roof rack install on fiberglass raised roof?

[markmitch]

I took a roof rack off an Astro and cut it down to fit on the raised roof of my 94 starcraft packaged van but I have never bolted anything to a fiberglass roof so if anyone here has done this please fill me in on how to do it correctly and be able to load small luggage on to it. Thank you, Mark

[97cargocrawler]

I've never done it but I would think mounting to the vertical sides and more feet the merrier. Spread the load and the hardware (i.e. feet with mounting holes not too close together. Use fender washers on the inside.

[markmitch]

I asked because my neighbor said to use wood screws with plastic inserts , that sounded kinda iffy to me.

[gavio]

I haven't done it on fiberglass, either, but I sure wouldn't settle for wood screws and inserts.... I'd go like CC says and use bolts with fender washers and use a rack if possible that mounts to the vertical sides of the roof, it'll be way more capable of holding up a load...

[estilian]

Just wanted to ask - have you done this job and how is it?

I have a raised roof and I have a great 600l Thule which I would like to mount. My main concern is the load... Any ideas how to install it securely so that at high speed and bumps on the road the roof rack will stay on top of the Astro... not on top of the car behind or inside mine

Actually the question should be - how to mount roof railing through the whole length of the Astro.

Here is the roof rack I have. It's mounted on my other car - Mercedes SEL600. I know it looks small, but this is because the car is very big Actually this is one of the biggest thule-style racks available on the market right now

[WoodButcher]

Lol, wood screws & inserts.
No.
Drop the headliner and glue to the inside furring strips. 1"x3" or wider hardwood, as long as you can fit with the contours of the roof. (poplar is a good choice, cheap and strong enough) I would use the foaming gorilla glue because it will expand and fill voids, harden so the piece will stay where you want it. Cut sticks (from the floor to the strips and wedge them in)to hold them in place till the glue cures, cover everything in the van w/ painters plastic, wet the boards to help the glue do it's thing then put the glue on the boards and hold them w/ the sticks.
After an hour or so you can start to clean up then through drill to mount your rack.
Practice w/ the glue first, it makes a mess!

(edit)

[Starrshine]

I am faced with this same dilema as I need a rack for my kayak. It only weighs 50# but lift with the wind will be a killer. My plan is to anchor the rack where the two roofs come together. I intend to take a couple of screws per rack mount and drill them for bolts. I do believe the fiberglass will crack! Do not listen to your neighbor, that's laughable
Bob

[dbotski]

Did you end up mounting anything to your fiberglass roof? I am thinking of doing it myself and was wondering if you had and pictures?

[markmitch]

I sold the van with the roof rack inside for the new owner to figure it out, wife hated the van after she drove it because the seats were so big you could not get out of the pass front seat and go into the back because there was very little space due to the seats being bulky.

[HotWire]

Yakima Track system is what I'd use. Spreads the load evenly and has flexibility.

[esc]

That is just what the tracks on my "new" van look like.
https://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=102961

I was trying to identify them last week and finally decided that they were probably made by Yakima.
I like that they spread the load.

Yakima sells kit with these tracks for mounting into steel or fiberglass.
The steel kits have screws that remind me of pop rivets.
The fiberglass kits are through bolted with fender washers on the inside.