Roof rack advice

I’ve always wanted a roof rack since picking up my 3rd gen. I love how they look. I’ve talked myself out of it for a while now as I’m not sure I’ll use it for its purpose. I think I want it more for the aesthetic. A used rack popped up for sale locally for a good price so it got me thinking again lol. What do you guys think? It’s not hurting me financially to buy it, but I also keep telling myself it’s probably a waste of money as I won’t actually use it as much as one would. We do have a canoe that I may transport but doubtful.

 

Waste of money in my opinion. What will you really mount up there that you can't just throw in the bed?

 

I got a rack because I thought I was going to use it all the time. 3 years and it never got used... I finally just traded it for the stock roof trim.

Better buy is a set of bed bars or a bed rack.

 

I currently have a softopper on the truck as I wanted more bed space

 

I have racks on mine.. which is why I carry 13' kayak up there.



For canoe 12' or larger:

You can carry canoe on the rack if you place canoe upside down as long as you don't have a topper and you can straps both ends of canoe to the front and back. And a strap across a canoe from driver side to passenger side.

But you can carry canoe in the bed as long as you strapped them down with tailgate closed. If you keep tailgate down, then you need straps for the canoe's end to the d-rings on bedsides so the canoe won't fall down onto the road. You will need a flag on the end to warn the drivers behind you. Tip: You can get bed extender mounted in the hitch so it will helps big time.

For canoe 11' or smaller:
Keep tailgate down and strap it down. Then place a flag on it. Or if you are tail, you can put canoe on the rack on the cab.

If you have topper with rack like mine which shown in photo above, you can put any size of kayak or canoe up there.

If you carry big canoe or kayak up there that is not upside down, make sure to cover it so it won't be filled with water from rain if you go on long trip.

 

Bed rack under soft topper


Bed rack without soft topper

 

Bed rack with kayak in it

 

Are you able to remove soft topper for canoe on roof rack?

I like that in the second picture... nice setup.

When I got my truck as new. I went to work next day... workers suggested that I get softtopper, I told them I don't know about that since someone can slit it open with knife to steal something... So I got Leer topper instead. So far so good.

 

every guy should have a good rack nearby.

 

Thanks, I need to redo it this year though as my new boat is a bit too tall to fit under the rack.

 

Either that or you can get bracket/frame around the softtopper (not talking about inside, brackets go outside from bedsides rail to the crossbars above) so you can place boat above along with your cab. I saw a few of the Tacoma owners have those. Just like bed rack that VooDoo made.. but bigger that over the softtopper.

 

I carry/haul canoes and kayaks on my roof rack all the time. Strap them down good and I've never had an issue. Frees up bed space for other gear.

 

Feels like we were in the same boat!! I really really wanted a roof rack when I first bought my truck but yeah I thought "what WOULD I use it for" Ended up getting the OEM roof rack from a fellow TW member in exchange for my stock roof trim moldings (for free) and I feel like that satisfied my want for a roof rack and I really like it!

 

My wife is nearby, her rack is…
Perfect…

 

Who makes that rack?

 

Rhino Rack.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/install-rhino-rack-vortex-rlt600-roof-rack.624050/

 

IMO the best way to ruin your truck is with a roof rack. Don't. They weigh at least 40 lbs, they have a ton of air drag, and they make a ton of noise. Just no!

 

I use my roof rack all of the time. Awning on one edge, shower enclosure on the other edge. Waterport weekender down the middle, and accessible from either side. RTT on the bed rack.


Here it is without the shower enclosure on the driver's side...just the awning.

 

Idk, the rhino rack looks very easy to remove.

 

I havent used mine yet but I got the prinsu.