Fixed-Point Roof Racks (Yakima Landing Pads, Rails, etc.)

[SkeeterB]

With the headliner down you can through bold the landing pads into good structure.

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[Snax]

This is an interesting video: Drilled Into the Roof of my Ranger ! | Prinsu Roof Rack Install - YouTube

It's a Ranger, but it looks like it has very similar gutter trim. The guy manages to access the bolts without having to completely remove the headliner. Hmmm...

 

[sunismymed]

(trimmed)
Yakima has a custom install service and my kayak dealer is one. The only problem is the cost would come in around $3/4k for everything.

I want to DIY it. I watched a youtube video on installing rivnuts without the riveter. Am I stupid?

The only thing stupid would be to spend $4K to install roof racks on a $20K vehicle ;-)

Let us know what you end up doing, many of us are in the same boat. Or kayak

 

[Snax]

I just found this for the Ranger: A track that doesn't even require the removal of the headliner. 2019 Ranger SuperCrew RhinoRack Backbone System with Pioneer Platform Install - YouTube

The Ranger seems to have only two attachment points for the trim, unlike 4 for the Maverick. Cutting through the trim, rather than unbolting it from inside, is attractive. But I'd be nervous cutting that close to the paint. The little bit of tape the guy uses doesn't seem like much protection. Maybe sliding in a little strip of steel or something would be possible.

 

[bdaniel230]

I found a place to download the Service Manual from Ford. Because this is a new vehicle I want the step by step to remove the headliner. And Yakima has the rails that should fit nearly perfectly, may actually need to be ground down a few milimeters, it shows 42mm wide and either 42 or 60 inches long. They have mounting holes every six inches along the length so that is exactly what I have been trying to find. I can still make my own if this doesn't work the way I want but it is almost exactly what I had planned to do to make my own rails. That Ford thought far enough to put holes in the roof that the gutter trim mounts through is even better and those holes appear to be located in the front and rear box beams and on either side of the B pillar box beams and in the locations where they won't pull out. If I am correct then you can put blind nutserts in those holes so the rail can be replaced if it needs to be. I think that those locations would be fantastic to put in an anodized aluminum standoff and attach aluminum T-track. Which would keep the weight down.
Thanks for that information Snax!!!! perfect for what I need. I will see about getting the 72 hour manual download, maybe I can make an entire manual in 72 hours

 

[Snax]

I found a place to download the Service Manual from Ford. Because this is a new vehicle I want the step by step to remove the headliner. And Yakima has the rails that should fit nearly perfectly, may actually need to be ground down a few milimeters, it shows 42mm wide and either 42 or 60 inches long. They have mounting holes every six inches along the length so that is exactly what I have been trying to find. I can still make my own if this doesn't work the way I want but it is almost exactly what I had planned to do to make my own rails. That Ford thought far enough to put holes in the roof that the gutter trim mounts through is even better and those holes appear to be located in the front and rear box beams and on either side of the B pillar box beams and in the locations where they won't pull out. If I am correct then you can put blind nutserts in those holes so the rail can be replaced if it needs to be. I think that those locations would be fantastic to put in an anodized aluminum standoff and attach aluminum T-track. Which would keep the weight down.
Thanks for that information Snax!!!! perfect for what I need. I will see about getting the 72 hour manual download, maybe I can make an entire manual in 72 hours

Cool idea! Please keep us posted, especially if you can take some photos or video when you do this.

 

[djb_rh]

Oh man, T-track where that black plastic trim is would be the bomb.

I can say for sure that Ford had or has plans for things they haven’t implemented yet. The SnugTop has a power module in the back corner that has plugs and fuses for a power lock module for the top, but there’s no such device and no information on *exactly* how to wire it. Just an example, it seems like there are a few more like this.

Anyway, I’d donate to the first person to figure out and post a how-to on some black t-track on the roof where that black plastic is!

 

[Delbert]

Yakima has their own track. It uses 8mm screws to attach it and an 8mm rivnut fits perfectly into a 10 mm hole which was the size on that Ranger video. I'm going to use landing pads instead of track but it seems like you could do the entire install without drilling into the truck using track.

I am working out the bed crossbars right now. I'd like it it be the same height as the roof rack and my measurements show that they need to be to be 23" above the sides of the bed. The roof is 17 1/2 inches above the rails and the landing pad, towers and core bar are 5 1/2" I can't find a rack exactly that height but I am working on it. It would also be nice to be able to lower it as well

The Mav's unibody construction means that the bed and cab are all part of the same frame and do not move separately. Try this with a body on frame truck and you would have nothing but trouble.

