Gen 4 roof racks?

[Bruce Beard]

I'm curious if anyone here has used roof racks on their 4th generation Ram?
When I discovered the RamBox option I had to have it knowing that my trusty TracRac's were history.
We used the racks to carry ocean kayaks (17' long 35 and 50 pounds each) with us when camping.
I figured that we would simply get a set of Thule racks for the kayaks, use their Hulivators and be done with it. Now I find that FCA doesn't want much weight on the roof... In the models running through 2015 the number is something like 90 pounds! Apparently they have not tested the 2016 models yet...

There are racks out there made for RamBox equipped trucks but the two I've seen are either fairly permanent or they interfere with my nice new BAKflip tonneau...

Just wondering if I'm going to have to get creative here or if anyone simply puts weight on the roof....?

Bruce

 

[K9Kodi]

What about some of the lighter duty more sportier ladder style racks

 

[Bruce Beard]

RamBox's and a tonneau (BakFlip) make this a difficult task. I found these recently but they are a little too "work truck" for my taste....
I've got time as my wife just had a full shoulder replacement a few weeks ago and kayaking is on hold for the immediate future!

http://www.ramboxracks.com/rambox-racks/

 

[K9Kodi]

https://www.usrack.com/rambox_rack.php

 

[K9Kodi]

https://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/Thule/TH500XT.html

 

[Killgore]

Bruce, I don't have a Gen. 4 and I haven't drilled into the roof on my Gen. 3, however, I carried an 80 lb. Olde Town 16 ft. canoe on my Chevy 3500 for years. First, I went with a Yakima Roof Rack on the cab, mounted with #7 Landing Pads, and a Yakima Outdoorsman 300 on the bed. This worked great when pulling our 28 ft. pull-behind camper. Everything changed when we upgraded to a fifth-wheel; not enough clearance to safely turn. I ended up installing a Curt front receiver on the truck, buying an Extend-a-Bed from Northern Tool and using it vertically to give me an anchor point that was level with the roof rack on the front of the truck. We may have looked a little strange running down the road with a fifth-wheel and a canoe out over the hood but it worked. Later, I installed a boom and winch system from Harbor Freight that I modified and installed in the bed which allowed me to winch the canoe up onto the roof by myself. The boom with the added cable winch also served to load the generator.

Today I still have that fifth-wheel, and I traded up and got the truck in my signature. The canoe has a new owner. I did move the boom and winch system to my new truck and it's used to load and unload the generator and the 24K lb. Reese fifth-wheel. Oh, I almost forgot. I could be talked out of that Yakima Roof Rack System, Outdoorsman 300, and an Extend-a-Bed pretty cheap considering what I've got in it. All of it is in pristine condition.

- Ed

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Bruce - http://high-speed-welding.myshopify.com/products/custom-aluminum-dodge-rambox-ladder-rack

Excerpt - "45 minute installation and easily removable"

I bet they could fab up an easier design to accommodate your needs. Or go to a local fab shop and have them whip your own version out.