Decisions, decisions

Glapin

Member
I'm in the market for a roof rack for the LR3. I've done as much searching and reading as I can on the forum and think I have narrowed it down to the Front Runner slim, full rack and the Baja full length rack. Any of you salty owners out there with one or the other, I'd like to hear your pros and cons please. I like the idea of the basket side walls on the Baja but I also like the idea of the lower profile of the Front runner when it's not loaded for a trip.

Thanks
 

vasily

Adventurer
Also we had a voyager rack, similar to the Baja Rack, for a year. It wasn’t worth it for us because we didn’t use it as often as we expected and the noise level was kinda high for what’s effectively a luxury car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

krick3tt

Adventurer
I have a Front Runner and yes they are noisy (at speeds over 35MPH) but there is an air foil that FR sells that makes them very quiet. The reason FR racks are noisy is that the bars that hold your possessions on are perpendicular to the wind and create air noise. Try for a rack that the bars are parallel to the wind for decrease in noise level.
Watch this

 
Last edited:

A.J.M

Explorer
513611

Front runner with wind fairing and expedition rail kit.

Wind fairing totally changes the car.
Everyone who’s been in my car since it got fitted have all commented on how quiet it is now.

You can move the slats about anywhere and can bolt anything to the top or bottom of it with an M8 bolt in the slats.

Hugely practical.
 

TOUGE

Active member
I wanted the Rhino rack because it is slimmer and holds similar weights to the Front Runner but every dealer in Los Angeles said 2-3 weeks wait to get it in stock. I called front runner and had it fitted the next day(which is lucky for me that FR is just down the road).

The FR feels super tuff and can handle anything. To fit my car in my apartment car park I have to be in access mode, I forgot once and clipped the roof of the building and the building came off 2nd best, just a tiny scratch on the rack and a chuck of concrete missing off the carpark roof. I also did LA to Seattle and back over a month with a RTT and not a rattle or squeak from the rack. Absolutely get the wind fairing, you get some fuel economy back and now I can do 70mph with the sunroof fully open. Front Runner have a huge catalog of mounts for almost anything you want to mount.
 

DVD

Adventurer
I've had Baja Rack on mine for the past 5 yrs or so. No complaints, and it has served me well. I didn't notice any increase in noise when I put it on, but by now, it's just part of the vehicle. I do take advantage of the raised side bars when packing. A Lifetime table fits perfectly, and maxtrax and flat gas container snug up too.
513739
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
One thing the aluminum rack owners haven’t mentioned is the rattling. Anything loose or even the end of a strap can whip about and make that rack sing a VERY annoying loud rattle. Not so with the steel Baja rack.
 

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