Just Arrived in G-Wagen need some help with Thule or Yakima High towers

JumpJ

Adventurer
Hi,
I've been an avide Land Rover fan for years but after a recent ride in a friend's G-Wagen it was time to make the switch. I have had Ranger Rovers 91, 93LWB, 95LWB-2006 RRS, Defenders 90-110, Discoveries and a FC 101. We sold our 2006 Range Rover Sport Overlander and went to a 2001 G-Wagen G500 last week and love it.

I'd like to get some input as to has anyone fitted either Thule or Yakima racks to their G and if so which high towers work best with the G. None of my land rover kit will fit the higher roof line of the G.
The Yakima High Towers seems to bend towards the roof and with weight on them brush aginst the roof.

Thanks for the input and looking forward to reading and learning all about the G-Wagens.
Thanks
Will
 

Jwestpro

Explorer
I have seen people use Thule gutter towers without any problems. Thule makes a few different heights and you may be able to just use their website "fit" function to get your answer......
 

DUTCH

Curmudgeon
Get the Rhino-Rack. They are recommended for off-road use; whereas both Thule and Yakima warn against it.
 

JumpJ

Adventurer
I have Rhino Rack from a previous LWB but they don't appear to be tall enough on the website. I will call them and check. Thanks
 

otiswesty

Regular guy
The Yakima is too close to the roof, substantial risk of impingement on the roof sheet metal.

I have used Quik-N-Easy towers as have others. My strategy was to use the QnE with a Yakima cross bar, others have used rectangular bars but mostly for tents and roof baskets.

Available here:
http://www.altrec.com/nrs/quik-n-easy-rack-brackets-set-of-4
 

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DUTCH

Curmudgeon
I have Rhino Rack from a previous LWB but they don't appear to be tall enough on the website. I will call them and check. Thanks

Use their selection guide. They make a mount specifically for the G-Class. I have them, and they are superb!

If you need specific Rhino-Rack part numbers, let me know. Don't let them sell you the too long bars that they think are necessary. They're not!
 

JumpJ

Adventurer
This is exactly what I have been searching for..........can't thank you enough. :victory:
 

Ramjet

Explorer
Baja Rack

You might try Baja Racks. I do believe they make a roof rack for the G. Good Luck.
 

stevegsmith

Observer
Quik-N-Easy underbar fab

If you decide to go with the Quik-N-Easy's and want to do the under-bar style mounting like the one pictured above, here's a little more info that may help. I did this to get my Columbus as close to the top of the G as possible. Using Thule's or Yakimas, the rack ends up way to high in my opinion. You can make a pretty sweet simple platform with the quik-n-easy's. Baja Racks are very nice as well. Pretty sure FERNWEH is distributing them through g-wagenaccessories.com.

Note regarding the pdf: The note in the pdf regarding U-bolts refers to the hardware for the Columbus attachment to the crossbars only.
 

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zimm

Expedition Leader
If you decide to go with the Quik-N-Easy's and want to do the under-bar style mounting like the one pictured above, here's a little more info that may help. I did this to get my Columbus as close to the top of the G as possible. Using Thule's or Yakimas, the rack ends up way to high in my opinion. You can make a pretty sweet simple platform with the quik-n-easy's. Baja Racks are very nice as well. Pretty sure FERNWEH is distributing them through g-wagenaccessories.com.

Note regarding the pdf: The note in the pdf regarding U-bolts refers to the hardware for the Columbus attachment to the crossbars only.


how is flex and wind? 3/4" isnt much of load bearing cross section. the tents loads will be at the legs, so i doubt youd notice then, but the same weight applied directly to a center point may matter.

i used the stock SS tubes. too much flex when i loaded some sections of 4" ridged conduit on them. unistrut would have been stronger, but i was thinking wind and aesthetics.
 

stevegsmith

Observer
how is flex and wind? 3/4" isnt much of load bearing cross section. the tents loads will be at the legs, so i doubt youd notice then, but the same weight applied directly to a center point may matter.

i used the stock SS tubes. too much flex when i loaded some sections of 4" ridged conduit on them. unistrut would have been stronger, but i was thinking wind and aesthetics.


Zimm, who are Flex and Wind? Oh...I get it, sorry.
The use of the aluminum was specifically designed as a permanent attachment/rack for the columbus (they stay attached to the columbus). I never use them for anything else. I think they would still work though if you had a semisolid platform permanently attached to the crossbars. Idea is to spread the load and avoid point loads like you're talking.
For heavier loads, I have another set but with steel 1"x2" crossbars like Desertstar's pictured here. Notice how the quik-n-easy's are "inserted" into the end of the crossbar. Puts the rack a little higher but not by much. mikes_quikneasy.jpg
 

DUTCH

Curmudgeon
Rhino-Rack

The attached photo is a Maggiolina roof tent mounted on Rhin-Rack roof bars.

As stated above, Rhino-Rack recommends their bars for off-road use. Thule and Yakima very specifically do not.
 

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