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THF



Member Since: 18 Jul 2012
Location: Sunny N Hants or Pompey
Posts: 83

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
The best roof rack?
Having just acquired our 110 XS, we're looking at slowly adding out touches for traveling and exploring. The first thing is a roof rack, where do we start? Patriot? Front Runner? OEM? Safety Devices? What's the quietest? The most economical? The longitudinal slats on a Patriot? The cross slats of a Front runner? Or the open cage of the OEM or safety devices?

The main job would before carrying the odd box on the roof for traveling and the kayaks and outdoor toys for whatever season

Prices are pretty much the same +/-£100-200 for a bit of black powder.

And with the delay of Billing ( Big Cry ) we're going to have to get it before the beginning of Aug, as ferry booked for the French Excursion.

Thanks in advance,

THF
Post #156499 18th Jul 2012 4:04pm
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Welcome to the forum...

You could start here: 'Patriot' will throw up a myriad of topics and discussions on roofracks... Thumbs Up

http://www.defender2.net/forum/search.php?mode=results If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #156502 18th Jul 2012 4:11pm
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
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Safety Devices is my choice Cool
Post #156504 18th Jul 2012 4:15pm
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Go Beyond



Member Since: 30 Jan 2012
Location: Headcorn, Kent
Posts: 6678

United Kingdom 
Brendan will be along shortly to tell you that you don't need a roof rack but a set of roof bars.

My experience of roof racks for the Defender are of the Hannibal which I have on my 110 and the OEM which we have on the firms 90

The OEM product is steel and we have replaced it twice as it rotted out - the second replacement was a Brownchurch steel model (not galvanised) and that has gone the same way ...

The Hannibal rack despite being made of Aluminium is incredibly heavy (in weight) but despite that a very nicely engineered solid product.

Be aware if buying 2nd hand that there are old and new versions (the old has square rear corners and the new are rounded), the older version is not compatible with the new awnings without some modification.
Post #156505 18th Jul 2012 4:15pm
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Zagato
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Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
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Could make your own Whistle



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Post #156506 18th Jul 2012 4:24pm
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sparkylee



Member Since: 06 Nov 2010
Location: surrey
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2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 DCPU Santorini Black
Hannibal every time Thumbs Up It's good to be back from the dark side


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Post #156518 18th Jul 2012 5:21pm
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bpman



Member Since: 21 May 2008
Location: Oslo
Posts: 8069

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
sparkylee wrote:
Hannibal every time Thumbs Up


agree Thumbs Up
Post #156519 18th Jul 2012 5:34pm
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landy andy



Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5711

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver
Front runner, as the others are far too heavy. You have a limited amount that is recommended on a defender roof, so don't waste it on the rack.

Andy
Post #156536 18th Jul 2012 6:21pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8581

United Kingdom 
Welcome to the forum THF, you may well recogonise some familiar names on here from Disco 3



Go Beyond wrote:
Brendan will be along shortly to tell you that you don't need a roof rack but a set of roof bars.




WRONG!

What I try to do is get people to consider different options unlike some people who will just say buy brand X

We can supply Patriot, Hannibal, Front Runner, Rhino Rack roof racks along with Rhino Rack, Mantec/Manbo, Thule roof bars etc.

The current roof weight limit is 150kg and a roofrack could cost well over a £1,000 and weigh well in excess of 30-40kg, whereas roof bars could be less then £300 and weigh about 6kg. A considerable saving both in weight and £ IF roof bars will do the job for THF.

If main need is just to carry a roof tent then roof bars will do the job. Maybe with just a luggage basket in front or behind the roof tent.


Roof racks come in a variety of styles and if using a roof tent check that the catches on roof tent will function properly with your roof rack.

Cheapest roof racks are probably welded plain steel ones. Galvanised ones are better from a rust point of view.

Aluminium racks come either fully welded or as a modular system such as the Patriot rack.

Luggage rails are useful but if you want a roof tent then they can provide a trip hazard getting in and out of the tent.

It is worthwhile to look at the luggage baskets made by Rhino Racks of Australia.



Brendan
Post #156542 18th Jul 2012 6:33pm
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THF



Member Since: 18 Jul 2012
Location: Sunny N Hants or Pompey
Posts: 83

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
Brendan, et al,

Thanks all for the reply, and the food for thought... Time to get back to the drawing board, and make it a little bit bigger too!!
Post #156563 18th Jul 2012 7:37pm
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fekete



Member Since: 24 Dec 2008
Location: Here on the other end of the computer
Posts: 3626

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Bonatti Grey
landy andy wrote:
Front runner, as the others are far too heavy. You have a limited amount that is recommended on a defender roof, so don't waste it on the rack.

Andy


Front runner gets my vote 2 Thumbs Up NEVER TAKE LIFE SERIOUSLY. NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE ANYWAY
Post #156568 18th Jul 2012 7:44pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
Re: The best roof rack?
THF wrote:
Having just acquired our 110 XS, we're looking at slowly adding out touches for traveling and exploring. The first thing is a roof rack, where do we start? Patriot? Front Runner? OEM? Safety Devices? What's the quietest? The most economical? The longitudinal slats on a Patriot? The cross slats of a Front runner? Or the open cage of the OEM or safety devices?

There is no right answer to this. Over the years I've had various racks from a Brownchurch box galvanised to Safety Devices, Patriot and Land Rovers' own. They all have their pro's and con's depending on what you want to use it for.

More recently I've become a roof bar convert. Apart from not being able to walk around on top, they will do almost everything that a full rack will for less weight and cost. The only other significant downside is that they don't look as sexy as a full rack, but that really is a very minor compromise.

Quote:
The main job would before carrying the odd box on the roof for traveling and the kayaks and outdoor toys for whatever season

I'm very pleased with my First Four roof bars, which would be more than adequate for that sort of use.


Click image to enlarge
 Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #156603 18th Jul 2012 9:02pm
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pope10001



Member Since: 15 Oct 2011
Location: Dulverton
Posts: 489

United Kingdom 1992 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Zermatt Silver
I have just bought a new Frontrunner slimline roof rack for my 90. I have to say that i am very disappointed! the slats vibrate so much i thought the roof was going to fall off! It was actually shaking the whole truck to point i could feel it through the steering wheel. Not impressed at all! Should have bought a Hannibal rack!

Regards,

Mark
Post #156639 19th Jul 2012 5:20am
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pouf



Member Since: 05 Aug 2010
Location: Athens
Posts: 456

Greece 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Zermatt Silver
i prefer all time classic land rover basket roof rack
http://www.lrseries.com/shop/product/listi...Y-110.html

My opinion is that you can not do everything to a classic car Very Happy www.newfoundland.gr
Post #156648 19th Jul 2012 6:40am
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THF



Member Since: 18 Jul 2012
Location: Sunny N Hants or Pompey
Posts: 83

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
All,

Thanks for all the advice, roof rails and all! In the end we've gone for a Front Runner expedition. So its gets the big Thumbs Up

Let the adventires begin!

THF
Post #158768 30th Jul 2012 11:36am
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