Roof rack or hitch rack?
- Thread starter XJINTX
- Start date
mep1811
Gentleman Adventurer
I would go with the roof rack. You will get more versatility and it will be out of the way. A hitch rack will severely limit your approach and departure angles, be in the way to accessing the back of the vehicle and will get very dirty with due to the air pressure effect .
Mickey Bitsko
Adventurer
What kind of rig do you have ?
cchoc
Wilderness Photographer
I've seen pictures of FWC's lifted with gear and/or kayaks on top. With air springs and/or a speaker stand as a lifter it seems to be possible. I haven't tried lifting the top on my Eagle with anything more than a Titan Rod Vault and three fly rod/reel combos though.
XJINTX
Explorer
Thanks for the help!!! I was informed of this product www.rakattach.com. So right now I think I will go with this option. Debating if I want passenger or driverside swingout. I know all the reasons for passenger side but... then it blocks passage from the door to the awning side of camper where we spend a lot of time. Thoughts???
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
If a company can't even manage their site well enough to offer a built-in shipping calculator or even post pricing for the products they are trying to sell I would keep looking. Ever thought of checking with a local fabrication shop to build you one exactly how you want it?
doctorit
Adventurer
I would really like to like this, I spent quite a bit of time last year looking for a solution like this because I already have a really nice hitch mounted rack. If they don't post any prices, I bet it would be cheaper to just buy an actual swing-away rack from an existing, established company (Thule, Yakima).
XJSuperman
OhIOWAn
I have a roof rack on my Jeep. For your truck I suppose it depends on what you want to do with it. Are you offroading with your truck and camper? If no, then the hitch rack would be easy, and easily removable when you don't need it. I don't need my roof rack everyday, so its mostly wasted mpgs and such on my roof. If you only need the extra space on some trips, I would use the hitch rack. If you are towing something and still need more space then the roof rack may be for you.
OCD Overland
Explorer
I use a hitch rack out of necessity on occasion, but I'm not crazy about them. I can feel the weight when cornering much more than when I have a load on the roof.
You also have to be careful how much you load them. Most people think that if their hitch is rated for say, 500lbs, that they can put 500lbs on the hitch rack. But since a rack typically doubles the distance from the receiver's mount to the COG of the load, the moment force on the receiver mount is also doubled. So your load capacity is really only 250lbs, which would be easy to exceed.
You also have to be careful how much you load them. Most people think that if their hitch is rated for say, 500lbs, that they can put 500lbs on the hitch rack. But since a rack typically doubles the distance from the receiver's mount to the COG of the load, the moment force on the receiver mount is also doubled. So your load capacity is really only 250lbs, which would be easy to exceed.