DV8 Roof Rack on 2021 Tacoma TRD Sport...crazy no instructions

First posting on this forum...hope I do this correctly.


I figured it out, but instructions would have been appropriate. The Extreme Terrain installation video was extremely (pun intended) helpful.


https://youtu.be/kTHKuPmS2Yc


I had several leftover parts (1st pic with parts on work bench). I think some relate to a light bar (possibly), but again, no instructions, part list, or diagram. I laid out all parts and did an inventory and all bolts, washers, lock washers matched up to what I surmised they belonged to. I did not need to use any of the elongated oval spacers. Hint, all bolts attach with a washer and lock washer.


The great thing about this mod is that it uses and matches up perfectly with the manufactured threaded bolt holes under the roof gutter trim. You have to remove the taped and painted cover to the manufactured bolt holes in 4 places. This rack is solid atop your Tacoma roof!


I did this project alone. I assembled the rack on my garage floor and then mounted it, sliding it across my roof using 2 rag towels to prevent scratching the roof. Reasoning: I used silicone in all the factory bolt holes, which has a curing time that starts when applied. I was afraid that I would run into a problem and if I installed this is in a piece by piece fashion and then had a problem and had to run out and fetch a screw/part and reinstall the side rails I would foul the curing silicone.


One thing that really helped me was using a punch to align the bolt hole (see pic). I placed the punch in hole #1 which aligned the hole the adjacent hole #2 perfectly and made it much easier to assemble (there are 16 opportunities to be frustrated).


I think that there was one manufacturing error with my set. It looks like the #2 crossmember (next after the front crossmember) was cut while upside down. When I tried to install it oriented as the other crossmembers the angle at the ends (at the side rail) were slanted opposite of the angle of the side rail (see pic). I turned the #2 crossmember upside down and then the angles matched up nicely (see pic, and note that bottom channels are now facing upward).

I drilled a new drain hole (because the manufacture drain hole was now on top) and put a squirt of silicone in the now obsolete (manufactured) drain hole. Pic #5 shows a hole straight through.


I sized and cut the OME front gutter trim and replaced it back into the curved front gutters for esthetics (see pic #6). Did the same on the rear.


Based on some YouTube videos I purchased a tap set in case I had some manufactured bolt holes that were not properly threaded, but I ended up not needing to do that.


I also placed some stiff rubber blocks on either side of the shark fin antenna just for insurance that the rear crossmember would not press down/vibrate on it.


The crossmember #4 almost touches the roof peak (just rear of the center pillar). I will have to be imaginative when trying to attach my Yakima roof cargo box.


I like the low profile, which also reduces wind noise.

Good luck with your installation.

 

Hi!
I just installed the DV8 rack on our 2019.
The #4 cross beam is resting on the roof as well. Like literally right on it.
I’m also experiencing some vibration against the roof from #4 at highway speeds.
I was planing to find or fabricate some spacers to raise the rack 5mm to provide some clearance.
Did you space your rack up at all?

BTW, DV8 was no help when I reached out to them via email.

 

Thanks for the thread -

I just found one of these on craigslist for 240$ seemed like a good deal to pick up. Had to order a bolt kit from DV8 as there were a few missing screws. Are you still currently having issues with these racks? they look great but dont want to cause any unnecessary issues to a truck

Also in your picture the tracks are not showing on the bars in the back . Do they not have tracks for hardware to mount stuff?

 

lvnlrg - All of the bars have tracks; for some reason, the bars in HikingMan's [OP] photos are upside down.
I've added a 1/4" spacer below the rack feet, but I still get vibration at highway speed where the crossbar vibrates on the cab roof. I just picked up some 3/8" steel spacers from my local hardware store that I plan on installing soon. My hope is that the 3/8" spacer gives me enough clearance to allow for wind vibration and keep the bars from hitting the roof of the cab.

 

Thanks for the fast response - will let you know how it comes out when done

 

All of the DV8 stuff I've bought for jeeps is garbage. I imagine it's the same for their Taco stuff.

 

HikingMan, I had pretty much the exact same experience while installing my DV8.
Did spacers offer more clearance in the back?
I was thinking of rubber grommets.
Curious to see what your solution was.

 

The 3/8" steel spacers worked amazingly well. 99% of the wind-caused roof vibrations were eliminated. I haven't had too much weight up top yet, so won't know if heavier loads will cause the bars to contact the roof again.

 

Did you get some longer mounting bolts?

 

Pricey garbage at that. I bought the FullCum package by Hooke Road for my '21 tacoma and everything came out to about $800. Head and Back shot rack. @ALI3N_123 and I were installing it the other day and a lot of pieces were mildly out of speck. They required a little hammering to line up, but it all worked out. Biggest issue was Ming Lee not packing enough flat washers and too many crush washers so we had to improvise. Besides a few spots where the PC came off (rattle can fixed it right away) and some minor hammering (minor amounts of hammering) its a pretty damn good set of racks. Id definitely go with these over a Prinsu or whatever else is out there now.

 

Just finished remounting this rack with spacers mentioned by another user, and yes, to answer your question, I did buy longer bolts. Here is what I used and the final result. I am very satisfied with the heavy-duty spacers and the bolts that I can use a ratchet on rather than an Allen key. Spacers were freekin' $2.69 each (at another hardware store), and the bolts, since they were metric, were only sold individually as well.

Raised everything 1/2". Could have gone with 1/4" but the hardware store did not have 8, so I went up to 1/2". Happy with it. Moved the wind deflector from the highest position to the lowest which brought it back down to the level it was before the lift. I'll add more silicone around the bolt heads later. The 3rd bar that was resting on the cab is no longer doing so, and any cargo I mount up there will be distributed across the other bars, so it's unlikely to be any chance of sagging back down to damage my paint.

Hope this helps anyone with this issue.