Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform 6 does NOT FIT w/ moonroof (Rhino Rack is now changing their website)

[Dangerdangle]

EDIT: Rhino Rack screwed up! Apparently when they designed and fit this, it was on a base model without a moonroof. See the below attached email.

I won't be touching Rhino Rack ever again, after this. The website, instructions, customer support, and return process has all been a terrible experience.

On top of it they're also still keeping $114 of my refund for "shipping".

I'm still in the middle of resolving this through e-trailers/Rhino Rack but as the title says, the Pioneer Platform 6 does not clear the moonroof despite what their website and fitment guides say.

I initially thought that my issues were due to underbar placement since I was forced to sleuth through several forum posts and make some guesses of my own before settling on a location. This is because the underbar placement is not listed in the instructions or on their website, when following the QR code as instructed.

In fact the Bronco Sport is not listed as a compatible vehicle ANYWHERE in their underbar fitment guide.

This then prompted me to call support; the first tech was not able to provide any underbar measurements and eventually said, "You might need to contact Ford and see if there's a way to raise your factory side rails." After gathering myself, I hung up and called e-trailers and spoke to their rep who was as helpful as he could be and was able to find some estimates for the underbar locations, but it still wouldn't clear by about a centimeter or two.

On my second call to Rhino Rack I spoke to another tech who was able to do some digging and found that the underbars (according to them) are supposed to be located at +41 / 0 / -41 (front, mid, rear). This again, did not give me the clearance I needed and from what I can tell there is NO scenario in which that center underbar will clear when set at anything closer than -14 to -16, so I have no idea where they're getting these measurements from.

I then tried to add rubber washers under the front and rear rails to add more clearance along the bottom, however due to the length of the bolts I was limited in the size of spacers I could use. In the end this was a dead end as well.

Now I'm out $100 in random hardware and several wasted afternoons. Along with the prospect of dissassembling this nightmare and sending it back.

I'd like to know who's decision it was to manfuacture, package, and sell a $1200 roof rack without first installing it on a test vehicle. BE WARNED.

 

[ltcdwb]

That looks frustrating. The third photo makes me curious if the front cross bar was moved as far forward as possible would that allow the moon roof to move back and open?

 

[ltcdwb]

Did you try moving the front cross bar rearward so it sits behind the open moon roof? It would place it closer to the center bar.

another thought would be to move the whole rack rearward about Two inches.

 

[kenmitch]

How far forward of the antenna are you trying to install the rack? Your photos show failure, but don't allow for any possible solutions.

 

[Dangerdangle]

For clarification, this is the final set of photos that I bothered taking showing the +41 / 0 / -41 configuration I was given by the second tech I spoke with at Rhino Rack. He forwarded me a PDF he had on hand that gave me these measurements.

This is 62100F model roof rack (59x49) with RX100 legs.

This was done after trying MULTIPLE configurations with the underbar placement. Which is from what I can tell, the only "configuration" and variability possible when it comes to the assembly of this roof rack w/ the rx100 legs.

My first attempt was a guess, due to the dead-end with their instructions/QR code and I landed on 31.5 / 0 / 31.5 since the ruler guide goes from +63 to -63 I just split the difference. This did not clear and had the moonroof hitting the center underbar. I then began checking forum posts and I found someone here (with what I think might have been a Platform 5) who had theirs set at +46 / 0 / -46. I tried this and still the center underbar was not clearing.

I then decided to to attempt to push the center underbar back to about -15. This placed that center underbar about a quarter of an inch behind the open moonroof. Leaving the final configuration something like 30 / -15 / -46. While this worked to clear the underbar, the moonroof was still hitting the bottom of the rack now, by about 1 centimeter or more.

After this I spoke to the first tech at Rhino Rack who was not able to find the underbar placements himself and who's final advice was to "Contact Ford and see if there's a way to raise the factory side rails." After a good laugh, I hung up and called William with Etrailers who was able to, after some digging, find documentation saying the underbars should be no less than 27 9/16 and no more than 31.5 apart.

Having no concrete numbers at this point, my assumption was that there was some sloping in the side rail from front to back that might account for some variation in heights and would require me to just screw around with it until it fit... So, I then preceded to place the underbars as far forward, as far back, and/or as close as comfortably possible. Trying no less than 8-10 different variations, ignoring the "no less than 27 9/16 and no more than 31.5" advice I was given earlier, with absolutely zero success.

Out of feasible options, I gave Rhino Rack support a call again and explained the situation and after some digging he was able to find the +41 / 0 / -41 spacing recommended by their engineers. This of course did not work and is the bi-product of the pictures you see.

I then had the hairbrained idea to add rubber spacers between the bolts on the front/rear underbars and the rack, hoping that it might give me the extra cm or two of clearance, but even then I could not get it to work. The bolts themselves were too short and any added clearance was not enough.

It's clear to me that despite what their instructions and engineers say there is no scenario in which that center under bar can be AT CENTER on a 59x49 rack and clear an open moonroof; and even when that problem is solved by pushing the center bar back, the bottom of the rack still cannot clear by about a centimeter... leaving me questioning how this thing would EVER fit.

To answer the above questions:

Q: if the front cross bar was moved as far forward as possible would that allow the moon roof to move back and open?

A: The front cross bar has no issues with clearance itself until it's pushed back to anything lower than +30 or so. The center underbar is the only one that comes in contact with the moonroof when open with those limitations. However, I have tried moving the front underbar as far forward or back as possible, in hopes that it would make micro adjuments to the rack that would allow it to clear and there was no change.

Q: Did you try moving the front cross bar rearward so it sits behind the open moon roof?

A: Yes/no. I have moved it back as far as about +32 or +30 but the backside of the legs begin to come into contact with the moonroof as it opens if they are pushed back any further than that. Additonally, "behind the open moonroof" would land the underbar at about -15 to -20 and would be so far behind center that it would undoubtedly compromise it's structural inegrity and load capactity. Likely leading to a lot of additonal wind noise and/or warping under load since there would be absolutely no supports under the front 2/3 of the rack.

Q: another thought would be to move the whole rack rearward about Two inches.

A: I have also tried this, the limiting factor is the antenna. I have placed the roof rack as far away from the antenna as 4-5 inches or as close as a 1/4 inch, with no change. The rack itself runs parallel to the vehcile (length ways) while the underbars are horizontal. Once you solve the problem of the center underbar clearing, the issue becomes the rack itself, which cannot be adjusted and due to the vertical supports theres no amount of side to side or front to back movement that will change where it comes in contact.

Q: How far forward of the antenna are you trying to install the rack?

A: As far forward and as close as humanly possible, along with every position in between. No change.


Finally, you'll have to forgive my shortness and lack of pictures. I have done this on my own and in my spare time and I have not diligently documented everything as I assumed a $1200 rack, that I was told would fit, would be relatively straight forward.

Had I been creating a DIY video or going into this with the assumption that I would be test fitting a new product, I certainly would have documented the process a bit better. I did not come here in hopes of finding a solution, as I feel I've done everything I can at this point. My intent was to warn users... but hell, if you are able to offer a solution before Monday afternoon, when I dissassemble and mail this junk back to em, I'll take it.

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