 

[sunismymed]

The Ranger seems to have only two attachment points for the trim, unlike 4 for the Maverick.

I thought the trim was just glued in place and that the 2022 Maverick didn't have mounting points for rails. It would be great to learn that there are mounting points.

The little bit of tape the guy uses doesn't seem like much protection. Maybe sliding in a little strip of steel or something would be possible.

He was using a Dremel, a tiny rotary tool like that is very precise. Instead of tape, I'd cut a piece of flexible kitchen cutting mat, and tape it down. It's very flexible and really cheap. You'd hear a distinct sound when the blade is brushing against it and can back off. Then again, steel would offer better protection. Maybe both?

 

[Snax]

I thought the trim was just glued in place and that the 2022 Maverick didn't have mounting points for rails. It would be great to learn that there are mounting points.

There aren’t mounting points in the conventional sense. Many vehicles these days have easily-removable rubber trim covering up threaded holes designed specifically for racks. Instead, the Maverick has bolted-on trim that requires uninstalling the headliner to remove it. Then, the unthreaded holes go fully through the roof, unlike the more common sealed attachment points.

So, it’s possible to use the holes to attach a track—but not fixed-point mounts, since most (all?) mounts require at least two holes each.

I suspect that Ford may have originally intended to install tracks on the roof. But that’s just speculation. What is obvious is that they have not made it easy to simply pull off the trim, bolt on some mounts, and then reinstall the trim. But at least there are workarounds!

 

[Delbert]

Use tin snips to cut the plastic trim. Little chance of marring the paint.

The Yakima landing pad lp22 uses a single 8mm hex head bolt to fasten it to the roof. If you want to use the predrilled holes removing the headliner might be necessary to unbolt the trim. You will need to supply the rivnuts to turn the 10mm hole into a threaded anchor point. I'm hoping to just drill new holes. We will see.

Watch a video or two on how to install rivnuts. I like the one where the guy uses an impact drill. Harbor Freight sells the big (18 inch handles) rivet tool but you will be stuck ordering the stainless rivnuts online elsewhere.

12 days till my Mav arrives.

 

[sunismymed]

I suspect that Ford may have originally intended to install tracks on the roof. But that’s just speculation. What is obvious is that they have not made it easy to simply pull off the trim, bolt on some mounts, and then reinstall the trim. But at least there are workarounds!

They held it back to make it a new feature in a later model year. With such a short bed, you need to hang things over the cab sometimes. Kayak, small sailboats. One of the few things the Santa Cruz has is optional cab rails. Not trying to rile up nobody, just saying ;-)

Hopefully someone figures out a good approach for the 22 Mav, or maybe it's a 23 for me?

 

[sunismymed]

12 days till my Mav arrives.

Thanks for the pdf, hadn't seen a 'landing pad' before. Geez, 'cover plates' would have been nice. If you go ahead with it, don't forget to take some pics or a vid for us here.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Three per pad.

Yakima makes good stuff, and their processes are well-researched and tested. I don't think that they will steer people wrong. And, while I don't yet know if it's true for the Maverick, gutters are where car manufactures often hide seams--so there could be two layers of metal there. But, even if it's just one layer, I trust that Yakima knows what they are doing.

Not only seams (almost certain) but the channel will increase strength as well as the curvature of the metal between the doors and the channel. Split "nuts" that expand like molly bolts are made for that purpose also.

 

[bdaniel230]

Yakima has their own track. It uses 8mm screws to attach it and an 8mm rivnut fits perfectly into a 10 mm hole which was the size on that Ranger video. I'm going to use landing pads instead of track but it seems like you could do the entire install without drilling into the truck using track.

I am working out the bed crossbars right now. I'd like it to be the same height as the roof rack and my measurements show that they need to be to be 23" above the sides of the bed. The roof is 17 1/2 inches above the rails and the landing pad, towers, and core bar are 5 1/2" I can't find a rack exactly that height but I am working on it. It would also be nice to be able to lower it as well

The Mav's unibody construction means that the bed and cab are all part of the same frame and do not move separately. Try this with a body on frame truck and you would have nothing but trouble.

I like the looks of

that Addictive Desert Honey Badger rack but for the price, I can't justify it. But it looks great

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