Curved LB mount for Rola rack.

[Phillysteak]

I picked up a Rola roof cargo basket for a screaming deal a few months ago, I figured I'd use it as a temporary roof basket until I can finish the design for a form-fitting cargo rack. I want to remove the factory rails and Thule cross bars for a lower profile rack/cargo basket. The Rola basket is very well built, except for one glaring design flaw; The front and rear cowlings are connected to the center basket with plastic extensions. I originally wanted to mount the LB to the front tubing on the basket, but can't bring myself to trust the plastic connectors with that much weight cantilevered off the front.

First step was cutting a prototype out of acrylic, a bit too tall:
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Plasma cut the shorter design out of 11gauge CRS:
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Quick run through the powder coating oven with Eastwood hotcoat flat black, this powder is awesome:
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Fitted up to the rack, supporting a 40" Curved LB from Rough Country:
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Overall happy on the fitment for now, I would prefer the LB mounted on the front of the rack to make the Jeep look lower profile overall, and allow me to carry kayaks on top. I'll post a build log of the custom rack build in case anyone is interested in the process. Before I start on that rack I have to get the lighting controller installed and extend this wiring harness up to the engine bay.

View attachment 184273

 

[USStrongman]

I could see running curved bars from the top tube behind the wind deflector, but then you may have wind or buffeting noise between the bar and the deflector? Probably a trial and error kinda thing. Either way, great looking bracketry.

 

[Phillysteak]

@USStrongman I've had just the Thule cross bars installed since I purchased the WK2 and they whistle like crazy. The kind of "Nails on a chalkboard" kind of whistle which drove me insane when the sunroof was vented or opened. The roof basket eliminated the whistle but now there is the wind buffeting sound, although I much prefer the wind over the whistle. So far the top mounted LB doesn't seem to be making the buffeting sound any worse, although the real test will be a windy day.