Pelfreybilt ::: Front Runner Outfitters Racks & Products!

I always recommend Gasket Maker from Permatex. It's a silicone, but much better quality than the stuff you can get at Home Depot.

$8 Permatex 82180 Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker, Sensor Safe And Non-Corrosive, For High Flex And Oil Resistant Applications 3 oz

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-821...4759899&sr=8-3&keywords=permatex+gasket+maker
Shouldn't bee to hard to find at a local auto parts store as well. Comes in different colors, but black looks the most OEM, IMO. There is a grey one that might hide a bit more on your blue truck.

The trick that I've found after doing a few of these installs is to make a donut on the bottom of the aluminum spacer with the silicone. No need to glob it on, but you want a good bead. If you think of it like a wax ring on a toilet, you want to set it down and not fiddle with it too much once it's in place. As you tighten everything down, the bead you made will ooze out a bit creating a seal around the spacer. Since the spacer is a larger diameter than the collar on the rivnut, you should be sealed all around and good to go. As an added bonus that is a bit unseen, the silicone will also ooze into the spacer where your bolt will go and should seal the threads as well.

 

Thanks, I have Dow Corning silicone that I use at work. It’s good stuff.
Did you put any silicone where the spacer comes through the weather stripping?

 

No, found it redundant and unnecessary. The weatherstripping itself from the factory isn't a water tight seal and is designed to let water flow behind it. The concern after drilling is only to seal direct access to the cab.

 

Makes sense.

 

Just curious, why did you mount the rack up side down?

 

I can actually answer this for him because I asked the same question during install. When the rack is mounted "right side up" where the sides form a small perimeter lip and the rack becomes a bit of a tray, the overall height of the rack is raised by about an inch. Since the mounting panels are attached to the rack at the slats, the flat mounting surface does not change either way you mount it, but the sides can be raised and lowered depending on which way you choose to mount the rack as a whole. It's a small difference that make a huge aesthetic improvement and a small aero improvement. Also, if you wanted to mount larger items to the rack, you now have a completely flat surface to use without the interference of the outer lip when the rack is oriented the other way. If you wanted more of a "basket" type rack, then the other way might work for you. The good thing about FR is that it doesn't take much to switch it around if you change your mind too.
Kind of one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments when he told me.

 

It’s a great idea. I have FR rack on my cap mounted right side up. Getting ready to mount a RTT on it
I may mount the rack on the cab-upside down, it would give me some additional room.

 

Couldn't of said it better myself! spot on.

 

It’s a great idea. By putting my front rack upside down, it will be easier I think to line it up with my rack on the cap. Good thinking.
Have to see how it works out, since I am going to use a longer than specified rack. I am going to use aluminum bar stock to bolt it in place on the Pelfrey rails.
I will take some pictures.

 

How much weight have you folks been putting up on the racks so far?

 

How much LBS? can that rack and ARE cap hold?

 

Getting ready to put a RTT and my wife and I on the rack on the ARE cap.

 

Whats the LBS rating for it?

 

I’ll look up the rating for the cap and let you know.

 

Thanks man please do! i havent been able to find it!

 

I have the A.R.E. CX HD series - the internal frame is rated for 550lbs. http://www.4are.com/product/hd/
The frame attaches directly to a rack on the topper.

The normal CX (non HD) series is rated:
Truck Size Bed Size Height Weight
Full & Mid Long Bed 23" 36" 185 lbs.
Full & Mid Short Bed 23" 36" 175 lbs.

Hope that helps.

 

I have a Denver Outfitters hardshell RTT (https://denveroutfitters.com/product/overroam-roof-top-tent/) that weighs in at 157 lbs. New higher grade mattress adds 65 lbs. My wife and I are 300 lbs. combined and with roughly 15 lbs. of gear in the tent, we've had roughly 537 lbs. on our rear rack, My guess is that with other gear this summer we'll have an easy 650 lbs. spread across the racks.

I'm trying to decide if I mount my RTT between the two racks (one mount on the back rack/topper and one on the cab rack)... Not sure if that's a good idea or not.

 

Mine is rated for 550 also. I also have the ARE CX HD.

 

cool thanks for this info bud!

i have the non HD cx cap... anyone have a roof rack recommendation? I like frontrunner but there expensive...

 

Frontrunner may be expensive, but the engineering, build quality and parts are 100% top notch. And compared to similar racks, are actually less expensive.

For example, Rhino Rack has an almost identical aluminum rack system, but the corner pieces are plastic. Which means that in 5 years, the corners of their rack are going to fade from black to a milky gray and will have probably cracked, broken or fallen off. Frontrunner's entire rack is aluminum - corners as well. All of their products are built to last in the Australian outback for years to come.

Price comparison:
Rhino Rack (60" x 49") is $1148.00
Frontrunner Rack (61" x 49") is $1042.00

$.02