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During your adventurous expedition, the last thing you might need is a car full of cargo and no space to sit correctly. Everyone has been at least once in their outdoorsy life ordered to pack light to save space, even if the vehicle in question was a Toyota 4runner.
A heavy and sturdy 4runner roof rack can do magic in such situations.
If you wish to increase your cargo-hauling capacity, nothing is better than a reliable roof rack. Roof racks have always been popular because of their utility and intelligent design.
These storage racks come in handy, especially if you are out on sporty adventures. You would not want a wet kayak, mud-covered shovels, extra gas cans covered with leaky oily fuel, or a bundle of dirt-ridden outdoor equipment in your car. Having an additional space roof rack can be the most godsent gift you could ever wish for during such times.
Since these roof racks are popular, there are many varieties available on the market. They are available from the most basic to the most smartly engineered option with added add ons.
It can be frustrating to find the one that matches your requirements. We have gathered five of the best storage roof racks with different features and specifications to help you solve the confusion.
We request you to go through each review from this buyer’s guide for finding the most suitable fixture for your beast.
#1 Winner: Tyger Heavy Duty Roof Rack For 4runner
Tyger is a California-based auto parts company that has always paved the way for the most innovative, high-quality products at a comparatively nominal range. One such product that bags the winner title is the Tyger Heavy Duty Roof Rack.
This rack is the most ideal and classic fixture you can buy for your 4runner. Let us read its benefits to find out more about the product.
Featured Specs
- Manufacturer: Tyger Auto
- Capacity:150 lbs
- Size: 47.25 x 36.6 x 5.9 inches
- Material: Alloy Steel
Benefits
- Our winner, Tyger Heavy Duty Roof Rack, is the best roof rack for the 4th gen 4runner. This fixture is a strong, sturdy, and reliable metal roof rack for your adventurous outdoor expeditions.
- The ultra-stylish design adds up a style quotient. Apart from its looks, this heavy-duty rack mounts to any vehicle rail bars for extra storage space.
- This alloy steel rack can hold up to 150 lbs of luggage and cargo. The heavy metal rack has an impressive strength that doesn’t bend even if you are overboard with the luggage weight limit.
- This heavy-duty structure comprises a 1-inch heavy-duty steel frame tube with black E-coating. This coating provides remarkable rust resistance during and after heavy rainfall.
- This rack has many practical and easy attach tie-down points for securing gear with extra sturdy and functional cargo nets.
- The rack is extremely straightforward to assemble. You do not need to affix many small pieces; the stand gets completed by following a simple two-piece assembly. The frame comes with all the necessary mounting hardware.
- TYGER gives away a tremendous two-year no-hassle quality warranty against any physical and factory damage.
- Apart from your 4runner, this utility rack fits any rooftop that is 0.37″- 1.02″ in thickness and no wider than 3.55″.
Drawbacks
- This rack can get loud when the vehicle moves fast. You can hear the noise clearly if you keep your moonroof open.
- If you live near an ocean or a coast, this rack would surely drip rust on your car. You can prevent it by coating the frame with an anti-rust solution available online or in any big box store.
Extra Features
The ultra-sleek aerodynamic wind fairing cut down the noise and eats up less fuel than other racks.
Buying Advice
If you want to make your trusty old car look sporty while adding functionality, this model seems like a great purchase. The overall quality is sturdy but make sure you don’t require a lot of space. The slanted sides limit the usable space to approximately 30W by 40L.
#2 Runnerup: YAKIMA – LoadWarrior Roof Rack For 4runner
Yakima has been in the outdoor auto parts industry since early 1979. With the constant innovation and changes, the company always strived to make something new and extraordinary from day one.
To keep their mission and values aligned, they have kept their promise to manufacture high-quality products. Our runner-up is a significant and vital part of their family. Let us read the specs and benefits to understand the product in detail.
Featured Specs
- Manufacturer: Yakima
- Capacity: More than 120lbs
- Size: 40 x 39 x 6.5 inches
- Material: Alloy Steel
Benefits
- Yakima Load Warrior is the most versatile, heavy-duty, and cargo-friendly rack on the market. Its excellent load-carrying abilities will help you store a lot of cargo.
