Leitner load bars + Droprack (lowering roof rack design)

[vtgrenadier]

With Leitner's 20% Black Friday sale, I'm tempted to go ahead and get the base racks... most of my roof rack 'needs' are for a canoe/kayak/Adirondack boat.

I've also been keen on the Droprack - despite being hideously expensive - because of repeated rotator cuff injuries. The idea of loading boats at shoulder height - instead of above it - is really appealing.

Here's my question for those with Leitner racks: do the crossbars have enough material to allow for drilling straight through so that I could use an upside-down T-slot in the Droprack and avoid altogether a need for their clamp system? This would result in the Droprack securing directly to the Leitner crossbar (nothing that I may need to separate them with a washer so that the sliding mechanism of the Droprack isn't pinched. I'm trying to keep the rack as low as possible and cannot think of another way to simplify the number of components involved. The mounting video shows (at 1:47) that you are supposed to slide a clamp into place:

Dropracks Installation on Car Watch Video!

Watch video! How to install Dropracks lowering roof rack onto your car! Quick and simple step by step video walkthrough.

www.dropracks.com

Again, my thought is to bypass the clamp and mount directly onto a Leitner cross bar... but, as I cannot have T-slot to T-slot (there'd be no way to tighten), I'm instead thinking of sliding the T-slot into the Droprack and then securing to the Leitner from the bottom of the Leitner cross-bar.

Hoping I'm making sense... and guess the real question is: does the Leitner crossbar have enough material so can I drill straight through the T-slot on the top of the crossbar and secure the nut on the bottom? I can't tell from their website because I can't find any photos of a crossbar without the plastic end-cap in place. I think three (3) T-slots per crossbar would make it nice and secure.

 

[vtgrenadier]

I'm now seeing a limitation to my idea... after reviewing the Leitner installation instructions, I see that they are 'static' in position and cannot be adjusted. It would be quite the coincidence if the Droprack perfectly fit between the spread of the Leitners... back to the drawing board.

EDIT: it appears that the Droprack has accounted for fixed positions and offer a set of bars that can be cut to length... this just might work!

 

[Asnes]

Should be same design as the cross bars for the 3/4 + full rack, but with only one t-slot as they are narrower (leitber rail on the right).

I just ordered the 3/4 rack - they only go on sale twice a year.

 

[Jeffrey]

Wrong. The Leitner crossbars are fully adjustable to any position you need. You can drill holes and put bolts through, or you can use the T-slots that are in the bars.

 

[vtgrenadier]

Wrong. The Leitner crossbars are fully adjustable to any position you need. You can drill holes and put bolts through, or you can use the T-slots that are in the bars.

That's not what the instructions and photos seem to suggest... they show that the Leitner bases replace the existing grab handle brackets. What am I missing since I'm "wrong?"

 

[ethree]

When it comes to overall height, for some of us, this is a huge deal. Seems to be one of two important questions. The other being functionality.

Black Sheep, so far, is definitive on the height addition. 33mm of added height or 1.3”. That’s the best I have seen for the height question. Functionality-wise, it’s a flat board.

Leitner seems to be 2.5”, some say 2.25”. That inch might not seem like a lot but it is. I’d like something definitive. Functionally, Leitner is phenomenal.

Maybe a simple question.

Does the height of the roof rack sit higher in height than the safari windows when open?

Black sheep is definitely below.

 

[Jeffrey]

That's not what the instructions and photos seem to suggest... they show that the Leitner bases replace the existing grab handle brackets. What am I missing since I'm "wrong?"

True that Leitner provides replacement brackets to mount the rack to the vehicle. That has nothing to do with adjustable crossbars.

 

[vtgrenadier]

True that Leitner provides replacement brackets to mount the rack to the vehicle. That has nothing to do with adjustable crossbars.

I continue to be confused by your responses... are you saying that the Leitner bars are adjustable 'fore and aft' - as in front and back? From what I see on the instructions, the brackets replace the factory ones and the crossbars mount DIRECTLY to those brackets. That suggests to me that they are immovable except for a few select and fixed positions where the existing bolts go into the vehicle.

If true, my initial thoughts were that the Droprack would have to coincidentally land in one of those fixed positions... I have since realized that that's fine, as any adjustment can be made to the connecting bars that run parallel with the length of the vehicle. Thus, the "adjustability" seems to come from the Droprack and not the Leitner crossbars. But, your response appears to suggest otherwise.

 

[Jeffrey]

I continue to be confused by your responses... are you saying that the Leitner bars are adjustable 'fore and aft' - as in front and back? From what I see on the instructions, the brackets replace the factory ones and the crossbars mount DIRECTLY to those brackets. That suggests to me that they are immovable except for a few select and fixed positions where the existing bolts go into the vehicle.

If true, my initial thoughts were that the Droprack would have to coincidentally land in one of those fixed positions... I have since realized that that's fine, as any adjustment can be made to the connecting bars that run parallel with the length of the vehicle. Thus, the "adjustability" seems to come from the Droprack and not the Leitner crossbars. But, your response appears to suggest otherwise.

I suppose that since you don't own the Leitner rack and have never seen one, it can be confusing. Here's how it works. When building up the rack in your driveway/shop/yard prior to mounting, the outer frame of the rack itself is assembled, creating the basic outer rectangle. THAT is what is connected to the Leitner machined mounting brackets that you already have put on the vehicle. Once the rack frame is assembled, the four CROSSBARS are mounted inside the frame. Those crossbar are adjustable to be in any position you want inside the rack. You don't have to use them all. Crossbars do not connect to the main rack mounts. They span across the rack frame. Just look at the pics on the Leitner site.

 

[vtgrenadier]

And there’s the disconnect!

In my original posting, I mentioned only needing the base racks. By that, I meant just the two crossbars (i.e. Thule; Yakima) and not a 3/4 or full rack.

On my Defender 110s (both a 1986 and 2022), I never made use of full length racks and see no need for a platform style on the Grenadier.

Back to my original inquiry: the two bar set are, in fact, fixed at the mounting juncture?

 

[Jeffrey]

The disconnect was in your wording. You said 'rack'. That's what was responded to. Good luck with your loadbars.

 

[vtgrenadier]

Wrong. Racks. Like Thule racks. Like Yakima racks. I used the term “racks” plural in my first post and frequently asked about crossbars. You just didn’t bother to read before your terse and wholly unhelpful first reply. Now you’re trying to shift “blame” onto me and away from your mistake.

Take a look at the title of the thread before replying with some other attempt at saving face.

 

[Jeffrey]

You said "With Leitner's 20% Black Friday sale, I'm tempted to go ahead and get the base racks.". Leitner has no product called a base rack. Yakima and Thule have nothing to do with this
You said "Here's my question for those with Leitner racks: do the crossbars have enough material....". Anyone with a Grenadier Leitner roof rack has the platform rack. It's either that or the loadbers (used for RTT's). There is no base rack.

You asked if you were making sense. I kindly replied that you were not, and you are not now either. You seem to have your mind made up, so I will stop trying to confuse you with the facts.