Front Runner Slimline II Owners!

I'm looking to get the slimline II roof rack but am concerned about wind noise. Can someone inform me on the noise level of their rack? If the wind noise is noticeably louder than the Prinsu then I will probably go with a Prinsu but I like the accessories for the slimline. Any help would be appreciated.

Also,
Is there a roof rack that is better than these two? These seem to be the most popular options.

 

I'm the owner of 2 Slimline II's, both the shell rack and cab rack. I went with the wind fairing, and have been really pleased with the lack of noise. Seems like that front fairing really reduces noise, even in high winds. I think the big wind noise issues start when you dd light bars, from what I've heard from friends.

For the money, the FR stuff can't be beat. I've had the chance to watch a few installs and chat with the team, and the fit and finish is totally amazing. Plus, the integrated accessories don't require any weird DIY hacks. PM me if you have any questions about my setup!

 

I don't have the best of hearing but I don't hear much on my Prinsu w the wind deflector and noise reducing trim. I have stuff mounted on top and don't really notice much. There's also a talking women and two slobbering dogs inside with me for most extended travels. So keep that in mind

Also if you like burning money you could look into Gobi racks. Just kidding. They are nice but

 

Mine is pretty quiet. I got a little noise from the Yakima HD bars and home-made canoe brackets, but not much at all.
I noticed that some of the black paint is bubbling up on the underside of a few slats. Not a big deal.

 

I would suggest the wind fairing that is a separate purchase. I feel like its a fair amount of wind noise coming through but I also have a moonroof so that probably does me no favors. Fit and finish wise it could have been better but I still like it alot. Some of the aluminum wasn't cleanly shaven off and blocked the nuts from going into the channel like it should have so I had to get a screwdriver to shave it down. The accessories available for it, while pricey, I think make it worth it because everything just works so well together.

 

I have the Slimline II Roof Rack Kit with the wind fairing and there is little to no additional wind noise in comparison to no rack at all IMO, I'm super stoked about it too. (sorry if im late to the game lol)

 

https://www.uptopoverland.com/collections/tacoma/products/uptop-alpha-tacoma

I would think the UpTop Alpha is better than the Prinsu and at least as good if not better than the FR depending on what you plan on using it for. And Rhino-Rack makes some stuff very similar to the FR. Lots of options for TACOMA roof racks but can’t go wrong with the FR.

 

100% Untrue. I have the Slimline II as well, considerable wind noise, like driving through a wind tunnel. Not whistling, but low frequency thudding? THe wind fairing they come standard with is laughable, but without it the noise would be substantial. They do have a large wind fairing for sale for another $200 to help with that however. Lost about 2mpgs so far. Waiting for the bigger fairing to come in stock so I can see if it will make a difference.

Then again I drive on the freeway every day. If you drive nothing but city, then I guess you are also correct, there's not much noise under 50mph.

 

Yours is mounted on your cap though. It's a different beast when the rack is right above your head.

 

I guess untrue in your case, I'm just sharing my experience. 20 miles commute, highway, and I barely notice it. There is a whole rack on the roof, so I expected some noise/MPG is expected in exchange for utility, and I do have the large wind fairing, so that should be taken into account too. Different trucks, different experiences.

 

Well, yea. Left out that small detail did ya? The small fairing that is included with the rack is just sad. Waiting for the new stock of large ones to come in myself.

 

They make two different versions of the Slimline rack for the Cab of the Tacoma. I have the low profile Slimline II rack on my cab. The regular one sits a little higher and is a little longer covering the Shark fin I believe. By its self I'm happy to report that with the small wind fairing that comes with the rack there is no discernable wind noise. Although depending on what you attach to the rack, boxes, gear, etc. your accessories can create a lot noise.

A couple more pics of the racks in my build thread.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-slow-build-long-bed-overland-build.474928/

 

While my experience is alot different and get plenty of wind noise with the small fairings, there's still a noticeable MPG drop. Curious to know if the large wind fairing improves this.

 

Sure. But I'm pretty sensitive ("anal") when it comes to noises while I'm driving. I say its pretty quite with the included fairing. Did you experiment with the spacing between the 2 sides? Sounds like you are getting a funny harmonic or something. You can also try some 80/20 infill strips from Amazon...

 

For me it just sounds like the air is bouncing up and down against the inside slats and the roof. Kind of like what your ears sound like on a really windy day in an open area.

 

I had a little bit of that, then I played with the distance between the two fairings and it went away.

 

UpTop Overland Bravo owner. Noticeable wind noise and 1-2 mpg loss. They say it was designed to be quieter than other racks....if that's the case I can't imagine what another rack would be like....Someone told me it's less noisy than a Prinsu. Almost regret buying it...

 

Ahhhhhh, my fairings are literally touching at the point in the middle. I will go home tonight and adjust them and try again in the morning. Still can't wait to upgrade to a larger fairing though. Thanks for including that image.

 

Here’s an updated photo with accessories. Excuse the dirty wind fairing, still need to wipe it clean. Wind noise is still minimal with the bike mount attachment and surf pads. Plan on getting a couple more attachments before my cross country drive back home from socal to NJ.

 

Was the wind noise with or without a light bar? Thanks