canoe that had rolled. The windows were gone, the canoe was a grease spot but the car was perfectly perched upside down on its Quik’n Easy gutter mounts with 2x4 cross bars. You could have put some casters on it and pushed it home. I wish I still had a car with rain guters.
Big Thanks
to everybody for all your input on the Quick-N-Easy rack system, especially the photos, FE. Seeing them mounted on the same vehicle as mine sold me completely. I’m gonna order a set today. Happy Paddlin’
racks
My Ford Fiesta with Quick-n-easy racks (Fiesta’s have good gutters) carried 12 2x6x14’ planks home from the lumber yard. I made an accelerating 90° turn onto the highway, the car leaned hard to one side, and no one passed me as I chugged along at 45 mph. That’s 600+ pounds on the roof.
Still got the racks, use them with special attachments bolted through my truck roof.