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Planned install of Yakima Roof Rack on Westfalia Pop Top
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:33 pm
by the miz
Hi everyone-
I have all of the parts to put a Yakima rack on my Westy pop-top...and I might even have some time to install it pretty soon!
I've got my Wide Body brackets, 1a hi-rise towers, and 78" load bars...I want get this sucker on so I can take my 17' canoe on family camping trips.
Before I get the drill out, I was wondering if anyone had any advice/tips on drilling the pop top fiberglass to mount the Wide Body brackets...special drill bits, special techniques, unexpected problems, etc.?
I am interested to hear everyone's experiences with this process!
Thanks-
the miz
Re: Planned install of Yakima Roof Rack on Westfalia Pop Top
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:21 pm
by airkooledchris
when we took our big canoe camping with the westy I just put it on those foam blocks on the roof and then tied it down.
no need to drill brackets/etc
but - you have to take it down to pop the top this way. I didn't mind, but I could see where someone might want to just mount it on and pop up the top without taking down the canoe first.
Re: Planned install of Yakima Roof Rack on Westfalia Pop Top
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:17 am
by sped372
airkooledchris wrote:I could see where someone might want to just mount it on and pop up the top without taking down the canoe first.
Yikes, seems like an awful lot of extra weight on the hinges/hardware. Maybe the late bays have sturdier fixings but I wouldn't feel comfortable putting additional stress on our hinges.
Re: Planned install of Yakima Roof Rack on Westfalia Pop Top
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 6:45 am
by bretski
sped372 wrote:airkooledchris wrote:I could see where someone might want to just mount it on and pop up the top without taking down the canoe first.
Yikes, seems like an awful lot of extra weight on the hinges/hardware. Maybe the late bays have sturdier fixings but I wouldn't feel comfortable putting additional stress on our hinges.
+1. That would be way too much weight.
Back to the OP's question, the one thing I would suggest would be to use metal backing-plates with the most surface area you can get to fit. I've seen too many Westies with cracked tops from where the owner installed a rack...
Re: Planned install of Yakima Roof Rack on Westfalia Pop Top
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:19 am
by vdubyah73
i have a picture in my head. bucking a headwind, oncoming semi, sudden, strong pressure wave of oncoming semi overcomes already stressed pop top latches, pop top does what pop tops do and it does it with a canoe too!