July 7, 2010
Rack Attack Team
Today, Chris over at Walser Hopkins Jeep in Hopkins, Minnesota introduced me to a real-life 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was pretty awesome. Sharp looking ride. I was able to learn a little about the vehicle's factory roof rack.
First, the rails look good, well integrated into the lines and the matching chrome around the windowsill. The truck you see is above is the Overland edition. There is still the standby Laredo, and it has the same exact rail. I understand that the rails are the factory installed, and there is no 'delete option' if you were to try and order the car without it.
The parts department didn't yet have any dealer-installed crossbars. We'll have to hold tight, although I did find a set of less-than-awesome bars on ebay...
The rails look solid from the side, but they actually have a track along the top:
The channel is deep & wide, and looks like an easy platform for putting together an aftermarket rack setup. I'm going to take a guess and say that Thule will develop a fit for their 430 Tracker system and Yakima will likely approve a Control Tower Fit. However, the shape of the top of the rail may dictate that they will have to develop a new TK base or Landing Pad to fit the profile. As there is a 'lip' on the backside of the rail (not pictured), Thule may choose to go with a 460 Podium fit instead. Of course we'll just have to wait and see.
The bad news, however, is that the channel is very limited in length. A bar-spread may only end up being about 30" +/-, and you are restricted in your fore/aft placement by the plastic caps at either end of the rail. But there is also some good news here...The rail is held on by a half-dozen Torxfasteners...meaning it will be easy to remove. Once removed, the expert installers at Rack Attack will be able to lay down a full length 72" track (maybe cut down to 66"), giving you theversatilityto carry virtually anything you choose. We will be anxiously awaiting our first customer who wants to do this modification, and I'll get pictures as soon as possible.
Going back to the factory rack, if you elect to simply set up some crossbars for a cargo box, we may have some hatchback interference. While not as dramatic as a Toyota Highlander or Subaru Outback, there still is a rear spoiler that may spoil the opportunity to put a full length box up top...but again, we'll cross our fingers and report back on the 'max-length' box as soon as possible. Good thing we've got the Thule 611 Boxter though; Thule was smart enough to re-jigger the mounting points so this long sleek box can slip forward just enough to clear most spoilers.
This truck came with a factory installed 2" receiver hitch. Excellent for carrying bikes, skis/boards, or cargo. Don't let the dealer talk you into a 1.25" hitch, or you will restrict your hitch options considerably. Luckily, Rack Attack works with CurtManufacturing, a leader in trailer hitch development and production. It shouldn't be long for them to come up with a Class III aftermarket hitch should your new Grand Cherokee not come with one.
Update 2/17/12: I apologize for the wait getting some Thule pictures uploaded. The good news is that in the time since we last updated, Thule released their AeroBlade bars which are far far superior to the old Rapid Aero bars. Anyway, here are some (albeit low quality) pictures of a recent install. Enjoy!
Parts required for 2011-2012 Grand Cherokee:
Update 4/18/11: Thule has announced a 460/R Podium system for the Grand Cherokee, using Fit Kit 4019 to grip the flush rails. These showing up at our stores this week; you can order online here or give us a call at 888.399.7225. I'll put up some pictures once we complete our first installation!
Update 1/6/11: We had our first encounter today with the Mopar bars. A gentleman came in with them for us to install, and he also wanted a cargo box. Knowing we'd probably have to stick with short, the Yakima Skybox Pro 16 was our first choice. By the way, the box comes in a sleek new Onyx gloss finish.
Notice the bent antennae...this had us worried about the hatchback. Luckily, the gate cleared with a 1/2 inch to spare! Unfortunately, that means the 16 is going to be the biggest Yakima box for this truck on the factory racks. Thule's Boxter should fit fine if you need a bit more space.
Here is my one gripe about the Mopar bars...they don't have enough adjustability! We were only able to spread them to 28.5" apart. Also, the chrome rails give you the illusion that they could be spread further...see below.
While 28.5" is acceptable, one would have hoped for something wider, especially for trips to Home Depot, or with canoes or kayaks. To this date, Thule and Yakima do not yet have a raised rail option, only the Q towers system described below is available.
Update 10/14/10: Here it is--Yakima Q towers with Q5, Q10, and 58" bars will yield a 32" spread and has a 125lb capacity. Don't forget your 50" fairing. This one caught me by surprise...a 'clip' system for a truck with a factory rack! Yakima tells us the Q system will arch over the side rails. The fit notations include:
| 114. | Check clips after installing. Grab each clip and try to pull them hard away from your vehicle, twice. If the clip moves after the second pull, tighten the adjustment post. If the clip still moves after the second pull, recheck your measurements between the towers and adjust if necessary. Check clip again. |
| 161. | Maximum allowable weight load is 125 lbs. |
| 180. | This fit requires the use of current generation Q-Tower (4 Pack PN 8000124 or 2 Pack PN 8000135). Contact your local dealer if you have questions or call Consumer Service at 888-925-4621, Option 2, from 7am-5pm Pacific Time M-F. |
Comments
| Base Pad of front tower slightly overhangs the ditch molding. Micro adjuster is close to bottoming out on front tower. |
Hopefully this announcement will be followed shortly with a Thule solution. When we get a system installed, I'll be sure to post pictures.
Update 10/11/10: Thanks for your patience...but unfortunately neither Thule or Yakima have published a fit just yet. They need some pressure from folks like you, so go to Thule or Yakima websites and enter the 2011 Grand Cherokee into the fit guides...hopefully with increased demand they will speed up the development process. On the other hand, we do have a Class III 2" trailer hitch from Curt! If your new Grand didn't come with a hitch, Curt has engineered a clean-looking and very easy to install product...use our hitch fitting guide here to see for yourself.
We did see a new Jeep in the shop this weekend, and sadly the products we have on the shelf don't look like they will work. So please, if you are thinking of putting racks on your Jeep, be patient and wait for a properly fitting product from one of our rack manufacturers so you can carry your load safely and securely. I'll update again as soon as I have further information.
Updated! Story continues here
Stay tuned for our review of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee roof rack. We'll be taking a look at the capabilities of the factory rack, and predicting what Thule and Yakima will develop to fit the new roofline. Rack Attack will also be helping you figure out the best way to carry boats, bikes, skis, boards and cargo on this awesome new vehicle, so check back soon...