- This utility roof rack is made with heavy-duty steel construction, yet the company manages to keep it highly lightweight for attaching to your roof. Your car would not feel any excess weight of the stand.
- The front and read load bars allow direct, quick attachment of Yakima accessory mounts on our 4runner.
- The ample space at the top serves excellent to carry a kayak.
- This rack comes with a custom fairing to cut through the air without any resistance while keeping the air noise to a bare minimum.
- Its quick-release hardware makes uninstalling a breeze. You can do it without spending hours on the product.
- The structure is coated with a heavy-duty weather-resistant coat to keep the rack safe from dirt, dust, sun, and rain.
- You can use their Load Warrior Stretch Net to secure your gear without the fear of your cargo spilling out; we highly recommend this net if you are on a long journey.
- The quick and easy universal hardware fixes round, square, and other shaped factory racks. Their universal mounts fit virtually on any crossbar of the car.
Drawbacks
- The main design flaw of this rack is its long bolts. Once you finish the business of attaching the bolts to the crossbars, they stick out on the load floor. If not correctly used, it can damage, scratch, or tear your cargo that gets into the basket.
- Most consumers feel the manufacturers should provide locks to attach to the basket.
Extra Features
If you wish to go on outdoor adventures with many people or have a considerably large cargo to carry, the Load Warrior Extension will surely come in handy. This extension can quickly add up to 18″ while expanding the cargo capacity by a whopping 40%.
Buying Advice
This product is an excellent rack if you wish to have this extra feature of extending or retracting your stand. We highly recommend purchasing Yakima locks to secure your gear and cargo. You can buy the locks and extensions separately anytime.
#3 Alternative: MaxxHaul Roof Rack For 4runner
Our very first alternative on the list is the MaxxHaul Roof Rack. Let us dive deep to find out about the fixture and whether it suits your needs or not.
Featured Specs
- Manufacturer: MaxxHaul
- Capacity:150 lb
- Size: 46″ x 36″ x 4-1/2″
- Material: Steel
Benefits
- This MaxxHaul Roof Rack is designed to install quickly and swiftly. You can construct and deconstruct this rack with no extra heavy tools.
- You can easily attach this rack to all types of crossbars, including your 4runner.
- This kit includes a heavy-duty U-bolt mounting system for effortless installations.
- This fixture is constructed with durable and rugged steel that can hold up to 150lbs of weight without denting or bending the metal.
- The company provides a clean rubber gasket to prevent nasty internal rusting. The U bolts also have sturdy rubber caps to keep your cargo safe and protected.
- Lastly, the rack has a rust-resistant finish to ward off any potential rust buildup.
Drawbacks
- Many of the loyal consumers have complained that the screw holes and unaligned. This mistake can trigger people who always wish to strive for perfectionism.
- Few products delivered had scuff marks and minor dings that made the buyers unsatisfied with the companies quality control.
Extra Features
This metal roof rack fashions a good wind fairing to help the car move at the same speed.
Buying Advice
If you genuinely wish to get the most out of your buy, we highly suggest coating your MaxxHaul Roof rack with a heavy-duty truck bed liner. The fast-drying spray will keep the rust away and increases the life of your utility rack.
#4 Alternative: N-FAB T102MRF Roof Rack For 4runner
N- Fab is exclusively known for manufacturing tubular accessories for most heavy-duty vehicles. Let us look at the benefits of their roof rack to see why this product shines on the list.
Featured specs
- Manufacturer: N-Fab
- Capacity: 150 Pounds
- Size: 21 x 21 x 12 inches
- Material: Aluminum
Benefits
- This no-drill bolt-on mount of the N-FAB Roof Runner is perfect for easy installation, making it the ultimate roof rack for Toyota 4runner.
- The rack is made out of an entire aluminum body. Using this metal wards off the potential damage of rusting and increases the product’s durability.
- This robust metal rack can hold up to 150 lbs of cargo in all forms, shapes, and sizes.
