Member Since: 10 Aug 2012
Location: Rutland
Posts: 415
Expedition Rack - New Design
Good day fellow D3/4 members.
After moaning there are no roof racks I like, I have been set a challenge by 2 companies (both friends with each other) in designing a new rack for them.
I am after some opinions. I know everyone will have different ones, but I would like to know the good and bad points of the racks on the market and not design simply what I want (although I am always right! )
Below are some racks I know off, please post below with good/bad points for each regarding the photo number.
Many thanks.
1) T Fixings
2) Mesh bottom
3) Full Board
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
2inch Lift, 33inch Cooper STTs, Wheel Spacers, Hidden Champion 9000lbs Winch with recovery points, Full Underbody Protection including Rear Bumper Guard, Rock Sliders, Snorkel, 4x4 screen enabled and Sat Nav on the move (thanks to Bodsy), Discreet LED roof lights, LED work light, BAS Re-map and EGR's blanked, V8 Brake upgrade with Grooved, Drilled and Slotted Brakes, Halo Fog Lamps, Roof Rack, 240V Inverter, CB radio and finally a Swing away wheel carrier with Hi-Lift mount...
4th Nov 2013 9:42 pm
TdV6Pete
Member Since: 10 Aug 2012
Location: Rutland
Posts: 415
1) I prefer this fixing to 2) or 3) as it means bike racks etc can be used with them and it gives options for eyes to be used to tie things down.
4) full 'cage' looks a littl silly
5) Hate the large bit at the front, makes the car look REALLY tall
6/7) Looks cheap, but love how close it sits to the roof
8/9) Nice long rack, looks solid. however it sits a little way off the roof at the back meaning the front looks miles off the roof and looks silly
10) Like the 'half cage' look, if only it was longer...
11) the front bar is straight, but the top of the car is curved, so it doesn't match
What do you guys (and girls) think?
Thanks
(all these are personal opinion and I have not tried any of these racks!)2inch Lift, 33inch Cooper STTs, Wheel Spacers, Hidden Champion 9000lbs Winch with recovery points, Full Underbody Protection including Rear Bumper Guard, Rock Sliders, Snorkel, 4x4 screen enabled and Sat Nav on the move (thanks to Bodsy), Discreet LED roof lights, LED work light, BAS Re-map and EGR's blanked, V8 Brake upgrade with Grooved, Drilled and Slotted Brakes, Halo Fog Lamps, Roof Rack, 240V Inverter, CB radio and finally a Swing away wheel carrier with Hi-Lift mount...
4th Nov 2013 9:48 pm
~Rich~
Member Since: 16 Mar 2009
Location: Sydney
Posts: 627
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The front of my rack is actually curved to match the roofline, mesh bottom, plenty of tie down options and strong. Feet are steel but encased in a polyurethane base. 1600mm long overall.
Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated 2005 TDV6 HSE Silver, LLAMS Height Controller, Tinted Glass, Onroad - 19" GG AT's, Offroad - 18" 275/65 MT, Traxside Dual Battery kit, Rasta Protection Plate, Alpine Roof, BAS Remap, ARB Air Compressor, eDiff Custom Drawer and storage unit -http://www.box.com/s/jem0ilac3cner2mexq64 UHF CB, 4x4 Intellegence RWC, 120ltr Long range tank, Rock Sliders and Compressor protection plate Beanie grill, De Tango.
Picked a standard expo rack up from a forum member and brought it up to another member, mileage about 150+ did not have the front two Bolts/fixings on and it seemed very noisy, wether it was because the front fixings we not attached I don't know. I also like the idea of a low one maybe flat so you can still potentially go into restricted height places (multi story car parks etc).
If you have a look in this months LRO they are showing an 80 LED light bar that fixes under the front of a defender roof rack and puts out over 1000 lumens, this could be an alternative to the spot lights that are usually fitted to the expo rack plus, the current draw on the LEDS will be a lot less than the standard spot lights and the bar won't take up room on the rack like the spots do.
Hope that helps
ChrisGoodyear Duratracs
Pirelli ATR gone
GG AT Gone
RLD Spare wheel protector
Leeds - London weekly return
Club ctek mxs10
Yorkshire 4x4 Response
4th Nov 2013 10:07 pm
TdV6Pete
Member Since: 10 Aug 2012
Location: Rutland
Posts: 415
I like the front of that one rich, who makes that?
Shame its a little short...
ok, so a vote for no 'cage' ignoring that (simply because i didn't see it until i finished mocking these up)
what do people think about this sort of idea...
naf picts, but you get the idea. the front would be curved to match the curve of the windscreen, the cage would match the step in the roof so the front sits high enough for lights (especially LED light bars) and the back sits as low as possible..
