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Date: 14 Oct 2006 21:57:46
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: J-Racks: Caveats?
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Just bought a set. Fastening them to a set of Yak crossbars mounted to a
Suburban's factory fore-aft rails in an effort to pick up some carrying capacity
where lateral space is too limited to carry the boat (12' 6" WaveWitch) flat on
the racks.
I see my share of vehicles with J-Racks on them and it seems like J-Racks have
been out for quite awhile - plenty long enough for any lawsuits to have
percolated through the system.... yet they're still being sold.
I *guess* they're ok... but I dunno.... Compared to something laying flat on the
racks, the aerodynamics don't inspire a lot of confidence....
So.... somebody make me feel better - tell me you've been using J-racks for
years at turnpike speeds with no problems....
(Please....)
--
PeteCresswell
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Date: 15 Oct 2006 15:17:22
From: Brian Nystrom
Subject: Re: J-Racks: Caveats?
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While I know several people who use them, I won't. They're not nearly as
secure as saddles (the boats move around a lot more, they create much
more "sail area" for crosswinds to push you around and the tall cradles
have lots of leverage against the crossbars. All of these things
contribute to a less that ideal or secure rack system. I certainly
wouldn't use them with ANY factory roof rack, since most are not meant
to handle any significant stress.
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Date: 15 Oct 2006 06:45:49
From:
Subject: Re: J-Racks: Caveats?
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(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Just bought a set. Fastening them to a set of Yak crossbars mounted to a
> Suburban's factory fore-aft rails in an effort to pick up some carrying capacity
> where lateral space is too limited to carry the boat (12' 6" WaveWitch) flat on
> the racks.
> I see my share of vehicles with J-Racks on them and it seems like J-Racks have
> been out for quite awhile - plenty long enough for any lawsuits to have
> percolated through the system.... yet they're still being sold.
I think Yakima's J-racks are up there with their second generation
stackers as being pretty superfluous and way-excessively expensive for
what you get! Just tie the boat flat on the rack and you get the same
thing, plus a LOT more secure. Plus, while J-racks look like a great
idea for loading/unloading a boat (just sit it in the cradle,
correct?), you *have* to just sit your boat in the cradle! Try sliding
it in like I did and see what happens!! You gotta pick the boat up and
*place* it in the J-racks. Not practical with a heavy boat and the rack
is way up high, yano?
If you don't have enough lateral room on your rack to tie your boat
flat, you need longer crossbars. ;-)
Oh also, I'd not trust those factory racks on your Suburban. I had a
1991 (I think) Suburban with a factory rack and I pulled the headliner
to mount a better rack, and you kow whay I found? The factory rack was
mounted on/in nothing but the roof sheet metal!!! No reinforcement
supports at all! Flimsy crap IMHO for such a big heavy expensive
vehicle!!
John Kuthe...
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Date: 15 Oct 2006 17:31:00
From: (PeteCresswell)
Subject: Re: J-Racks: Caveats?
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Per johnkuthe@gmail.com:
>If you don't have enough lateral room on your rack to tie your boat
>flat, you need longer crossbars. ;-)
That was my first reaction, but they'd be hanging out over the side of the
vehicle and I've walked into the ends of my existing bars enough times that
I'd worry about somebody getting out of a car parked next to mine
getting a bar end in the temple or something.
>Oh also, I'd not trust those factory racks on your Suburban. I had a
>1991 (I think) Suburban with a factory rack and I pulled the headliner
>to mount a better rack, and you kow whay I found? The factory rack was
>mounted on/in nothing but the roof sheet metal!!! No reinforcement
>supports at all! Flimsy crap IMHO for such a big heavy expensive
Mine's a 1998. First vehicle I've ever owned that I bought new.
Within four years, it had stranded me more times than all my beaters
over the preceding 20+ years put together.
Some of it's pretty solid - and it seems like vastly more owners
just *love* their 'burbs than have the love/hate relationship I
have... but for my money, some parts of it are needlessly failure-prone, poorly
thought out, and way obsolete (as in a wiper delay mechanism that takes a couple
of dry swipes when you turn it off)... and GM needs a major attitude adjustment.
I'm trying not to think about the robustness of the connection now that you've
said it.... One rationalization I've made in the past is that what's up there
(big cartop box full of about 130 lbs of windsurfing gear) is so heavy that it
probably diminishes any lifting stress from the wind.
--
PeteCresswell
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Date: 15 Oct 2006 17:47:21
From: Michael Daly
Subject: Re: J-Racks: Caveats?
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(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> and GM needs a major attitude adjustment.
Chapter 11 can do that. But then, it is GM.
Mike
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Date: 17 Oct 2006 13:54:52
From: Brian Nystrom
Subject: Re: J-Racks: Caveats?
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Michael Daly wrote:
> (PeteCresswell) wrote:
>> and GM needs a major attitude adjustment.
>
> Chapter 11 can do that. But then, it is GM.
If the rumors are true, perhaps they'll merge with Ford, pool their
stupidity and go out of business twice as fast. Then, a company that
actually knows how to build decent cars can purchase the ruins and turn
them into a real car company.
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