- This product is exclusively available in a textured black powder coat finish. The company uses a unique 3-stage powder coating to give it its famous identity.
- The center rails are smartly designed with anchor points to tie down bungees and wraps for securing and covering your materials.
- Its structurally built aerodynamic design limits the wind noise so you can drive even on the highest speed with zero to no noise disturbance.
- The company offers a very exciting 5-year finish warranty and a lifetime quality warranty for damaged rods and bodies.
Drawbacks
The manufacturer seems to forget to send the appropriate hardware. Most consumers have received half the equipment, and some didn’t receive most of the nuts and bolts with their delivery.
Extra Features
This high-quality roof rack has multiple mounting locations to affix LED lights on the rear and front end. These lights would surely come in handy during stormy, windy, and rainy roads.
Buying Advice
If you do not enjoy the bulky look of a roof rack but wish to have one to store all your gear, this is one of the sleekest designs you can find on the market.
#5 Alternative: Yakima – MegaWarrior Roof Rack For 4runner
Last but not least is the Yakima Mega Warrior Roof Runner. This product is a robust metal rack for more oversized vehicles that need more space to put on the top. The colossal design can easily accommodate a kayak if tied with good bands. Let us read the drawbacks, benefits, and buying advice to find if this product is worth the hype or not.
Featured Specs
- Manufacturer: Yakima
- Capacity: 190lbs
- Size: 50 x 29 x 9 inches
- Material: Alloy Steel
Benefits
- This big bomber gear basket is the perfect match to carry around during your outdoor activities.
- Yakima noticed its consumers need a giant rack and manufactured it especially for heavy vehicles like SUVs, Trucks, and Offroaders.
- The Yakima roof rack system for Toyota 4runner requires minimal assembly; you can even install it while leaving on your expedition.
- This rack easily accommodates all of the Yakima gear mounts.
- The rack is made with heavy-duty steel construction for a sturdier bracket structure.
- This roof rack is completely weather resistant and keeps the metal in perfect condition.
- This Mega Warrior fits all square, round, and factory crossbars for a hassle-free assembly.
- This model is compatible with an extension add-on. You attach the Mega Warrior Extention, which adds 22″ while undoubtedly increasing your cargo capacity by 40%.
- This product is a perfect model for people who constantly keep installing and uninstalling the roof rack. Its easy grips make it extremely easy to remove the entire structure within minutes.
Drawbacks
Apart from all the good features, one drawback that bugs the buyers has to be its shipping. This stand can sometimes come bent irrespective of the extra protection provided with the packaging.
Extra Features
The custom wind fairing adds an extra layer of noise reduction to keep the car working smoothly, even on bumpy roads and highways.
Buying Advice
If you have searched the highs and lows for a good quality basket, then congratulations; your search ends here as this product is bigger than other roof racks available on the market.
Roof Rack For 4runner FAQ
How much weight can a 4Runner roof rack hold?
The Toyota 4Runner has a driving capacity of 300lbs. and a static weight capacity of 600lbs. The recommended weight by Toyota for the 4Runner roof rack is 165lbs. It is the maximum capacity set by Toyota.
Even though the roof runner can hold more than 165lbs., it is best that you stick to the165lbs static weight and 120lbs static weight capacity. You are advised to distribute the weight evenly on the roof rack.
Even though this is the recommended weight, Toyota suggests that their roof racks can hold many more than 165 lbs. There have been instances when people have loaded luggage worth 250lbs onto the 4Runner roof rack.
It was the dynamic weight. The roof rack can hold much more than 250lbs in static weight. Even though people have loaded the roof rack with 250 lbs. it isn’t recommended by Toyota.
It can be pretty dangerous to load the roof rack with too much weight. Also, this weight should be spread out well. It is always better to maintain the recommended weight limit, crossing that might cause damage to your roof rack or your car. Some people recommend only adding 120lbs. to the roof rack.
The best way to know how much weight will be apt you should add the recommended weight of 120 lbs. and go for a test drive. You could gradually keep adding the weight and see if it works. There is usually a difference between static weight and dynamic weight. Static weight is measured when the car is parked.