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
2inch Lift, 33inch Cooper STTs, Wheel Spacers, Hidden Champion 9000lbs Winch with recovery points, Full Underbody Protection including Rear Bumper Guard, Rock Sliders, Snorkel, 4x4 screen enabled and Sat Nav on the move (thanks to Bodsy), Discreet LED roof lights, LED work light, BAS Re-map and EGR's blanked, V8 Brake upgrade with Grooved, Drilled and Slotted Brakes, Halo Fog Lamps, Roof Rack, 240V Inverter, CB radio and finally a Swing away wheel carrier with Hi-Lift mount...
4th Nov 2013 10:21 pm
A.J.M
Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2820
Some more racks to give you further ideas, these are from the US.
The Voyager and Contractor Voyager are my favourite.
Personally, i like the rack to have a slope at the front, purely flat ones aren't for me. I would buy something that is a mixture of the LR Expo and the 2 above.
Purely as i would like something that looks nice, follows the lines of the roof, can fit lights to and cal also hold a variety of gear, from Kayak to snowboard to a spare tyre and jerry cans etc.
Or to have the ability to change what i can hold on it.
Like a mounting system that can be unlocked and removed to allow a different one to be mounted in it's place. Such as pre drilled holes or something that can be moved about and reclamped.
Just some more ideas.
4th Nov 2013 10:39 pm
DcNexus
Member Since: 04 Jan 2010
Location: Luebeck
Posts: 207
I'd always go again for the FR rack
lots of fixings, even surface, stable enough to walk on
and with the front end sticking up 'high' there is enough space for
the aux lights....
The first one I don't know it's a good design and I like the small bit at the front but wondering what you can put on it as the higher items should ideally go at the back due to wind resistance,
The second one with the flat part over the front part, would it vibrate, I know there will be front fixings but still like you say good for the light bars underneath.
Both do give you the option if you do get something that does not fit inside the rack with the sides on.
One other thought I just had could you make the sides detachable that way it gives you the best of both worlds.Goodyear Duratracs
Pirelli ATR gone
GG AT Gone
RLD Spare wheel protector
Leeds - London weekly return
Club ctek mxs10
Yorkshire 4x4 Response
4th Nov 2013 11:05 pm
chopcat
Member Since: 08 Apr 2013
Location: Pembrokeshire
Posts: 478
If you want a rack that will be as aerodynamic and as quiet as possible then the ProSpeed is the one. I am very happy with mine although a little bird tells me that there is going to be a new improved version out soon.
The rails for the prospeed are level with the top so you can oversail the sides easily.
I have the front runner on the 90 and would not consider that sort of un faired rack on a Disco.
CCmay the odds be ever in your favor
4th Nov 2013 11:11 pm
Wildrover
Member Since: 19 Jul 2005
Location: Walkabout
Posts: 628
Hi I noticed you are missing the Prospeed rack. Opinions differ but I have one of these and it is excellent it is quiet, fits my Oz tent RV5 perfectly and they make foxwing brackets for it too
It is strong. Mine has the mesh floor.
With the cross bars in use I can fit anything else I need.
They also make a ladder to fit
Positives as above and light weight, good after sales.
(I had one of the first ones made and the the paint was a bit thin so some corosion showed through they replaced it no issues)
Negatives its a bit pricey by comparison to some on the market.
You get what you pay for
I cant open my sunroof fully (not an issue here 9 mths of the year).
they are a sponsor on this site this is their piture
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and Ents fitted with all the kit
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2007 D3 HSE Artic Frost Silverish
Wandering Aussie-Looking for SUN
Growing Old is Mandatory, Growing Up is Optional.
4th Nov 2013 11:11 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 14083
Keep it simple. I have a nice flat Hannibal rack with no side or rear rails which I think is very quiet.
It also has recessed slide rails for eyelets if needed.
4th Nov 2013 11:57 pm
A.J.M
Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2820
The prospeed stuff is nice but to get a rack that's suitable for the HSE roof and have a flooring, your at a grand.
The rack has to be reasonably priced. The prospeed is imo too dear for what it is.
5th Nov 2013 12:58 am
thorgal
Member Since: 26 Nov 2008
Location: on the east side
Posts: 541
Apologize to hi jack or resurrect an old thread, but my Q does not deserve a creating a new one .
Does anybody have a few pictures of a new, updated roof rack and spare wheel mount from PROSPEED?
2nd Jan 2014 1:32 pm
Colin hughes
Member Since: 17 Jul 2013
Location: Cannington, Ontario
Posts: 120
I'm leaning towards this one although I haven't seen any yet I'm totally 100% liking.
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