Factory roofrack vs aftermarket

Rotopax, Pelican/Plano rifle cases, water storage devices, awnings, RTT, bicycles, surfboards, ski/snowboards, fishing rods, just to name a few

 

I'd also like to try roof top tents, hanging hammocks, and on the 4th of July I'd like to unfold a chair and sit up there with a beer and watch the fireworks from the dam overlooking the local lake.

 

I purchased a '16 DC Taco and the guy buying my '05 DC Taco does not want the roof rack. I would like to install the rack on my new truck, but the part numbers for the two racks are different. How do you know that the old rack will fit the 2016 truck?

 

Measure the dimensions of the rack and roof. Compare the data between vehicles.

 

I would have to take off the rubber gutter covers(?) to measure the screw holes. I was just hoping you had some inside info.

 

Prinsu FTW! As far as a list of items I have mounted or carried up there:

- roof top tent
- Thule snowboard racks
- Rotopax cans
- Maxtrax
- ARB 1250 awning
- Plano case with recovery gear (free up space behind the seats and bed)
- 40" Heretic LED bar
- 2 sheets of 1/2" thick plywood and 6 2x4x10's

 

The roofs are the same. Any rack that fit your 2nd gen will fit the 3rd gen too.

 

Great! But how do you know that? Like I said, I really don't want to rip off the rubber gutter covers unless I can be 100% sure it will fit.

 

They can be easily placed back on the truck

 

The part number is the same for the OEM roof rack for the 2nd and 3rd gens and I have had customers install my aftermarket racks on their 3rd gens. Most of the cab (exterior) is the same between the 2nd and 3rd gen trucks.

Also, the rubber rain gutter strips pop on and off no problem. They have clips on each end and then use a 3M type adhesive tape in other areas. They are very easy to remove and reinstall.

 

So one can mount a roof top tent on top of the cab? How much weight can the racks hold? I've seen RTTs on top of caps, but not cabs.... IIRC, the oem Toyota roof rack has max weight of 250 lbs.

 

I would never put a RTT on the factory rack. They are very flimsy in my experience but the cab is perfectly capable of supporting a roof top tent. Put a Front Runner, Baja Rack, Eezi Awn K9, Labrak, or a PRINSU rack up there and you are good to go.

 

Cool, good to know... thanks. by the way, what is the typical weight rating for those aforementioned racks?

 

Most of them are probably in the 300-500 lb range i would guess. Its really hard to put a weight rating on racks because the racks can probably support up to 1000 pounds of evenly distributed static weight. Dynamic loads are going to stress the mounting points on the vehicle roof which are weak point in the system.

Do I stick my RTT and family up in a rooftop tent and put close to 500 lbs on the rack once at the campsite, yes. Would I carry the same weight down a bumpy trail at high speeds, no.

 

Cool. Thanks for the info!

 

I am going with the Prinsu due to the price, simplicity, and I also think its the best looking one. The new 2016 tacoma's have sunroofs too, and I love the modular design of the Prinsu, if im not using the rack, I can just slide the crossmembers out of the way.

 

thank you for the clear and concise answer, and not attacking my lack of knowledge (rarity for TW).

 

That's a nice rack! Looks great

 

I love your truck

 

How does your rack handle the shark fin?