Has anyone created brackets to mount Yakima HD bars? I’d like to mount my existing HD bars as they will hold a decent amount of weight and I can set them up to still have clearance underneath to run straps and mount accessories like a kayak stacker. I got a look at the Beef Rack up close and there is no clearance underneath so these are not an option for me.
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I’d suggest that you put in a service request on the GFC website. I doubt that you are the only one with this request. I run the yakima bars on my camper and there are some distinct advantages to the yakima bars over the beef rack system. If enough people request them, GFC may decide to bring them back. Or at least do a run of them… Good luck.
Peace.
I had requested some from GFC and was told they are not available anymore. I too prefer the round bars. Look up a recent post from Josh Edgar for a template and source for the brackets.
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I put one in but not sure they’re going to do anything based on that. I dig your simple build by the way, I’ve read through your build thread and appreciate it as I think my build will be on the lower $ and more simple side except that I’m going to put in some solar/batteries and try using something like a DC bench cooler to cool the whole back so my dog can still join me and wait while I kayak on warmer days.
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Would love to see something like an HD bar adapter for the GFC so I could actually use all the accessories I already own. I don’t think the Beef racks will fit any of my Yakima gear. They used to make round bar mounts but no longer.
I absolutely love my camper but the beef racks are my least favorite part about it. None of my accessories will work. There’s just no room between the roof of the camper and the beef racks. I fiddled with my Kuat bike trays all afternoon trying to get them to work. Went to the hardware store and bought various nuts and carriage bolts trying to make it work. Nope. Just not enough clearance. We need a taller bracket.
I really wish the crew at GFC would make the beef rack brackets a wee bit taller. Even a half inch taller would be a game changer for mounting various accessories. Why aren’t taller brackets available? @GFC_Support any input?
I put in a service request to see what GFC would say and unfortunately they told me I could modify the brackets so they could sit higher up. My response was if I’m spending $200 for a cross bar I shouldn’t have to modify it and if I was going to have to customize it then I would just build it from scratch. Not knocking GFC but they seem to be set in how they build it and it seems like the beef rack is targeted to the overland market more than the outside recreation market that wants to haul kayaks/bikes/etc. I ordered some Beef Racks so I have something up there from day one and then was thinking of building some yakima mounts to add a 2nd set of bars to add attachments.
Interesting. Did they offer you the CAD file for the beef rack brackets? We should have options for bracket height when we order our beef racks. Or at least they should offer them for us to purchase. How hard can it be? Maybe there’s more to it. Super frustrating.
@GFC_Support I run the yakima bars. The only reason I have them is because I was a relatively early owner. As I said earlier in this thread, the round shape of the yakima bars is just better for creative tinkering for how to mount different things. It seems odd that GFC can’t or won’t offer such a simple thing that would increase the overall satisfaction of the camper. Strange.
I really think the simplicity of the yakima bars make them better than the beef bars. For me at least…
It’s would love to see GFC make them available for others or at least be transparent about why not.
If GFC can’t, an opportunity for the aftermarket community?
Peace.
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My theory is that Yakima is not happy with other manufactures making mounts and sent GFC a cease and desist.
That seems odd to me because if they don’t make mounts for an application it seems like they would be happy for a solution that allows them to sell their bars and specialty attachments to that market.
If you want round bar brackets, search the forum for “round bar brackets” and/or Yakima and read Josh’s post. I followed his advice and they are being made for me at send/cut/send.
SB
Our design ethos is to keep our products as lightweight and low profile as possible. A Beef Rack by itself increases the tent section height of the camper/RTT by nearly 40%. Moreover, it is important to keep in mind that there are trade offs with everything that you do. One of the more frequent questions that we receive from prospective buyers is whether their camper/RTT will still fit in the garage. At least in my experience, height clearance is a priority for most.
Our products often allow users to make changes to those very products fairly easily. Yes, our products do not accommodate every aftermarket mounting application, but it does fit quite a few variations across manufacturers with little to no modifications. In short, it really comes down to how the mounting application attaches to the rack/crossbar. So if you need additional height on the towers, then make your own custom towers and/or just build your own rack. We do not posit that the Beef Rack (or any of our accessories for that matter) fits everyone’s needs.
We appreciate the feedback around this topic. Data is what ultimately drives our decisions as a company, so if the data warrants for us to make a change, then we will certainly evaluate such.
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Thanks for the reply and insight. I don’t necessarily agree with this approach but it is what it is man. I don’t think telling us to build our own rack is the appropriate direction though. We drop thousands on these campers and then need to go and build our own roof racks? Come on bud. Why not simply give us the option to buy a taller tower? It would make a lot of us even happier campers @GFC_Support ! Just another inch taller and then most all aftermarket accessories would work. With <0.75 inches clearance virtually NO aftermarket accessories work. Taller towers are the right answer IMO. Heck it’d be another revenue stream for GFC. I’d pay $100 or even a little more for a taller bracket. I just had to spend $500 on new Yakima high speed bike trays because it’s the only tray on the market that uses heavy duty/reinforced rubber banding to clamp to the beef racks. It’s very slim so it fits between the roof and beef racks. No actual hardware or bolts. I would have gladly purchased new taller beef rack towers before new trays man. Just saying. Thanks again for the GFC POV. Cheers.
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I also have called and requested another set of Yakima round bar mounts…I must of bought some of the last sets.But I need another set.Big round bar fan.GFC kind of left a few of us in the cold as far as these round bar mounts are concerned…Why stop making a product that lots of us really like.We need GFC to start making these again…
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I do like the look of the beef rack. Provided you’re using t-nuts they give you plenty of mounting options and are super strong. Depending on what you’re mounting, they could be great. However, price has me exploring other options and the yakima solution might be better for me.
I understand how clearance is important to many, especially since the GFC is marketed as a camper that lets you continue to daily drive your truck. However, I don’t see how this applies to the beef rack in real life use. The beef rack is not a part of the camper, it’s an accessory for those who want to make use of rooftop storage space. Who cares if the rack has some height to it? It only exists to put things on top of. And if you really need to fit in your garage, you’re not going to put anything on the roof. So the beef rack is thin for those GFC owners who prioritize tight clearance over using the rack as a rack? And they’re using the rack for…decoration? Maybe I’m missing something here.
I did and will consider these once I pick up the camper at the end of the month.