hi, need a little advice please - roof rack/bars Sam ragtop?

[RG]

Hi,

Interesting place, lots of good info I've been digging up! I wonder if anyone can help answer a question for me.

I'm looking for a Samurai/SJ413 and would prefer a soft top I think (and tin top samurai's seem rare), but I need roof bars or some way of carrying variety of kayaks, bikes etc up top. Does anyone know if this is possible or have any suggestions?

Have been thinking an external rollcage with the crossbars serving as roofbars is the obvious, but not sure I'm keen on this option just yet and I've read insurance companies don't like them? Another possibility is an internal cage with kayak-specific J bars bolted on through the hood, but messy and it'd probably leak or tear the hood! Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated!

Another, easier and cheaper short-term fix might be to bolt a couple of fixing rings for tying straps into each side of the jeep - most likely just in front of the doors (is there a handy bulkhead thereabouts?) and just to the rear of the upright behind the doors - would this pose any problems? is it easy to access up in behind front arches without removing wings? By the way, has anyone ever transported a 5 metre sea kayak on a sammy/SJ?!

Last question! If I go for a ragtop in the end I'll need to bolt my monster of a dog cage to the rear floor - can anyone tell me the dimensions of load area front to back and between arches with seats out? and would it be very difficult/cause any damage to be sticking bolts into the floor?

Thanks for your time, any advice welcome and thanks again for making the site a good one.

cheers
RG

ps. actively looking for a samurai soft or hard top at the minute, if you know of any decent ones (pref. longish MOT, not too rusty, standard or with mods) I'd really appreciate a heads up! :)

[generation-x]

RG
if you trawl throu ebay u might find wot is called a safari rack for the sj soft-top not emensly strong but shud be ok for a couple of kayacs

i do no of a sammy tintop for sale modified for offroad
wot sort of $$ you got to spend

simon

[RG]

hi mate,

That was quick! Thanks for the advice re safari rack, been having a look on net but seems mainly US sites that sell them. Will do the ebay trawl and see.

My budget for jeep is a bit fluid - been looking at around £5-600 for a good standard one (decent MOT, bodywork, towbar) as I'd want to spend a bit to get going, would maybe pay up to £1000 for something that's already on the way to my end plan if it's been done right and not a bad hatchet job  :)

thanks again

[generation-x]

RG leave it with me might no of one tintop ,rear seats removed,vit engine with su conversion,power steering,towbar fittted,grizzly tyres,
ill let ya no as im not sure how much mot and tax its got

simon

[generation-x]

RG
ive also got this for sale can mot for the right money if any good let me no

http://forums.mud-club.com/viewtopic.php?t=39609

simon

[RG]

hi again,

Nice truck you're selling, but I think it's maybe a bit too much offroad - back to uni this year and selling my car to help fund it so the zuk I'm after will need to be my day to day transport for a while. Plan is to stick some ATs on, some other bits and pieces to help it do a job at weekends, upgrade parts as standard bits die and get to work on it properly next year when I'm working again.

Thanks though, v much, and would be good if you could let me know about the tin top you mentioned.

Ray