Prinsu rack question

I was adding the tie downs to my prinsu rack and found that the collar on the bolts are thicker than the racks metal. This makes them impossible to tighten up snug. I had to go out and buy some washers to put on there to account for the gap.
Afterwards I was thinking that maybe it's designed so that they could be slid around without being loosened which might be handy. What way do you run em??? If not tightened seems like they would rattle around, idk.

 

That’s a good solution to the problem (I see it that way also), as your cargo can slide sideways if they are not tightened down. One suggestion I have though, are you using stainless steel washers? In the photo it doesn’t look like they are but maybe I’m wrong.

I didn’t know the newer Prinsu Crossbars have a slot in them so you can put the bolts on without having to take the bars off. That’s a new design.

 

Good point with the stainless, I will try to get them swapped. I'm wondering if the load would slide around without them, with a decent amount of tension from the straps it seems there would be some friction resisting lateral movement, but would it be enough. Seems like an oversight on prinsu to not include washers to stack if they are indeed required.

 

I added washers to mine too. I couldn't let myself pay $30 for a pair from Prinsu. Carriage bolts, some washers, and the eye bolts and I had a set of 4 for less than half that.

 

The problem is that you have the wrong carriage bolts. Get shorter carriage bolts.

Here's one of the tie downs that came with my Prinsu rack: