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I love mine Gene. Best I've ever had. You have to get the work winches though.... it's the best part of the whole set up.
The biggest complaint I ever hear about them is that the sides don't allow your truck to be loaded by forklift at the yard. That has never bothered me though because if I need a forklift full of something it's getting delivered.
By coincidence, I was just looking at a brand new setup like that today. I had never seen those winches before. They are awesome!
Will two do, Brian, or do I need the 4-pack?
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I love mine too. I had them on 3 different trucks. I have topsiders on them. It's very nice to have a setup that won't rust.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
yes, very good.
dug
I've got the rack also and love it.
Get all 4 winches. Yesterday I had a ladder strapped to 1 side and trim strapped to the other.
John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
I really like mine too. No rust and a fraction of the weight of the steel ones. Get the heavy duty contractors package and request the extra long straps for your winches.
I have them and feel very safe with the load winched down. I also have a Weatherguard 27" box mounted on the System One, I had to get a tube of aluminum as a riser riser for it. System One only sells the riser only for their box. I really like the smooth rubber and sticky rubber inserts for the top and I recommend getting the hooks in the sides (I chain my compressor to these hooks). You have to take half the rack apart to put these on later, don't ask how I know that.
Edited 3/1/2007 11:09 pm ET by shellbuilder
I've had several of these on different trucks and they are the best rack made in my opinion. I would definitely get the winches, money well spent.
gene.. i bought a System 1 for one of my guys..... good rack
i prefer the Vanguard SS 12' over-the-cab
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there is a very good swing-gate system on the rear cross-bar that gives easy access to the bed
and you can load from a fork-lift over the side.. especially i f you are staring down the yard guy running the forks
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 3/2/2007 6:29 am ET by MikeSmith
This has come up several times before. I seem to be the lone desenter on these racks.
If you need to remove the back bar it is a PITA, and side rails are to narrow for a pallet to fit between. When I pick up shingles I have to load 3 square by hand, then the remainder of the pallet will fit underneath the bar.
If you put even a moderatly heavy load on this rack, the angled uprights cause enough outward thrust to spread the sides of the pickup bed so the tailgate won't work.
The work winches are nice, but mine have been frozen , so I end up using the ratchet straps that I have used with any other rack.
The rubber inserts are nice.
All my previous racks were the steel version of the one in Mike smiths picture, I am anxious to go back to that.
I am with you jayzog,
to me-they look like something assembled out of an errector set--and the angled supposts would waste cargo space below----and carrying capacity above-------can you lay 3 ladders side by side up there?
I buy custom welded steel racks--next one will be stainless steel.-- i have hooks on the side to carry sheet metal brake--and the rear cross bar removes easily fo loading tall items----and you can load skid loads in NO problem.
stephen
good point... loading and unloading pallets
the rear bar swings back or front... and a forklift can reach in from the tailgate and lift a pallet in or out
lots of times we get high pallet loads ( like a bale of insulation ) that are higher than the siderails
here we're returning a pallet of leftover brick.. the forklift reached right over the gate and pulled the pallet back , then lifted it out, less than a minute
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a typical load on the racks might be 16/16' 1x8 Miratech on one side and 10/14' 2x8 on the other...
or six 24' alum-apole-setups and three 20" x 24' alum-a-pole pics..
the Vanguard is designed for heavy loads.. and we use the 3/8 nylon rope ratchets for tie-down
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 3/2/2007 8:27 am ET by MikeSmith
Try to stick that load on a little Toyota!
It all comes down to how much weight you plan on putting up there. i love system one because it won't rust and fills my needs. I like the easy bolt on system rails because you can slide the bolts in the rail as needed.
Edited 3/6/2007 3:53 pm ET by AllTrade
I have one on a truck thats steel and custom made. Built by a welder friend of mine. Strong as hell. Another option Im not sure if you considered is a Back Rack. Its an attractive stell frame that goes behind the back window. There strong as hell and also protect your back window. I've also mounted some heavy duty backup/reverse lights on mine and a beacon light on top. I don't know if this will meet your needs but I have 3 and I love them.
I've got a little toyota, pulled out the factory leafs added stiffer ones, It's actually scary what you can put in it/ pull around in it. I was suprised myself. Unfortunately the sheet metal is quite thin, if you drop something in the back like tiles and drywall from the second floor it will dent very easily. Can't wait to buy a new tundra, got 50g you could spot me?
After I hit the Mega Millions tonight sure!