Tailgate mounted trail rack and Hardtop

[Fishtaco]

Anyone have or had a tailgate bracketed trail rack fitted with original bumper/wheel carrier and hard top on?
Seems the hardtop rear window may hit the rack with gate fully open on a mock up I did.
All the pics seem to show them fitted with soft tops not hardtops.

Cheers

 

[Mark K]

Early in my Jeep TJ journey, I asked some maker about compatibility of their trail rack with my hard top glass and was told it would conflict.

 

[Fishtaco]

Early in my Jeep TJ journey, I asked some maker about compatibility of their trail rack with my hard top glass and was told it would conflict.

Thanks I was going to fab my own brackets because the Bestop ones are all out of stock so during a measure up and head scratch it looked as if the bracket would touch the glass so I held some square tubing to the tailgate and it touches the window sill when the tailgate is closed, this could be fixed with spacers but when I opened the tailgate and clamped on the tubing the corner of the window stopped against the tubing as I lifted the window up.
I am glad I didnt buy the Bestop trail rack brackets as I am pretty sure even with spacers the hardtop glass would hit the corner of the rack when opening it .
looks like I will have to stick with my hitch mounted carrier.

 

[Jeffseven777]

HEY HEY. Ill be fabbing a rack my self out of this and connecting it direct to the tail gate right behind the stock tire mount. i wont be carrying anything super heave just need the space for a cooler or chairs etc since i keep my seats in 90% of the time.

Once i get it done ill send how it looks and if its not complete trash ill make ya one. I can either supply you the metal and you can fab it your self or pay for the shipping of a welded one. but I have no time table cause 8-5 im working.

 

[Jeffseven777]

Can you send some pictures of where your glass comes near the OEM tire rack?
can you also in the pictures show a tape measure from rack to glass so i can see the distance.

I just started thread https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/tail-gate-mounted-rack-builds.52515/
When i make one ill post info and post on here if active.

 

[Jeffseven777]

Here is a pic of a generic one online. If you don't have the clearance of the windshield it should be as simple as your front support legs having a slight bend before the start of the windshield your rear support legs can be at a straight 90. Forgive the crude paint..... The two legs would be joined by a support leg and can be jointed at the stock bumper or to the bottom of the tire carrier. if at the bumper a cotter pin setup would be used to disconnect to open the trunk.