Extending my roof rack to include a third crossbar is probably the nuttiest idea I’ve had since mounting a micro-tower to my car’s rooftop! I couldn’t think of a way to do it without drilling holes. Then I remembered that I have some SeaSucker mounts that should handle the job nicely.
I replaced my longitudinal Superstruts with longer units that reach all the way to the edge of the roof. The ends are supported by the SeaSuckers. I used a combination of 1/4-20×4″ bolts and aluminum spacers for additional support.
The third crossbar is a transverse piece of Superstrut that’s cut to match the width of the rack. It is as close as practical to the rear edge of the roof. The image above shows that the channel barely clears the rooftop cargo box’s base. I had to slide the box forward about a 1/2-inch to allow such a tight squeeze.
The image above shows how the curvature of the roof affects the contact points between the SeaSucker and the Superstrut. I did some grinding and used malleable beveled washers to match the mating surfaces. The setup is surprisingly supportive!
Okay — I have a third crossbar, but what could I use it to mount? My first idea was to use it for relatively light items that I’d want outside when traveling with the micro-tower. I could also use it for a lighting bar that would help me when backing a trailer at night or to illuminate my surroundings when parked and operating my radios.
Then I realized that I have an extra Boco Custom locking mount for my Husky Build-Out boxes. I added yet another crossbar and drilled extra holes to account for the odd hole spacing in the Boco mount. I tested it with different boxes and am pleased with the results!
I think the boxes pair well with my micro-tower! There’s enough space between the rear Rhino Rack crossbar and the first Superstrut crossbar to clear my tower’s mounting channels. The micro-tower rests on spacers, so those channels are ~3/16″ taller than the rest. It’s good that they’re separate. See the image below.
Any box I mount is too high or awkward to access from behind the car (imagine if I had an SUV!). But turning the box around for a forward opening allows me to access its contents while standing inside either rear door. It’s a great fit!
When I mount or work on the micro-tower, I usually place handfuls of tools and mounting hardware on the roof (gasp!) and hope that nothing slides off onto the ground. With the Boco mount on the roof, I decided to mount one of my smallest Build-Out cases when the micro-tower is mounted. This parts bin holds all the various nuts, bolts, and washers that I use to fasten the tower to the crossbars and Superstrut channels.
I haven’t had any hardware loosen or fall out, but carrying spares is a must in case of an incident! I used to carry this box inside the car. Having the case right next to the tower gives me a place to take or leave hardware and tools when I work on the roof. I hadn’t imagined how convenient this box placement would be — but it’s surprisingly efficient!
Obviously, I can’t keep the Boco mount or a Build-Out box mounted when the cargo box is in place because it sits lower than the new crossbars. The cargo box is large enough to hold boxes and luggage when needed. It also has both 12V and 24V power routed to it, so it can be a jumping point for a day when I might decide to put a lighting bar back there. Time will tell if I ever decide to add to this setup.
What do you think? I imagine most GTI fans would never consider doing this, but I think Alltrack owners might!
Still Not Overloaded,
Scott
