[Roty]

My wife and I have decided to become more active, so we will be purchasing kayaks. I will be using the factory roof rack on my '12 Pro4x with any additional equipment I may need to purchase (cross bars, etc.). The issue is I'm not sure what I need to make it work. I have saw several threads along with pictures of what others have done, but I am new to this and I can't figure what I need. I want to make it safe for 12' kayaks at highway speeds 55-70. The local lake is a 30 min to 1 hr drive from here depending which side you are going to. I also want to maintain the factory roof rack without damaging it in anyway. Could anyone point me in the right direction with pictures, part numbers, etc? Thanks!

 

[nfloyd77]

I don't have a factory roof rack so I bought and installed a ladder rack to carry my vibe sg130. Having loaded and unloaded it from there once, I am now considering a trailer or a load extender that goes in the hitch. While the kayak weighs only 80-90 pounds, it's 13 feet long and awkward for me to load and unload by myself without damaging the kayak. -Just my two cents.


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[Roty]

I don't have a factory roof rack so I bought and installed a ladder rack to carry my vibe sg130. Having loaded and unloaded it from there once, I am now considering a trailer or a load extender that goes in the hitch. While the kayak weighs only 80-90 pounds, it's 13 feet long and awkward for me to load and unload by myself without damaging the kayak. -Just my two cents.


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This is the option I was discussing with my wife. If my son decides he wants to join us we will have a 3rd kayak, and at that point there is not enough room on the roof. He would not need one as big as us and it could fit in the bed probably but a trailer may be the best option when it is all said and done.

 

[BrewskiSucks]

I have put two 10' kayaks on my roof rack without any additional mounting hardware. I just strapped them on edge, bottom to bottom and cranked them down tight. They held just fine for an hour drive at hwy speed and makes it easy to take off since you just need to untie the straps and take them off. I have also put them in the bed of the truck, tailgate down with a strap going to the cleats holding them forward.

Now this may not be a permanent solution, but if you are just getting into it and don't want to invest a ton of money that's the route I'd go.

 

[jstpsgthruyrwrld]

Yakima and Thule make detachable roof racks. but you would need to be tall. I've seen utility racks in truck beds that would work.

 

[Clint]

No matter what you do MAKE SURE it's tied to the front of the truck. Countless times driving on the highway I see things tied side to side keep catching air and lifting up. I have seen items on the side of the road still attached to the roof rack on the ground. Imagine the vehicles behind that numb nut went it took off, must still be at a laundry cleaning their shorts. They just got tugged one time to many a zap, it's airborne. A rope to the front hook will prevent that from happening.
Enjoy the kayaks and post up pictures of the truck loaded.

Clint

 

[RossD40]

I usually haul my 14ft WS tarpon 140 on the roof with no issues, although I have had a 12ft'r up there with it at times. I like to tie it to both sides of the factory roof rack, tie it to the front tow hook, and then finish it off by by attaching to the utilitrack hook mounts. I put the sliding utilitrack mounts in both of the floor tracks and then loop the strap in a large U shape over the yak. You can just throw 10ft'rs in the bed with the tailgate up. I've gone short distances with the 14ft'r in my short bed (tailgate down), just had to secure it really well. Best way is with a hitch bed extender, can pretty much handle any length.

 

[Boomer32]

X2 w/the bed extender especially since you are only going about an hour away. I added slim LED trailer lights for additional safety. I started with a Harbor Freight extender then moved up to the Boonedox. It makes it easier to rinse off as I only saltwater fish out of mine and have few other smaller kayaks to just paddle around in.

If committed to adding to the roof - a few options with the foam blocks or kayak cradles, but after 8-10 hours on the water, the last thing I'd want to do is load everything up on the roof.......my 2 cents.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Roty]

I appreciate the advice everyone. I believe I will go with the bed extender and put it in a upright position that the roof rack can be used if we use 3 kayaks. Otherwise I will just use it in the lower position. This seems like it would be the best choice for us for the price.

