Kayak rack

[mas360]

I am looking to carry a kayak with the PS. Does anyone have recommendations for a kayak rack? the good, the bad and the ugly involved?

Thanks

[coot1]

I have a crew cab and mount them on the cab using racks I got from Yakima. This leave the bed of thr truck wide open for other stuff.

[MountainMan]

Originally Posted by mas360

I am looking to carry a kayak with the PS. Does anyone have recommendations for a kayak rack? the good, the bad and the ugly involved?

Thanks

When I purchased a canopy for the bed of my 2006 6.0 I bought a Leer with the Sportsman Package which included a built in Thule rack system. Just this weekend I installed a Thule rack on the cab of the truck because when I tow my travel trailer I have to place my 17 foot kayaks all the way forward so as to not hit the front of the trailer while turning. I bought the Thule rack for the cab at The Rack Warehouse Homepage. for $208.60 with free shipping and no sales tax. It fits like a glove. Yakima makes nice racks as well but did not research those as the canopy came with a Thule system. Thule is built very well. Hope this helps, good luck.

[mas360]

Originally Posted by MountainMan

When I purchased a canopy for the bed of my 2006 6.0 I bought a Leer with the Sportsman Package which included a built in Thule rack system. Just this weekend I installed a Thule rack on the cab of the truck because when I tow my travel trailer I have to place my 17 foot kayaks all the way forward so as to not hit the front of the trailer while turning. I bought the Thule rack for the cab at The Rack Warehouse Homepage. for $208.60 with free shipping and no sales tax. It fits like a glove. Yakima makes nice racks as well but did not research those as the canopy came with a Thule system. Thule is built very well. Hope this helps, good luck.

MountainMan,
The F250 does not have rain gutter on the cab. Does your rack require drilling holes into the cab?
Would you kindly point out the exact model number of the one you installed?

I have the same issue as yours. I want to carry the kayak with the trailer in tow and it would knock on the trailer unless I mount it forward of the bed.

Thanks

[MountainMan]

Originally Posted by mas360

MountainMan,
The F250 does not have rain gutter on the cab. Does your rack require drilling holes into the cab?
Would you kindly point out the exact model number of the one you installed?

I have the same issue as yours. I want to carry the kayak with the trailer in tow and it would knock on the trailer unless I mount it forward of the bed.

Thanks

It was a very simple installation. No holes were drilled. Parts are as follows:
Thule Foot Pack #4802, Thule Fit Kit #1508, Thule 58" bar #LB58, Thule Two Pack Lock Cylinders (optional) #512. The kit came with a dedicated Thule tool used to properly torque the foot pack down to the cab roof.
This set up is for one load bar on the roof of the cab, I already have two load bars on the Leer canopy. My truck is a 2006 F-350 with extended cab.

[mas360]

Does the Foot Pack #4802 use suction for attachment to roof top without drilling?

[MountainMan]

Originally Posted by mas360

Does the Foot Pack #4802 use suction for attachment to roof top without drilling?

No suction force applied. There is a rubber coated metal plate (fit kit) that connects the foot pack to the cab. One end of the metal plate connects to the foot pack and the other end which is somewhat "C" shaped slides over and hooks onto the rubber door jamb gasket of the truck. When you tighten it down, believe me it doesn't go anywhere. The truck doors close over the connecting metal plate, does not interfer with the door closing.
The bottom of the foot pack comes with a rubber mount so that your truck paint will not become scratched.

[mas360]

Do you think in the long run the foot pack may disfigure the door jamb gasket and causes leaks?

Do you leave the foot pack on permanently or do you take it off after a trip? I am wondering how easy for it to walk away on its own...

[MountainMan]

Originally Posted by mas360

Do you think in the long run the foot pack may disfigure the door jamb gasket and causes leaks?

Do you leave the foot pack on permanently or do you take it off after a trip? I am wondering how easy for it to walk away on its own...

I plan on leaving the foot pack on all the time during kayaking season. One would need the right size hex wrench to unscrew the foot packs from the cab, I bought a set of Thule locks which in my opinion just keeps an honest man honest. I think the truck doors being closed and locked would also present a deterent to theft as the connecting plate is sandwiched between the door and the door jamb. Like anything else, if someone wants it bad enough nothing will stop them; the tighting system is countersunk into the foot pack so one would need a fairly long hex wrench.

I'm not sure whether or not the fit kit will cause a permanent indentation in the truck door jamb rubber gasket, I too wondered about the long term possibility of water leakage. Time will tell.

[mas360]

MoutainMan,
Thanks for all the great tips. I am going to order the same rack for my truck...