Ok, I really hate to buy a rack for my kayak, $$$.

I usually just take the top down, strap her up and good to go.

Has anyone done this with the top up? or know of a good way to do this with the top up.

also, has anyone tried two kayaks?

rj

I broke down and got the Kargo Master Congo Cage. My kayaks are 50lbs each prox. I wouldn't even attempt to put them up there with the top up. I am pleased with the rack. It will be nice this winter being able to put my skis up top instead of in the jeep.

ya, I was thinking I will have to buy a rack

I was looking at this

Just in the winter in Indiana, I can still do some kayaking, but I cant really go without the top.

The back part of that rack seems to have a lot going on. I like the permanence of the congo cage. Here is how it looks on my jeep.

RJ!

Where ya been? Long time no-post! Welcome back, Shipmate!

Cheers!

BB

I'm going to get the Kargo Master for my Unlimited as soon as I can for kayaks and surfboards. I've seen a Jeep locally (not a JK) with that rack and I'm not sold on it.

It appears to mount off of the spare. Not so sure that in the long term the durability of the spare mount will be good. That will depend on what you put on top and where you drive, obviously. But guessing that we own Jeeps and play boats, we may venture off the paved path which could create a long term fatigue concern for me.

My $0.02.

In your post quoted here, when you say "that rack" I think you are referring to the one in the link and not the Kargo Master Congo Cage. The congo cage bolts into the bumper mounts and is very secure.

I have 4 kayaks and with my caravan, I would always worry about having exceeded the limit of the Yakima mount that I had on it. With the congo cage on the jeep, I would use my kayak stacker attachment for the Yakima bars and would not worry in the least about the Kayaks getting away from me even in an emergency braking situation. That rack is so solid that it actually provides me with a certain amount of piece of mind while using it that the cargo up there will be safe. The load limit is 500lbs. It feels like 500lbs of support when you shake the jeep using the rack. The thing doesn't budge on its mounts.

My only caution on assembling it is to verify that the bolts provided in the kit match the bumper bolts in the rear. They supplied 3/8" bolts but the bumper bolts are metric. I went to home depot and purchased the correct bolts before attaching the brackets to the bumper mounts. The 3/8 bolts will most likely work but because they are slightly smaller diameter than the bolts for the bumper and they are slightly different pitch, they would most likely have gone in and provided initial solid connection I would think they would fail at a much lower force than the correct bolts.

JK'n

Correct I meant the rack that he had linked to. The Lange rack. It appears to attach to the spare as opposed to the Kargo Master which attaches to the vehicle through mounts.

I'm with you - I want the Kargo Master and have a friend who has one on a TJ. Much sturdier and durable for heavier items IMHO.

Don't want to hijack rj's thread, but is it worth buying stainless hardware for the Kargo Master? I live in a highly corrosive invironment and will be slopping saltwater all over the rack. Need to check the dissimilar material concern with stainless and alloy steel, but luckily my boss is a materials engineer.

They supply stainless for the front brackets and some goop to put on the threads (I think to prevent problems caused by dissimilar metals?). The rears were zinc plated. When I went to Home Depot to buy the correct bolts, I would have bought stainless if they had them but had to settle for the zinc plated.

Regards to the OP, I think suggesting alternatives is in line with the intent of the thread. Correct me if I wrong here, it is good information while trying to decide what to do. 50 lbs of weight on top of a soft top would wear right through the top in no time flat. I can see putting them up there with the top down but not with it up.

With regards to choices of racks, think of the long term and having to deal with something that attaches to the spare. I'm a get it up there and go type of individual when it comes to outdoors fun. It doesn't matter if it is kayaks, bikes, or whatever. I want to get the stuff ready and go in as little time as possible. I had a "hollywood" rack for my bikes when I had my Caravan and it was a time buster. I now have the ultimate Thule swing arm rack for four bikes that fits into the 2 inch receiver. It is a plug and play system. The rear gate of the jeep can still be opened and closed with the bike rack on. Total no nonsense rack. I feel the same about the congo cage. It is always there and ready for its intended purpose. No messing around with stuff when I get the yin for putting the kayaks in the water, just put em up there and go.

My .02 .

JK, whats the drill for removing your hard top with rack? I'm thinking about a lift for the rear section of my wife's unlimited.

I haven't done it yet but it is either unbolt and slide out to the rear or put the rack in tilt up position and remove from the side. Either way, it will be a little more difficult removing than no rack at all. The good news is that the rack can easily be removed prior to taking the top off if it becomes a problem. The T top can be removed by just un-fastening it and sliding them out under the rack. I've done that without tilting the rack back. Putting the soft top up and down will require tilting the rack up. They have two convenient metal rods to hold the rack up in tilt up position for putting the top up and down. I purchased a 3/4" wrench specifically for this job and put it in the tool kit I keep in the Jeep.