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Low profile ladder rack ideas


Paul McGhee
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I'm trying to find a mfg. that makes a low profile ladder rack that would enable me to pull into a standard 7' overhead door. The lwb connect is 72.8 high so obviously no higher than 11". Another idea I had is to by a Yakima rooftop carrier as it would be low enough to get me in the garage with a bundle of conduit and a ladder. Any thoughts or ideas?

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The Vantech J1000 series is only 3.25" tall, not sure if that's the type of rack you're looking for. Basically just crossbars with legs attached so you don't need factory rails and they use the factory holes in the roof. There's a seller on Ebay with 20% off sale currently, I've been eyeballing them but the 3-bar system is still like $250 even with the sale price, don't really have that kinda money right now lol, free shipping though. http://www.ebay.com/itm/281371563105?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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The Vantech J1000 series is only 3.25" tall, not sure if that's the type of rack you're looking for. Basically just crossbars with legs attached so you don't need factory rails and they use the factory holes in the roof. There's a seller on Ebay with 20% off sale currently, I've been eyeballing them but the 3-bar system is still like $250 even with the sale price, don't really have that kinda money right now lol, free shipping though. http://www.ebay.com/itm/281371563105?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Question...

Does that attach using stock holes or would you need to drill new ones?

I'm looking at running a rooftop tent but I don't have the OEM rails, so I've been looking at ladder racks to see if I could make them work to support the tent. Or at least give me a base to work from.

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Question...

Does that attach using stock holes or would you need to drill new ones?

I'm looking at running a rooftop tent but I don't have the OEM rails, so I've been looking at ladder racks to see if I could make them work to support the tent. Or at least give me a base to work from.

According to their website, you drop the headliner (in wagons) and use the included nutplates with stock holes after you pull the factory plug out. Or, you could install Nutserts (Rivnuts, whatever) sold separately in the factory holes so you don't have to drop the headliner. I'd go with the nutserts myself, a lot easier to install since you don't need to hold a nutplate in place inside the van while mounting the feet up on top. The 2-bar system is rated 400lbs, 3-bar is 600lbs. http://vantech.us/Transit-Connect-2014-On-J1000-rack-3-Bar-50-bars-Black-J1203B.htm

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  • 3 weeks later...

That is a really great question. What the rack will take and what Ford wants up on the roof are not the same. The rack has only to hold the stuff on the roof. Ford has to take into account what a 600 Lb load will do to the safe operation of the vehicle two very different things.

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