Here's a perspective from someone who does upfitting of vehicles everyday, for years, multiple parts options, on multiple choices on several vehicle platforms without discounting your own perspective(s). What you mention here as far as "all the work and hassle of piecing together a system" you totally contradict in the second half of your comment, just wanted to point that out. Yanking a rack off of another vehicle and figuring out a way to make it work on another is exactly the same thing involved, the only variable that changes is new parts vs old parts, and the perceived value of either; and that doesnt mean cheap is good and or of any quality whether relying on the component itself or the work involved in securing it.

We've seen people miss-load a rack made for the vehicle itself and because of improper loading or more prevent, overloading, watch that rack come right off and we're talking name brand racks designed and made for those vehicles.

If that were the case, every rack would be of one type, design, and capacities and everyone would just have to figure out a way to make it work on their vehicle platform. Outside of that, clearly you haven't taken into consideration all the variables; static weight vs dynamic weight being number one concern. Just because a component that works on one vehicle, this case being a rack, doesn't necessarily mean it works exactly the same on another vehicle. Just like when we do lift kits. Out of a hundred trucks even with similar kits and or components done, I've yet to see two come out exactly identical.



Here's where Static loads and dynamic loads begin to make sense. For example, The Front Runner bed racks, can easily hold well over 1600 lbs in combination of the rack and the supporting mounts. But that doesn't mean the side rails of the bed of the trucks will support that weight even when evenly distributed around.

In the sense of a "Roof Rack" The mounting points matter so here's what you'll find. the 145lbs is Static weight, meaning standing still it can hold XXX.XX amount of weight, (145lbs). The dynamic weight, or what some people refer to "working weight" is the weight load while the vehicle is in motion. The reason for the difference is that when moving, your vehicle is turning, accelerating and braking, which all exert lateral forces on the top of your vehicle, and can make it unstable, when driving. In other words, when your vehicle is stationary, the steel frame or Frontier rack can easily take the weight of 145lbs. but while moving that will be significantly lower.

I don't know what size wheel and tires you have but when I see OE racks like the Frontier and see a spare tire mounted up there with a 33" or larger I avoid them. My trucks run on average 17" wheels with 33" to 35" mud tires. My 34" tires with 17" aluminum wheels, with 38oz of Ride-On material inside actually weigh in at 102lbs with full air. which I guarantee is over the dynamic weight load capability of the OE Nissan Frontier rack by possibly 20-30lbs alone. Not exactly a safe situation. I made a post above with a video link, it's full of valuable experience and information, you might like it.

The Frontier rack is severely limited in its own right on the vehicle it was meant for, same as the explorer rack, add in modifications of cutting and welding and you might make the rack handle more weight, but not the vehicle itself and that is further compounded by the fact of you will be taking a pre-existing component from another platform with a fixed anchor point from that vehicle. If that only allows you to mount to sheet metal, that's an accident waiting to happen unless you're just mounting a rack on the roof just to pose next to a near empty and un-functional rack. Even taking to task the fabrication of a bracket to widen or shorten can alter and change weight distribution and capacity. Back at square one.

Without going for a hard sell, a safe and reliable means of securing a rack with components meant to mount where you needed them to, the ability to have or even change out some brackets to alter or customize the height with semi-permanent mounting or legs, and create a rack that works for the specific size needed, add in expedition bars whether just along the sides, front, or all of the rack IF you wanted a basket style rack, and or have almost 75-80 accessories meant to make cargo latching and storage solutions dramatically simpler, highly functional, even safer, are where the benefits start to shine. Add in the quality and or extra options of adding in more slats to make a platform that you could setup for photography tripods or even remove the rack when needed and add in just a set of crossbars. the point is multi functionality is key. Anything you can use to serve more than one function or purpose without locking yourself in should be considered more than a benefit. Weight is always the concern. And if it also looks good,.. bonus!

You might be looking at it from the perspective of ONLY costs.. to myself when I am on the clock for a customer, time is money and far out weighs many product costs as the guys doing the work and their time, even my own time costs far more than trying to reinvent the wheel. And my job is to get the customer what they want within a realistic manner, not sacrifice quality, safety, or service. Cost is a moot point when you find value in everything else.


In short, like I said you're doing the same things only choosing new parts or older parts, and purely on the basis you think you're going to save some money whether that thought is short term or long term depends on how many corners you cut everywhere else to save a dollar or even time.

__________________
12° North Industries
Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
Web www.12degnorth.com

We try to help honestly, all we can do is bring forth products and experience and whether you look towards us or someone else's products, we hope we add into the thought processes for additional things to think about.

Attaching to structure work is why we suggested the rail system idea along with a the ability to choose the racks workable size and other functions. Not to mention the ability to truly make every flat surface on the rack usable.


We are assuming you mean in this manner?


You wouldn't really want to have anything locking the two racks together specifically because the bed and cab move independently, especially if you have removed or your ranger does not have rear sway bars. This is clearly seen when we see Awnings mounted on such vehicle setups and someone wants to put another bracket to the front rack because they think that last 2 ft of the awning needs the additional support. Something always breaks, usually the bracket, sometimes a channel cracks on a rack or the awning structure, and sometimes a leg will pull a screw or riv-nut out of the metal.

Tying a load of boards front and back on the rear rack of the cap would be fine, you would just be using the front rack for support under the load, not tying/strapping to it directly rather than having the boards hang off the rear without support. If you secured them on the rear rack or even cross bars properly shouldn't need more than that anyway.


The mounts will should run parallel to the rain gutters, the rack will be flat, the height of the legs that connect the rack to the rails can vary, curvature although a factor to denote, isn't the important factor unless you're keeping in mind wind noise, the addition of a single or double row LED light bar tucked under the rack vs to the front or top. Single Row or SR light bars mount and tuck under a rack nicely and reduce wind noises. If you were to mount a table or a solar panel storage under the rack.



Also most sunroofs with exception to old school pop up sunroofs, all have a slight curvature to them to blend in with a ton of vehicles, the industry hasn't changed as much as vehicles have. They even have sunroofs with frames that have structurally corrugated to really blend in with roofs like those on the older XJ JEEP Cherokee Sports [square bodied], but to fit the curvature of the roof; side to side as well as front to back can easily be adjusted with the same curvature to every sunroof and just changing sizes of the insert. So if the 35"x18" doesn't blend in with the roof line right, the 32"x16.5" and they will either figure that out before they cut and sell the roof or they've done so many they know what works and what doesn't.

Did sunroof installs for almost 10 years. The silly thing about that industry is as a customer you look at a $600 sunroof mod/install as a value to the vehicle, but the Automotive industry will ding you about $2k for doing it. The vehicles that come with sunroofs are structurally different in the upper roof lines and supports of the A, B, C, and D pillars and are meant to account for a hole in the roof. On a non Sunroof or moon-roof really is what most vehicles today have as they suck into the car not out of, there is less support in the roof line and supports because the solid roof line factors into the vehicles strength in rollovers or impacts.



Just some effort in offering my experiences in installs and being a product specialist. We have access to 4 or 5 rack companies, but honestly, between the quality and functionality of Front Runner racks, they have so much to offer often beyond others. Maybe not a 100% of the time but when you compare the application list across from others, its pretty extensive in comparison.


Be interesting to see how it comes out regardless, keep this thread going as you progress through your choice.

__________________
12° North Industries
Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
Web www.12degnorth.com