All my life I have driven the typicall SUV, so I have been able to put my boards on the roof racks. I am considering the purchase of Jeep Wrangler, something to cruise with the top down. My only concern is my surfboards? You can’t haul a longboard inside of them. I would have a soft top only, so racks are an issue. At one time I had heard of a company that made racks to work with a soft top Jeep, but can’t remember where I saw it. If any of you have a jeep and know of a good way to solve this issue, I would be much appreciated.
I gotta give you my impressions of owning a Jeep. I’ve owned two of them. First time I bought a hard top. Easy to install racks on the fiberglass shell. I belive I used the Thule gutter kits which you screw/rivet/bolt in. No problem with boards. As a highway vehicle it was the pits. Noisy, kidney killer on bumps and just plain no fun to drive for more than quick trips. That was number one. Number 2 was a soft top 1995, 4 cyl. Lots of fun just for quick trips around town. Worst beach vehicle I’ve ever owned, no place to haul boards, no secure storage and hot even with and A/C. With the soft top up you can buy a rack that mounts to the rear body (have to drill holes) and then the front uses the sidemirror mounting bolts. I never bought this rig but from what I could see you would be fighting the roof rack to raise or lower the top. I opted for another option. I had a receiver hitch and I welded a T-bar that mounted in the hitch, over the roof in the rear. On the front I had a light bar minus the lights as a front cross bar. As a vehicle for highway runs, even 20-25 miles it was worse than the hardtop. Always canvas flapping, noisy inside, not even worth trying to use a radio. Gas mileage on the 4 cylinder was worse than many 6 cylinder vehicles I’ve owned. Just my two cents. Hey, I know the urge, it bit me twice. Never again though. *best surf vehicle I’ve ever owned, Plymouth Valiant slant 6 ('65 and '71), VW Rabbit 4cyl. gas. Tom>>> All my life I have driven the typicall SUV, so I have been able to put my > boards on the roof racks. I am considering the purchase of Jeep Wrangler, > something to cruise with the top down. My only concern is my surfboards? > You can’t haul a longboard inside of them. I would have a soft top only, > so racks are an issue. At one time I had heard of a company that made > racks to work with a soft top Jeep, but can’t remember where I saw it. If > any of you have a jeep and know of a good way to solve this issue, I would > be much appreciated.
Back in 1980 I bought a CJ-5 with a 304 V-8 from the guy who is now my partner in business. After I cleared smog I ran straight to the Supershops and purchased a cart load of performance add ons. Later, I ended up having the engine built by a stock car mechanic. 375 Hp to the rear wheels. Rag top with a full roll cage. When the top was down (pretty much whenever it was not raining) I would just strap my boards down to the roll cage. When it was up I could just fit my board in the passenger seat. The Jeep was great fun for a 19-20 year old college student that was just out for thrills. But, I can tell you anyone you take with you as a passenger must be a very good sport. Not condusive to long lasting relationships.
All my life I have driven the typicall SUV, so I have been able to put my > boards on the roof racks. I am considering the purchase of Jeep Wrangler, > something to cruise with the top down. My only concern is my surfboards? > You can’t haul a longboard inside of them. I would have a soft top only, > so racks are an issue. At one time I had heard of a company that made > racks to work with a soft top Jeep, but can’t remember where I saw it. If > any of you have a jeep and know of a good way to solve this issue, I would > be much appreciated. Get the Garvin Wilderness Rack. They work on a soft top. I think the web page is: www.garvin-industries.com. Best rack I have ever owned. Top quality and bullet proof…My two cents… D.
Rented a Jeep in Hawaii for a week. Tom Sterne is correct…it’s a kidney beater. After a day in that thing, I ended up sore and a headache. They’re enticing as a fun to drive vehicle but the reality quickly becomes apparent. Forget about highway speeds. Matter of fact, forget about it at any speed. Absolutely horrible as a daily driver. There are a lot of other choices. Just my opinion. Others may differ.
I don’t know how I forgot to add this to my list of favorite surf vehicles…a minivan! I had a hand me down mom-mobile. A 1998 Ford Aerostar. Ran the wheels off it and it finally died at 150K. Longboards fit inside, fishing rods/gear always onboard, seats pop out easy, fold down rear seat into a bed. Abundant parts and service with long run on that 6 cyl. engine. (even in Mexico). I miss that thing and am seriously considering another with the longer wheel base. TS>>> Rented a Jeep in Hawaii for a week. Tom Sterne is correct…it’s a kidney > beater. After a day in that thing, I ended up sore and a headache. They’re > enticing as a fun to drive vehicle but the reality quickly becomes > apparent. Forget about highway speeds. Matter of fact, forget about it at > any speed. Absolutely horrible as a daily driver. There are a lot of other > choices. Just my opinion. Others may differ.
We have a winner! Vans. Not personality or fashion statements. Merely what you need. Surf. Or sleep, then surf. Are you brave enough?
I don’t know how I forgot to add this to my list of favorite surf > vehicles…a minivan!>>> I had a hand me down mom-mobile. A 1998 Ford Aerostar. Ran the wheels off > it and it finally died at 150K. Longboards fit inside, fishing rods/gear > always onboard, seats pop out easy, fold down rear seat into a bed. > Abundant parts and service with long run on that 6 cyl. engine. (even in > Mexico). I miss that thing and am seriously considering another with the > longer wheel base.>>> TS Most bang for the buck…1980’s toyota van.
All my life I have driven the typicall SUV, so I have been able to put my > boards on the roof racks. I am considering the purchase of Jeep Wrangler, > something to cruise with the top down. My only concern is my surfboards? > You can’t haul a longboard inside of them. I would have a soft top only, > so racks are an issue. At one time I had heard of a company that made > racks to work with a soft top Jeep, but can’t remember where I saw it. If > any of you have a jeep and know of a good way to solve this issue, I would > be much appreciated. I have a friend that has a Jeep, we made a make shift rack using her rear tail hitch and her front light bar. We bought steal water piping and made a bar coming up from the back bumper hitch in the shape of a “T”. We secured it to the back tire so it wouldn’t shake and it worked great. It’s kind of a back yard way to do it, but it only cost us about $10 and it worked. Just giving my two cents worth. Chad