 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Low profile roof bars for an awning? Safari Equip? Manbo? |
 
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971   
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I've got an Ostrich Wing on the way from Tuff Trek (LittleFoot) and now I need some means of attaching it to my Defender.
I'm looking for the lowest profile ones possible so it affects the fuel consumption and increases the height as little as possible. I have no plans to fit a roof tent (and am going out of my way to avoid doing so). I don't know if it's possible to (sensibly) fit an awning to the Safari Equip ones but on the face of it they seem the lowest profile. I'm not averse to a bit of fabricobbling so long as I can do something neat  Brendan? I'd be buying them from you if they were suitable! I was thinking something like a pipe clamp round the tubes and on to the awning but not sure if that would work.
Otherwise the Manbo ones seem reasonably tight fitting? I don't like the look of the Thule ones with lots of stick-y out bits, but am open to any other suggestions 
Thanks. |
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14th Nov 2016 7:31pm |
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| DuncanS Member Since: 07 Dec 2013 Location: Cumbria Posts: 299 
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http://www.4x4overlander.com/product/cargo...roof-bars/
If you don't mind paying with your firstborn. North Cumbria Search and Rescue - Team Leader |
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14th Nov 2016 7:41pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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I use front runner foot no. 5 with standard width bars for Defender. With that setup you've just about 1.5-2cm clearance under the roof bars. Can't get any tighter than that. Front runner is quality gear.
Front runner will sell you the above combination they they'll recommend against. The standard for a Defender is foot no. 7 I can take a piccy tomorrow if you need |
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14th Nov 2016 9:27pm |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7918 
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What about the Flat Dog bars? Just to add to the mix. James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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14th Nov 2016 9:46pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1467 
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Dan,
When you get chance, I'd like to see a picture please. Particularly, how close the brackets and nuts/bolts get to the roof. Thanks.  |
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14th Nov 2016 9:46pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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I do mind paying with my firstborn! I'd also have to either take out a loan on the firstborn, and I hear that interest on children is quite high, or kidnap one! I'm not sure that they'd actually gain me anything that I need though would they?
That sounds very promising, thanks. Where did you buy the separate bits from? So far I've only found the standard kit with the No. 7. Edit: Turns out that TT are also dealers in Front Runner stuff. I wonder why they didn't suggest their bars when I asked. |
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14th Nov 2016 10:00pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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I am not familiar with the Ostrich Wing, but looking at the fitting instructions here I do not know if other fitting kits are available.
I can not see it fitting to any of the mentioned roofbars without modification using that fitting kitting kit. If the spacing of the slots on the Ostrich wing is the same as the Foxwing it will fit onto the Manbo bars. With the Manbo bars keep the front bar away from the front of the roof to avoid wind noise. You would need to fabricate awning brackets to work with the Ostrich wing and the Safari Equip low profile bars. The Nakatanenga roof bar are just less then 60mm above the Defender roofline. The Cargo Bear awning brackets will accommodate a wide variety of awnings. Just let us know the spacing on the back of the Ostrich Wing and I will check it out. There is a range of accessories for the Cargo Bear roof bars on the way to us. Lamp brackets, CB aerial brackets etc. HTH Brendan |
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14th Nov 2016 10:15pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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Thank you for the input Brendan.
I hadn't actually seen that sheet before so that's handy. How low profile are the Safari Equip ones that you sell? Given that I'm going to have to be making something anyway, that might be an option? I like the fact they're a bit wider too which should be useful. Part of me is saying I should just make the whole lot myself  |
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14th Nov 2016 10:47pm |
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| LittleFoot Member Since: 25 Aug 2012 Location: east sussex Posts: 233
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Hi Tom,
Ostrich Wing is supplied with 2 specific T brackets, plus a unique Z bracket primarily designed to fit into the T slots found on the edge frame on most South African expedition racks (ie. Flat racks). Examples include Front Runner (Slimline 2), Hannibal, EZ Awn (IIRC) and also on the Italian Rack system (UPRACKS).Front Runner & UPRACKS we supply
Issues with bars? The 3 brackets are unlikely to fit on most bars (you need 2 t slots per bracket/bar) including Manbo, FR etc. The Ostrich wing can exert high torsional forces due to its self supporting nature & very large surface area, so needs very strong bars. If using bars then it's preferable to use a length of suitable aluminium extrusion to mount the 2 T brackets to, bolted onto your bars as they do in south Africa on 'bakkies (pickups). The UPRACKS roof racls are quite low profile in their section and totally flat (very nice system), or as mentioned (unofficially) the #5 leg may fit with a Front Runner Slimline 2 roof rack. Yes, we are Front Runner and UPRACKS Dealers
Hope this helps somewhat? Ps we're finalising our own mounts for the G4 type Land Rover tubular racks
Dara (LittleFoot) Last edited by LittleFoot on 14th Nov 2016 11:00pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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14th Nov 2016 10:55pm |
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| LittleFoot Member Since: 25 Aug 2012 Location: east sussex Posts: 233
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I think the Rhino rack Roof Rack system will also work as they have slots on the outside frame too (IIRC)?
The Terrafirma racks don't have t slots in the subside rails (IIRC) which is the same for another affordable version.
Dara (LittleFoot) Last edited by LittleFoot on 14th Nov 2016 11:00pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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14th Nov 2016 10:56pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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Off top of my head I can not remember that measurement.
If I get half a chance I will check tomorrow. Brendan |
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14th Nov 2016 10:58pm |
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| LittleFoot Member Since: 25 Aug 2012 Location: east sussex Posts: 233
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Will check that dimension tomorrow and pm you Brendan. Be interesting to see if that will be a suitable option for our customers who do not want a full roof rack.
Dara (LittleFoot) |
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14th Nov 2016 11:06pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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Hey! We're back online!
Here you can see the Front Runner roof bars with a #5 foot. Spot on in my opinion. These bars have T slots in them. The bars are very strong and there's almost no flex in them. I can't see a reason why 3 roof bars wouldn't be just as strong as a roof rack. You may have to fabricate your own brackets but it will still be much cheaper & lighter than a roof rack.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  |
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15th Nov 2016 4:12pm |
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| LittleFoot Member Since: 25 Aug 2012 Location: east sussex Posts: 233
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Good pics
Now that's what I call low profile! As suggested no reason why you can't go with 3x FR bars and make a pair of flat spreader plates to take each T bracket, in turn bolted to 2 of the bars. Z bracket can either fix on 3rd bar at rear or use longer HD home made spreader plates? It's true the FR bars are seriously solid! Dara (LittleFoot) |
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15th Nov 2016 4:20pm |
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