Gobi Rack Install Question - help needed...

[tcaudle2001]

I am installing my new Gobi Ranger rack on my '16 LR4.

My LR4 has the extended OEM roof rails that reach all the way to the A-pillars. The instruction manual appears to be entirely set up for an LR4 with the short roof rails...the ones that only stay to the rear of the "swoop" over the driver area.

My only guess is that the OEM extended roof rails need to be cut shorter, and I assume that you'd order a new end cap from Land Rover to cover up the front portion where you cut.

Assuming all of that is right, which it might not be, the question is... where to cut? All of the measurements in the manual in terms of where to place the t-nuts are based off of the shorter rails...measured from the front of the shorter rails. If they were measured from the back, I could measure in the other direction.

Anyway, if anyone with a Gobi rack has encountered this issue, it would be great to hear how you solved it. I have a note in to Gobi as well, but it's Saturday and my guess is that you guys will be faster.

Thanks in advance.

Trevor

 

[ryanjl]

Cutting your existing roof rails is not the solution. You need to buy the shorter roof rails and the trim piece to fill in the remainder of the track to the front.

 

[tcaudle2001]

Thanks for the reply. The front trim piece is present...so I think I am fine there. Pretty disappointing that the Gobi website/sales team didn't say anything about me needing to buy additional OEM parts to complete the install. The options on the site only ask whether "OEM rails" are present or not. It doesn't have any sort of option around which OEM rails are present. They also make you send them a photo of the actual rooftop at the time of purchase...which I did. So, all the more disappointing that this only becomes an issue on the day that I go to install it....

 

[mmbirtcher]

Waiting on my Gobi rack to be shipped next week. What was the end result of your install? Did you have to buy parts?

 

[tcaudle2001]

Hi

So, long delay in responding here. Gobi sent me out new hardware... but I never installed it because my wife didn't like it.​

Fast forward to Sunday, and I tried to install it and ran into a major problem.

The rack sits way too far back and the ladder (at least) hits the tailgate.

I have the long roof rails.

Do you have the long roof rails? Were you able to install your rack?

 

[CRYA]

You gotta post pics. All I can say is my Gobi was dead on with zero fitment issues or adjustments needed. Followed the instructions precisely and haven't looked back since. I know that's not helpful, but there's gotta be something more going on here.
And how do you mean the ladder hits the tailgate?

 

[tcaudle2001]

Will do. I have been hoping that Gobi would respond to my emails... Do you have the long/full length OEM rails?

 

[tcaudle2001]

I am attaching photos to this post. You can see where the front bracket of the rack is all the way forward on the rail. I thought maybe to pull off the sloped cover, cutting off the little 2" tab... that would allow me to slide everything up a bit more. (but, there is a screw in the rail there so it may not work without removing/shavig that screw head. Also, I don't know if that would actually buy me enough space.

The overall unit, from furthest back of the rear lateral bar, to the absolute front of the front lateral bar, os 7', 4.75".

The rep told me a while back that all of the racks are the same for all of the rail combinations, but I wonder if the mounting brackets on the rack are in different positions for the different roof combinations.

Pics attached...Pics

 

[ftillier]

If you remove the front most bolt does that allow you to shift it forward?

 

[tcaudle2001]

Do you mean the stainless steel Gobi bolt? If so, then no. If you mean the Landrover Torx screw that is at the bottom of the rail (not visible in pics or at the moment).. then, maybe. In pic 3... which shows the plastic "slopy" cover that transitions from the rail to the rooftop... there is about a 1.5" plastic tab/tongue. I am thinking that if I cut right at the seam, then I can slide the whole rack up about 1.5" which might be enough to clear the ladder/tailgate.

But, before I cut anything (permanent) I'd like to hear from Gobi or another owner that doing so solved/will solve the issue....