Has anyone tried to replace their roof rails/cargo rack/luggage carrier rails with one from say a suburban or expedition? I tried searching for threads on this from both FTE and Google without anyluck. I am trying to prepare for a 14 hour roadtrip coming up in September and need some cargo rails for roof carrier. PO removed the cargo rack.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thule makes racks for our trucks. I used unistrut nuts, they fit into the rail and hold down my modded stock rack;.

 

You could buy an original roof rack from a salvage yard and do what I do--only use the cross rails when you actually need to carry something. I only use mine to carry an extension ladder for the Christmas lights. The rest of the time, the cross rails sit in the attic.

 

I really don't think the main rails will fit from any other vehicle. The likely hood of the holes lining up are pretty slim. I had thought about this before as the chevy rails seem to be lifted off the roof a little in order to be able to use roof top boxes on the cross rails and still have room for the hardware.

Plus I could see the X roof being wider than the other said vehicles to be able to use any of the cross members.

I have also successfully used 1" square tubing as cross rails to mount roof top boxes to, but bolted down to the lifted stock main rails.

I would search the salvage yards and get the main rails off an X and either get the stock ones or use an aftermarket set.

I ended up lifting my stock set with rubber mat to be able to use a roof top with the stock cross rails.



I also used the cheepy little stock rail securing nuts and modified the larger cross rails to securely tighten down. I just did not like the stock flip up set up on the stock larger cross rails.

 

This is a great idea (reps sent)! Did you have to get longer hardware for the rails? If so, what did you end up using?

Thanks!

 

I did this 4 plus years back so don't remember for sure. I know I used a standard stainless bolt, I think 1/4 20 threads standard hex head, again as I could not find the stock type head.

You cou take out one of the existing bolts and just get ones longer by how much you want to raise. I used 3/4" rubber garden mat, as that is all I could find available in my area.

 

Yakima makes adapters that fit our stock rails, I use them to carry our kayaks, They make tons of accessories for carrying most anything. The cross bars I use are about 3" above the roof.
Bill

 

Today I just replaced the useless factory crossbars with Whisbar Flush Style crossbars which installed right on the existing rails and since they are the flush style they look like they were custom fitted. Whisbar is a Yakima product so it's not cheap. Mine cost $560 out the door.

It's not readily apparent that there is a Whisbar solution if you're shopping online because they don't specifically list Excursion. But I went to a local rack store and they did the measurements and figured out what would work. Basically needed the K450w Vehicle Specific Smartfoot and the S5w Flush Style Crossbars. Took me about 30 minutes to remove the factory bars and install the new ones.

 

I remember someone using the crossbars from a Ford Explorer with modifications. The crossbars had to be widened. It was a while back so my memory is sketchy ! Yakima seems to be the way to go because their towers and crossbars get everything off the roof to where the paint + roof won't get damaged by the load.

 

Actually it was a post from Landyot in 2003:

<table width="100%" border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0"><tbody><tr style="background-color: rgb(239, 239, 239);"><td width="150" class="grayLeftBorder grayBottomBorder grayRightBorder padded" vAlign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="forumTopic">LANDYOT
</td></tr><tr><td class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;">
• Subscriber since 11/23/2003</td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;">• Newport News, VA, USA </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;">• Registered on 7/15/2003 </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;">• 1,081 posts </td></tr><tr><td align="left" class="text1" style="padding-left: 2px;"></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="grayRightBorder grayBottomBorder padded" vAlign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="padded grayBottomBorder"> Posted/14/2003 14:05 </td><td align="right" class="padded grayBottomBorder"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td class="forumbody">OK ... more progress. The Explorer towers WILL fit and tighten in the Excursion tracks. HOWEVER, you have to remove the aft end-piece of the track (the plastic end with the press-down retainer clip) to slip the towers on. This is not a bad thing, and will definitely deter theft. The little Explorer tie-down loops also fit. So, I will be making a trip to a junkyard for 2 pair of Explorer crossbars. I haven't decided yet if I want 3 or 4 crossbars on the X ... probably 3. And I've yet to determine how I will fab a longer bar between the towers.

I read somewhere that somebody is buying the Yakima roof rack system for their X. Yakima is very nice stuff ... I had one on an old Supra ... but Lord is it ever expensive. On the other hand, by the time I add up the cost of my time to obtain parts, modify and fabricate them to fit, the Yakima could be a bargain.

Decisions, decisions .... Do I have more time on my hands than money? </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

 

 

I did find and read this thread with the explorer extentions. My main problem right now is money is short and the previous owner removed averything pertaining to my rack, even the tracks that attach to the roof. We are taking a trip at the end of July and have to have a rack setup before then. I have too much cargo between my three dogs, and supplies/gear for my family for a week in Colorado. I was looking into the width of both an expedition and an older model suburban say about an 01-03. I am just trying to find a cheaper alternative to aftermarket. I did however find a ProRack setup with two rails and with the tracks and hardware for 250$ but again money is tight.

 

I used ford Escape roof racks fit fine

 

My suggestion, get some rails from a bone yard, and purchase the Yakima system. I picked up some Yakima towers and cross members last summer. I like them because removing the crossbars is super easy, and I like the clean look when I'm not carrying my canoe. They are a little on the expensive side, but I believe that they are worth it. There is no fabrication or piecing various items together, then hoping it will hold.

If you are into making a roof rack, then go for it, but I'm not giften in that area.