Roof Rack: First hand experiences with Prinsu, FrontRunner, or K9 Wanted

[Steve]

I'm considering replacing my Thule crossbars and Yakima roof basket with a full-length roof rack. I want to go with an aluminum rack, due to living in the rust belt, where salt goes everywhere in the winter. I realize that aluminum oxidizes when exposed to salt, but not as much as steel rusts, causing rust streaks down the vehicle.

Choices appear to be Prinsu, FrontRunner, and K9. I stopped at Equipt in Salt Lake City to look at and discuss the K9 with Paul May, and really like the design and flexibility. I haven't seen a Prinsu or FrontRunner, and not likely to here in northern Ohio.

So I'm curious if anyone has first hand experience with any of the above, and would like to comment on the pros and cons.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[vicali]

I love these threads!

Prinsu here;



I went with clear anodized bars and raw aluminum sides, I didn't want to deal with chipping paint or anything like that.



The other huge plus to me was the modular design. I love that I can change the bars around, get more attachments, and even replace individual parts if needed.
The T-slot bars are super easy to make attachments for, any m8 carriage bolt fit right in.



I bought through a GB on Tacoworld - shipping was a lot better than the alternatives as well because the parts of the rack come in a 4ft box - some assembly required
Zach is also super to deal with, and he's just a truck guy like the rest of us, who came up with a really good idea and went with it.

 

[Steve]

Thanks, @vicali There are a lot of things I like about the Prinsu, including the price. One disadvantage is that if I moved to a different vehicle, I'd need to leave it on the 4Runner and get a new rack for the new vehicle. This would be the case on any rack that requires drilling the roof, though, as does the Prinsu on a 4Runner. the K9 would move between vehicles with just new brackets, costing less in the long run.

Thanks for the input,
Steve

 

[pdxplorer15]

Hi Steve,

I'm running the PrInSu full length on my 2015 TEP and love it! I looked at the FrontRunner and K9 as well, when I was looking at racks. All 3 are great in my opinion. I was looking for something flexible that I could reconfigure easily as needs changed. Weight and aesthetics were also considerations, as was cost.

I've seen the FrontRunner racks in person on 5th Gens and have to say, I'm very impressed. I haven't seen a K9 in person yet. Both FrontRunner and K9 offer a lot more accessory options than PrInSu (i.e. mounts for MaxTrax, etc.) I think that will change in the future, though. Zach has recently released a new awning mount, which I will be installing soon (just waiting on an awning). I do have some concerns that the PrInSu awning mount will interfere with a RTT, but I'm sure I can find a workaround for that. Zach is also working on a hi-lift mount.

I'll second what @vicali said about the modularity of the PrInSu. I can take the load bars out to clear my sunroof when I want. The T-slots make it VERY easy to attach pretty much anything. I've already made my own MaxTrax mounts, adapted a Hi-Lift bumper mount. While I don't like the idea of storing a hi-lift on my roof, I don't have any other place to put it for now. I love that all of the parts are replaceable and very reasonably priced. The fairing on the front can be replaced for one with a cut out for a 30" or 40" to allow for an LED light bar.

If you plan on running a RTT, as I will be, I've heard that bolting one onto the PrInSu can be a bit of a pain. I've read that some folks leave 2 of their load bars attached to the tent, making it easier to remove and reinstall. I think that'll be the approach I'll take, as I don't want to leave my tent on the truck all of the time.

On drilling: I believe the FrontRunner requires drilling 4 holes in the roof. The PrInSu is supposed to require 2 holes, and plusnuts with standoffs to attach the front 2 mounts. I didn't have the courage to drill into my brand new 4Runner's roof, so I am trying a workaround. From what I've heard/read, Gobi uses rubber feet that rest on the rubber weatherstrip. I happened to have some approx. 1.5" diameter x 1" tall rubber feet (pic below) lying around in my garage.

I bolted those onto the front tabs and it turns out they were just the right size. There won't be a lot of weight on the front of my rack, so I think this approach will work. I've been running my rack this way since the summer. However, rubber under compression will take a set over time. I've already observed some compression set in the feet and if it gets too severe, the rack could contact the roof. I may need to replace them from time to time, but worst case, I'll get over my fear and drill the roof.

All in all, I'm very happy with my PrInSu and would buy it over again, if I needed to. It's a great rack, very clean design and I agree that Zach Scott is a pleasure to deal with. He's a small business too, which I like to support. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Steve]

@PDXplorer Thanks so much for the input and detailed reply. Interesting alternative to drilling, too. I've seen people talk about using magnets, sealant on the feet, etc, but never a rubber foot. My truck is nearly brand new, and once I get up there with a drill, I may start to have second thoughts, too.

With the 15% off group buy over on t4r.org, it is hard to not go this route.

Thank again.
Steve

 

[pdxplorer15]

@PDXplorer Thanks so much for the input and detailed reply. Interesting alternative to drilling, too. I've seen people talk about using magnets, sealant on the feet, etc, but never a rubber foot. My truck is nearly brand new, and once I get up there with a drill, I may start to have second thoughts, too.

With the 15% off group buy over on t4r.org, it is hard to not go this route.

Thank again.
Steve

My pleasure! I wish I'd had the opportunity to get the 15% off on a group buy, but even so, I feel like Zach is under-selling his racks. Paying regular price and I still feel it was a good deal. As far as the feet I used are concerned, I purchased these on Amazon for a guitar pedal board I was building.

https://www.amazon.com/Reliable-Hardware-Company-RH-1606-8-Amplifier/dp/B00JJ191Z6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1481147032&sr=8-5&keywords=rubber+feet

The thru-hole is a little small, so I had to use a somewhat smaller screw than I would have liked. I might look for some different feet that allow for a larger bolt, possibly a harder rubber too. The nice thing about these is that they're overmolded onto a metal insert, which makes it possible to snug them down nice and tight.

Interesting idea on the magnets. I hadn't seen that one.

 

[pierceg]

Prinsu here.
Installed ona FJ Cruiser.
The nice part is the modular design. Lots of ways to get stuff to stay put.

 

[Steve]

To come back and close out this thread, today I ordered a Prinsu full-length rack using the 15% off group buy through T4R.org. I also bought a Gobi ladder on a similar group buy, so I should be all set for roof top storage and access.

Thanks for the input, @vicali, @PDXplorer, and @pierceg!
Steve

 

[pdxplorer15]

To come back and close out this thread, today I ordered a Prinsu full-length rack using the 15% off group buy through T4R.org. I also bought a Gobi ladder on a similar group buy, so I should be all set for roof top storage and access.

Thanks for the input, @vicali, @PDXplorer, and @pierceg!
Steve

Nice! I think you're going to love the PrInSu. Glad to help! :)