 

[plmc]

Here's a unique homemade solution currently on for sale in Boston area CL. Not mine I don't have any kayaks would buy it if I did.

 

[Roty]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I got lucky. A friend of mine gave me a trailer that he wasn't using anymore.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1720-lb-capacity-48-in-x-96-in-super-duty-folding-trailer-62671.html

I'm gonna mod the trailer for hauling them.

 

[BrewskiSucks]

I ended up getting these a few months back.

Normally I would just put the kayaks in the bed of the truck for a day trip to the lake. But I also wanted to take them camping and I use a tent trailer which doesn't allow anything to stick out the back of the truck. These JowLows are perfect because they hold the kayaks in place very rigid and secure without any risk of moving and when I am done and get back home, I just fold them down so the truck can fit in my garage without actually removing them from the roof rack.

I got mine on rackwarehouse.com because they had a better deal but now it seems like their price has gone up and Amazon has gone down so you might shop around for the best deal.

This seem like a more portable/maneuverable option than a trailer, cheaper too. And you can still put more kayaks in the bed, so you could haul two on top, two in the bed, for a total of four kayaks if needed.

 

[Grommit]

https://www.austinkayak.com/products/4149/Yakima-Rack-and-Roll-78-Trailer.html

Here's the proper way to do it. No need to thank me. This is by far the best kayak trailer I've dealt with and is worth every penny. NEVER try to lift a kayak up on top of your vehicle. I'm pretty strong but to even think of lifting that 98 pound kayak up over my head and onto a truck's roof rack without scratchiing the paint is sheer insanity, especially after the end of a day of paddling where your arms are just wet noodles as well.

This one works well enough and folds up completely tight to hang against the side of the house or inside your garage if you so desire. No need to take up any of your yard.

 

[BrewskiSucks]

Holy $h!t! $2,300 for that little dinky trailer!?!? No thanks!

My setup was $300 including shipping. My Kayaks, roof rack, and a few seasons worth of gas are cheaper than just that trailer. No tools required to install/uninstall. They fold down out of the way, I've even taken them through the car wash a couple times. And I have no problem lifting my kayaks up onto the truck. Scratches? What scratches? My kayaks are 50lbs each so both of mine are less than one of yours. (Are yours made out of stainless steel...?)

For my uses a trailer is a complete waste. Waste of money (waaaaay too expensive for a rack that does the exact same thing), waste of space (to store when not in use), waste of space (when traveling, I'd rather have something fun behind me), and just all around more difficult to maneuver once you get to the location. Parking spaces are a premium at the lake so any added bulk is not welcomed.

 

[dave11]

I have a 10 ft kayak. I just put it in the bed crossways, tie it down, and go.

 

[hotdogtaco]

subscribing for info on hauling kayaks.
We have our Kayaks but my new frontier didn't come w/any roof racks.

 

[erturne]

Thule AeroBlade

I carry my 14 foot Wilderness Systems Tarpon on Thule AeroBlade crossbars. I use two web lashing straps (NOT ratchet straps... you'll damage your kayak with those!!!) to tie it to the cross bar, then rope front and back. On the front I tie it to two nylon webbing loops that mount to bolts under the hood (just tuck them in when they aren't in use), and in the back I tie to my Utilitrack cleats. Make sure to tuck in any loose straps or buckles so they don't bang on the roof as you drive down the road. I've driven 70+ mph with this method without any problem. I usually stop before I get on the highway to double check that nothing has come loose since I left the house.

Here's what you need (plus some rope):

Lashing straps

Nylon loops

Loading by yourself is easy using this method:

 

[2006_FrontierLE]

.... On the front I tie it to two nylon webbing loops that mount to bolts under the hood (just tuck them in when they aren't in use).....

I did the same thing with my kayaks on the roofrack. The webbing loops secured with the bolts and a washer worked great. As you said, when not in use they tuck nicely away.

 

[20009]

I fabricated a rack out of 1” square tubing way back when I had my 1st gen desert runner. I cut it up a few years ago

 

[Playalinda]

I only have a 10' now, but may get a 14' in the future. This helps, cheers.