Found out that a Renogy Solar panel is perfect horizontally mounted on the roof of an XL. Used the beef bar towers on the sides (cut down slightly) and a small spacer between the panel and tower mount.
so this set does not have the solar panel attached to the beef bar in any way , correct?
That is correct. Not attached to the beef bars. And it still sits below the height of the beef bars as well.
very clean setup
really like the pass through you have there
Yeah I just hate the wires on the outside so tucked in them as far in the corner as possible.
A guy could also use the @jedgar brackets for this panel and achieve the same thing. Also be a lot less expensive for mounting if one has the beef bars ![]()
This is a very nice set up. Exactly what I’m looking for. Looks like the other solution posted here has the panel slightly above the rack. I do like the set up with the original bracket cut down. How did you purchase the side mounts only?
Thanks for taking the time to share
Perry G
Here is the link. They can be purchased via the spare parts on the GFC website.
Hey Josh, thank for the info I could not track it down on the web site. I do have a new V2 of the bars. They are great for carrying everything. I love this set up as my bars are set up fare appart to carry my Canoe. This allows me to place the panel without a bar.
Cheers,
PerryG
Is there any reason not to use something like joining plates for 80/20? I probably wouldn’t trust them with as much load as the beef bars but for solar panels, mounted close to the roof with little lateral load, I’d think they’d be fine.
For me it was for the aesthetics and I wanted the side plates to match my beef bars. Cleaner install was more important to me.
I’m sure a guy could make them work.
DHC_Josh, Could you please share your experience with the panel mounted this way? Have you had any issues? I would like to do something similar. I do not have beef rack bars, and I would prefer to mount a panel or two without them since I have no other need for the beef. I may get some heavy snow load on the panels, so I need them to be well supported. Are the frames of these panels strong enough to be supported only on the ends?
Thank you for posting!
I have a v2 on my 2022 Ranger and I want to mount a solar panel as you have shown here
Did you need to drill a hole into the solar panel edge so you could attach it to the bracket that goes into the side rails of the v2?
Does the v2 side rails bracket have screw/bolt holes already in them?
I’m so sorry I am just replying to the post. I just saw your message. But I live in Bozeman and never had any issues with snow or anything bending/ loosing with the panel. It has been this way for quite some time now and it is still as solid as the day I installed it. Even with all the trials, driving, etc.
The v2 brackets from GFC has the holes already yes. I just marked the solar panel and drilled the holes in the sides of the solar panels. I did have to put a small spacer to make the spacing perfect between the solar panel and the GFC towers.
Josh
That is very helpful - would you happen to have a link to the GFC brackets you refer to?
I cut the tops off of these. If you need I can send you close up shots



