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Jim_Bean

Member Since: 10 May 2011
Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border
Posts: 613

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black

Front runner - roof box and bike carrier?

Looking at a Front Runner 110 expedition roof. Just wondered if you guys had any experience of mounting a Thule box or Thule bike carrier on the Front Runner.

I was looking at the photos on their website and the horizontal bars look a little close to get the roof box on.

2nd Jun 2013 7:07pm

Jim_Bean

Member Since: 10 May 2011
Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border
Posts: 613

Any ideas guys?

Anyone put a roof box or Thule bike rack on a Front Runner or Hannibal rack?

Just wondered if they fitted OK. What size are the track grooves within the horizontal bars on the Front Runner?

They look like they might accommodate the Thule bike carrier bolts straight away.

10th Jun 2013 2:37pm

camelman

Member Since: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Peak District
Posts: 3370

Hi Jim,
the front runner racks accept an M8 bolt with a 13mm head, they won't take anything bigger than this and I believe the thule bolts are larger than that?

I had a cheapo halfords bike carrier and drilled the holes to match the spacings between the relevant bars on the front runner.

you need to be careful when tightening the bolts up as the rack is aluminium and if you put too much effort in, you end up just gauging a chunk out of the slotted channel.

I've swapped mine for a karitek rack as a) the front runner was costing me around £400 a year in fuel and b) I don't have to climb up a shiny new defender carrying a mountain bike anymore

10th Jun 2013 2:49pm

Jim_Bean

Member Since: 10 May 2011
Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border
Posts: 613

Thanks for the tip!

I'm just looking at your gallery now..

Are there any pics of the karitek rack? Sounds interesting...

In general, other than the fuel economy, how did you find the Front Runner? I used to have a Hannibal rack on my 90 and loved it. The Front Runner looks a similar quality but cheaper and the T-Tracks look useful. I think the Thule heads are 24mm so they aren't going to fit then

10th Jun 2013 4:03pm

Jim_Bean

Member Since: 10 May 2011
Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border
Posts: 613

Just found your photo of the karitek rack. So the rack slides down? Never seen them before!

10th Jun 2013 4:05pm

camelman

Member Since: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Peak District
Posts: 3370

The frontrunner rack looked the business but hit the mpg big time (3-4mpg) and is noisy at motorway speeds, even with the diffuse plate fitted.

The karitek fits better with what I carry (kayaks/bikes) and it's easy enough to whip off if you want to fit a roof box or similar to the Thule bars underneath.

Undo a couple of pins and the whole rack slides down alongside the car.

There's videos/pics on www.karitek.co.uk

10th Jun 2013 8:44pm

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