Integrating a roof rack with an ARE HD topper?

[Uberland]

Hey crew!

So, I should be getting my ARE CX HD topper for my Ram 2500 next month. For those who aren’t tracking, the cap incorporates an aluminum internal structure to boost the roof carrying weight to 500 pounds, but it also comes with some fairly tall and fixed posts/rails. I’d like to fit a Rhino Rack Pioneer or similar system like I had on my Excursion, but the post and rail dimensions ARE chose are a bit wonky, and just slapping a platform on the rails will make an already tall setup even taller!

Before I take the DIY approach, has anyone had experience with such a topper/platform combo?

Thanks,

Jason

 

[Uberland]

Hey crew!

So, I should be getting my ARE CX HD topper for my Ram 2500 next month. For those who aren’t tracking, the cap incorporates an aluminum internal structure to boost the roof carrying weight to 500 pounds, but it also comes with some fairly tall and fixed posts/rails. I’d like to fit a Rhino Rack Pioneer or similar system like I had on my Excursion, but the post and rail dimensions ARE chose are a bit wonky, and just slapping a platform on the rails will make an already tall setup even taller!

Before I take the DIY approach, has anyone had experience with such a topper/platform combo?

Thanks,

Jason

For reference, here’s what someone else did with the same rack on a Colorado…trying to avoid having the rack mounted so high above the top…

 

[GunRunnersActual]

I believe Front Runner makes racks for the ARE shells. I know they have stuff for my RSI SmartCap.

 

[Unregistered Hypercam 2]

My setup is a hair different because my topper did not come with integrated rails. I elected to buy the rhino rack pioneer system with their universal backbone. Backbone is secured to the topper via drilling through it. I am happy with the height this is at, the backbone is 1-1.5 inches tall and the platform only sits about 3 inches above the roof line. I find wind noise is pretty minimal and I can still fit in my garage just fine.