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07-30-2019, 11:43 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,186
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CCV Top: Unistrut or Thule?
I’m on the CCV schedule for a mid-height top. Pretty excited! I had planned to have the 60” Thule tracks installed for my kayaks and probable eventual solar, etc. CCV is happy to do that but their usual is a full-length (110” I believe) aluminum Unistrut. I’m leaning towards the Unistrut because of these factors:
1. It’s a lot longer
2. Three connecting bolts are the same ones that attach the lift mechanism; the Thule has 10 extra (each)
3. In researching the Unistrut, I’ve been impressed with the variety of connections available.
Downsides?
1. Thule/Yakima accessories won’t just click in. But I’d have to buy (expensive) Yakima adapters/towers for the stuff I already have, anyway if I go the Thule route.
2. Don’t much care for the aluminum color. But they’ll powder coat it black for me for a fee.
I need to commit pretty soon. Do you see downsides (or upsides) I’m missing?
Some photos they shared:
__________________
"PhoTo" - 2014 Ford E350 5.4L RB - Agile 4x4 - CCV Poptop
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07-30-2019, 12:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
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Unistrut is the way to go. Strut nuts can be picked up at any home improvement store if you need to add anything.
Most Yakima stuff will bolt to it once you delete the towers. Or just mount the bars with pipe clamps. If you don't already had the bars and what not ,you can either use strut there, or use Rhino rack stuff, which is Unistrut in disguise.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
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07-30-2019, 06:53 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb
or use Rhino rack stuff, which is Unistrut in disguise.
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Thanks carringb, that’s how I was leaning. Funny about the Rhino Rack stuff... I didn’t know that!
.
__________________
"PhoTo" - 2014 Ford E350 5.4L RB - Agile 4x4 - CCV Poptop
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07-30-2019, 07:47 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Francisco/Nevada City
Posts: 3,769
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Unistrut! No question.
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07-30-2019, 09:13 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rallypanam
Unistrut! No question.
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Because... ?
__________________
"PhoTo" - 2014 Ford E350 5.4L RB - Agile 4x4 - CCV Poptop
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07-30-2019, 10:55 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Durango, CO formerly Seattle
Posts: 177
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Hey Otter, I'm in exactly the same situation with the same questions. I just heard from Mark at CCV today, he says "unistrut is far superior in every way". I want to continue to use all the Yakima round bar accessories that I've invested in over the years and was uncertain how Yakima gear attaches to the unistrut. He sent me this picture (sorry I can't get the forum tools to show the pic in the proper orientation):
__________________
Bardo
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2005 RB-50 5.4L V8 E250 "Blanca"
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07-31-2019, 12:13 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Francisco/Nevada City
Posts: 3,769
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Otter
Because... ?
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Ultimately because it’s totally flexible. Anything you want to do on the roof now or in the future is easy!
Want Yakima racks? Easy. Want Thule racks? Easy. Want anything? Easy.
Parts are all ready accessible at your local electrical supply or big box store.
And it’s aluminium (If you go that way, and you should) so it’s light and never rusts.
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07-31-2019, 09:22 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rallypanam
Ultimately because it’s totally flexible. Anything you want to do on the roof now or in the future is easy!
Want Yakima racks? Easy. Want Thule racks? Easy. Want anything? Easy.
Parts are all ready accessible at your local electrical supply or big box store.
And it’s aluminium (If you go that way, and you should) so it’s light and never rusts.
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Thanks! That’s a rousing bunch of pros! And, yeah, aluminum!
__________________
"PhoTo" - 2014 Ford E350 5.4L RB - Agile 4x4 - CCV Poptop
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07-31-2019, 09:25 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgrimm
Hey Otter, I'm in exactly the same situation with the same questions. I just heard from Mark at CCV today, he says "unistrut is far superior in every way". I want to continue to use all the Yakima round bar accessories that I've invested in over the years and was uncertain how Yakima gear attaches to the unistrut. He sent me this picture (sorry I can't get the forum tools to show the pic in the proper orientation):
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Hi sbgrimm. Thanks for the pic. I turned it around. But I haven’t seen that connector. Is that a Yakima tower?
__________________
"PhoTo" - 2014 Ford E350 5.4L RB - Agile 4x4 - CCV Poptop
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07-31-2019, 11:33 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Francisco/Nevada City
Posts: 3,769
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Here’s a picture of my old van with unistrut... and the cool thing is the new owner wanted more solar, so it was easy for him to change the setup without any new mounting points... no new holes in the top or anything.
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