At the same time, dynamic weight is measured when the vehicle is in motion. Both these weights differ. It is best to measure the weights yourself before adding too much road to the 4Runner roof rack. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
How wide is a 4Runner roof rack?
The 4Runner comes with an impressive roof rack. It is a sturdy roof rack with a large tray. The length of this tray is 52 inches, while the width is 48 inches. The height of the roof rack comes up to 6.5 inches. The roof rack and crossbars come pre-installed. If you have a big family, this roof rack is perfect.
Big families often have to cram into their cars along with all the luggage. Well, not anymore! The 4Runner roof rack’s exemplary dimensions allow you to store the luggage on top. You can mount all your bags and boxes onto the roof rack. The rack is big enough to hold a tent. So, if you are a car camper, this is perfect.
The 4Runner Roof Rack is also ideal for people who love outdoor adventures.
You can strap your gear onto the roof runner and zip away to your destination. It minimizes the whistling noise made by the wind and keeps your equipment in place. The Roof rack also protects your gear.
The strength and design of the roof rack allow you to add other roof rack accessories to it. A roof box, ski holder, or windshield can be easily attached to the 4Runner Roof Rack.
What kind of roof rack do I need for a roof top tent?
It is best to have a roof rack with square corners. Most roof tents will fit perfectly in a roof rack with square corners. Avoid a roof rack with oval corners.
The tent plates are usually square and will easily settle into a square-shaped roof rack. The next thing you need to consider is weight.
Rooftop tents ideally weigh up to 132lbs. Some weigh 165 lbs. or a maximum of 220 lbs. The static weight that a roof rack can hold is 600lbs. The dynamic weight is 300lbs.
You also have to factor in the weight of the people that will sit inside the tent. Ensure the tent’s weight, and the individuals are under the recommended static weight.
Roof racks are strong and are built to carry a roof top tent. Ideally, 4-5 people can easily fit into a roof top tent. And since you keep the car in park, the roof rack will easily carry this load. It would help if you made sure that there is enough space between the roof and racks.
It will make it easier for you to bolt and unbolt the tent. This space allows you to tighten or loosen the bolts. Ideally, the bar of the roof rack should be 86 cm wide. Ideally, the mounting tracks underneath the tent are 80 cm. Keeping this in mind, you need to find a wider bar.
It would help if you also kept in mind the ladder’s height. The height of the ladder should be long enough to reach the ground. If you are unsure about your roof rack and the rooftop tent, take some advice from a roof rack retailer. They will help you out with the dimensions and the fittings. If you wish to do it yourself, then make sure to read the manual and match the tent’s measurements to the roof rack.
What is the difference between roof rails and roof racks?
Roof rails are attached from the front to the rear of the car. On the other hand, Roof racks are installed from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat.
Roof rails come pre-installed with a vehicle. In comparison, roof racks have to be added separately. Roof racks are also known as crossbars. Roof rails are added for aesthetic purposes. They enhance the beauty of the car.
On the other hand, Roof racks are added to carry heavy loads. They are also built for additional roof rack accessories.
Roof racks are spacious and allow you to carry outdoor equipment like kayaks and cycles. Roof rails can carry heavy loads and objects on their own. But if you want to attach a specific gear like a snowboard or a set of skis, you need to have a roof rack. Roof racks allow you to hold down the gear and protect it from damage.
With add-on roof rack accessories, you can mount surfboards, skis, or fishing roads. Attaching outdoor equipment directly to the roof rail is not a good idea. You will need a roof rack and other roof rack accessories to keep your gear safe.
Roof rails can carry oversized but light loads. If you wish to carry a heavy load, it is ideal for getting a roof rack. They are built specifically to carry heavy objects. These are the primary differences between roof rails and roof racks.
Conclusion
We hope this buying guide helped you find the most suitable roof rack. We highly recommend coating it with a rust repellent to increase its life span. Always deconstruct the fixture before going for a car wash.
Lastly, keep checking on the quality of the rack after several uses to fix it before it showcases considerable damage.
