Land Rover discovery 2 roof rack solution
Mudding
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 208
Likes: 16
I know this is old, but I am trying to find a cheap rack solution that can fit a roof top tent. What have you done with this, it looks inexpensive!
Thanks
Thanks
It's called a van ladder rack. Expensive.... it was $80.00 and it's stronger than any roof rack you'll find. I quickly found this one on eBay for you. It's the exact same as mine. If you dig you might be able to find a black one. I just spray painted it.
500 LB Heavy Duty Multi-Use Full Size Van Crossbar Adjustable Roof Ladder Rack | eBay
All you need to do is drill 4 new holes and raise the cross bar up about 2". Can't remember the exact height. Also I bent the mount brackets slightly and beefed up the little mounting bolts. Very simple.
I've been using it for a couple years now, still works amazing.
Good luck.
500 LB Heavy Duty Multi-Use Full Size Van Crossbar Adjustable Roof Ladder Rack | eBay
All you need to do is drill 4 new holes and raise the cross bar up about 2". Can't remember the exact height. Also I bent the mount brackets slightly and beefed up the little mounting bolts. Very simple.
I've been using it for a couple years now, still works amazing.
Good luck.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 49
Likes: 14
From: Fairbanks, AK
I realize this is an old thread but I thought people might still be referring to it.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
Camel Trophy
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,717
Likes: 248
From: Longview, Texas
This is a forum for do it yourselfers, regardless of income level.
Camel Trophy
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,717
Likes: 248
From: Longview, Texas
I realize this is an old thread but I thought people might still be referring to it.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
Folks post like this won't be allowed. If you see one let myself or another moderator know and we will to care of it.
Last edited by ArmyRover; Aug 28, 2018 at 05:32 PM.
Camel Trophy
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,812
Likes: 1,329
From: Mission BC Canada
I realize this is an old thread but I thought people might still be referring to it.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
I bought a rack and I started modifying / installing it this evening.
I applaud Toofaroffroad's idea and I appreciate his sharing it, but I thought a little more information might be helpful.
Toofaroffroad said he bent the mount brackets slightly, I looked at the pictures and couldn't see where. I found that the clamp didn't wrap under the rain gutter well, so I straightened the top bend in the clamp.
I also found that the tabs that the clamps slide through were too loose for my liking, I could pull out on the clamp and it would easily come out farther than I was comfortable with, so I bent the tabs in as well.
I used a piece of pipe and a vise to straighten the bend in the clamp.
I put a piece of 3/16" steel angle under the tab to keep from pinching and cracking the radius and hammered the tabs down (the angle had to be put in a vise and pounded out).
I drilled the new holes for the crossbar 3" (center to center) above the manufacturers hole.
I am attaching pictures of the steel angle under a tab, the pipe and the clamp in the vise, and the clamp on the mount bracket to show how much I bent the clamp.
I haven't permanently installed the racks yet because they need to be painted, I did temporarily install one and it looked like everything will work well. I do have to remove the clamps to install but I'm okay with that. I don't expect to be removing and installing the racks much.
I hope this helps.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 49
Likes: 14
From: Fairbanks, AK
Sorry Richard, I can't take pics of clamps in original form, I modded all of the clamps and supports already.
I am posting more pics in hopes they will provide more clarification on the mods I did.
I had the clamp angle where I thought it should be when the tip of the clamp aligned with the tip of the support as shown by the yellow arrow in pic 3.
Bear in mind I have not installed the racks and used the Rover. I really don't think there will be any problem but I can't say for sure. I did check to make sure doors would open, the mod provides more clearance for the top of the doors than in original form. I don't have sun roofs so I did not worry about cross bar height other than clearing the factory roof rack / rails.
I am going to try to get some painting done tonight. Maybe I can permanently install them soon.
I am posting more pics in hopes they will provide more clarification on the mods I did.
I had the clamp angle where I thought it should be when the tip of the clamp aligned with the tip of the support as shown by the yellow arrow in pic 3.
Bear in mind I have not installed the racks and used the Rover. I really don't think there will be any problem but I can't say for sure. I did check to make sure doors would open, the mod provides more clearance for the top of the doors than in original form. I don't have sun roofs so I did not worry about cross bar height other than clearing the factory roof rack / rails.
I am going to try to get some painting done tonight. Maybe I can permanently install them soon.
Last edited by Sub-arctic Rover; Aug 28, 2018 at 10:48 PM.