Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Rating: 
2 reviews
Code: RTL002
Retail:$299.00
Price:$269.10
Shipping Weight: 42 pounds
Shipping SpecialCarry bigger, longer loads on your vehicle roof with this hitch-mounted load support. The adjustable-height system includes a 49" long, aero-style crossbar; a tilting mast for easy loading; and a tie-down for transporting a ladder or kayak.
Features:
Specs:
Carry larger and longer cargo on your vehicle's existing roof rack by installing the Rhino-Rack T-Load in your 2-inch trailer hitch. This adjustable-height crossbar system provides the lateral support you need to safely carry long gear such as a ladder or kayak on your roof rack.
The T-Load includes a 49-inch-long, Aero elliptical crossbar that sits parallel to your roof-rack crossbars. The aluminum crossbar is mounted on an anti-swivel plate to ensure stability. And it has a built-in channel for mounting Rhino-Rack Aero and Sportz accessories such as ratcheting tie-downs and load supports. The crossbar also has a rubber insert in the channel that helps to cushion your load and that provides slip resistance during transport. The insert can be cut to accommodate channel-mounted accessories. An anti-swivel plate provides a stable mounting point for your crossbar. The plate is designed to accommodate a Rhino-Rack Aero (included) or Heavy-Duty (sold separately) crossbar, so you can swap out the bar depending on the accessories you wish to use with the system.
The height of the T-Load's upright bar is adjustable to match the height of your roof-rack crossbars. This enables you to use the T-Load on multiple vehicles. To adjust the height, simply loosen a nut and bolt, slide the bar up or down, and retighten the bolt. You also have the option to secure the T-Load in place at a fixed height. To mount the T-Load in a fixed position, drill a hole in the bar at the desired height and use the included wire lock linchpin to hold it in place. This option is great for those who will frequently be using the T-Load on the same vehicle - or for those who are always reinstalling the carrier and don't want to line up the height and use a wrench every time. Once your hole is drilled, the system requires no further adjustment, and drilling the hole enables you to simply pull the pin and lower the crossbar for convenient storage when not in use.
The upright bar of the T-Load tilts forward and away from your vehicle for easier loading and better access to the rear cargo area. The bar has a bracket in the base that lets you choose between two angles of tilt.
A rubber mat is provided to serve as a no-slip base for leaning a kayak or canoe onto the crossbar from the ground. To load, place the bow of your watercraft on the mat, lay the other end on the T-Load crossbar, and push the kayak or canoe up and onto your roof rack.
This system includes a pair of load supports that you install by clamping them around the crossbar. The load supports can be positioned anywhere along the bar to accommodate cargo of different widths. Each load support has an angled side and a straight side. For an item with a curved shape - such as a kayak - position the load stops with the angled sides facing each other on the crossbar. For straight-edge items - such as ladders or lumber - position the load stops with the flat sides facing each other.
The T-Load comes with a 51-inch-long nylon strap to use when you are carrying your canoe or kayak hull-side down. The strap - or sling - has buckles that you insert into cutouts on the load stops to anchor the strap in place. When pulled tight, the strap helps to balance the canoe or kayak during transport. Use tie-down straps and bow/stern tie-downs (sold separately) to properly anchor your kayak to your roof when using the T-Load.
Video of Rhino-Rack T-Load Hitch Mounted Load Assist and Support Bar for 2" Hitches - 49" Long
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today well be reviewing part number RTL002, the Rhino Rack Kayak T-load kit. Well begin our review by installing it on a vehicle. Well simply insert the T-load into the hitch. Well line up the hitch pinhole and insert our anti-rattle bolt. We can then tighten it down with the included wrench. With our anti-rattle bolt tight, our T-load is secured to the vehicle and were ready to use it.
Now our T-load top tube here is able to slide up and down within the lower tube to allow for adjustment per vehicle. To do that well use the included wrench once again, loosen up this hold-down bolt or we can telescope the top tube to match up with our roof rack on the vehicle. When weve matched up the height of our roof rack with our vehicle, we then just tighten it down. Now youll notice your Rhino rack T-load came with a pin and lanyard. As you'll notice here in the lower tube, there is a hole drilled completely through it.
If youre using the T-load on a specific vehicle continuously, and want to maintain that same height, you simply drill a hole through the top tube where you can slide the pin and lanyard through to give you a speedy location when setting it up in the future. With our height set to our vehicle cross bars, well go ahead and lower the T-load down, well pull the pin here at the base of the T-load, and it will simply rock back and stop here at the stop. Well go ahead and leave the pin down for now. Now you'll notice that your T-load does come with a Rhino rack load bar. With the load bar secured to the T-load, it does offer some functionality.
It has the built-in channel, the same as the Rhino rack load bars that you would use on your vehicles roof. With the T-load, youll notice that it comes with two brackets. When loading a kayak, youll want to use the bracket with the angled side facing inward. You can also use the straight side of the bracket here facing inward to help you load other cargo such as wood or paneling onto your roof. The strap is designed to be used with the kayak carrier which is why its on now.
Now, with our kayak carrier loosely assembled so that we can move these back and forth as needed, were going to go ahead and load our kayak. Now, another great thing that Rhino rack thought of was this mat. Well set this on the ground and will allow us to set our kayak on it while we prepare to load it on to the vehicle. So go ahead and set our mat on the ground approximately where we think the back of the kayak will sit. Now weve got our kayak and while resting it on the mat, well lower it down onto the T-bar. We can now do any last minute adjustments to the T-load for our kayak. Now, our nylon strap will act as a cradle through the kayak as we load it up onto the vehicle. Within this position, well simply grab the back of our kayak, lifting it up and sliding it forward onto the roof. And with our kayak loaded on top of our vehicle, well reinsert the pin down here at the bottom of the T-load, well strap down our kayak and just like that, weve loaded our kayak on the roof with only one person. And that will do it for our Rhino Rack Kayak's T-load kit, part number RTL002.
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Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 Customer Reviews)
by: jeremy03/05/2013
Is this review helpful?
great product! got it to haul my kayak on my unlimited rubicon (soft top) instead of installing a full roof rack. worked out great. easy install, well built, and removeable. good price too. i highly recomend68992
by: Mark F.09/02/2012
Is this review helpful?
I've owned the product now for about 2 months. I use it to load/unload a Hobie Mirage Outback kayak on/off the roof of a 2007 Honda Pilot. I'm very happy with the product; however, it has taken some practice to get "good" at using it. It's not all as easy as the online videos would make it appear, but it does make the job as easy as I can imagine it being. And I tried several other options before this one -- the T-Load is the best of the bunch. It's just that there's no getting around the physics of lifting and pushing a 65-lb bulky kayak onto the car roof, and there is no substitute for having another person around to help you. Short of that, this is the next best thing. I am a relatively small guy (5'7") and I have gotten so that I can load/unload the kayak by myself without it killing me, so it fulfills my purpose for it. That's not to say that it is effortless though. Some tips if you are considering this product: - With the T-Load extended out, the rear hatch of the Pilot can be opened, with about 6 inches of clearance from the bar. Very nice. However your hatch must open up; you would not be able to open the hatch on, say, a RAV4 that opens to the side. - Practice with it first at home with another person around to jump-in if you get stuck. There are nuances to it that simply require some practice to learn. And to a large extent, the "nuances" have much to do with what you are loading/unloading -- in my case, my Hobie kayak, which has to be flipped hull-side up for transport, and that has to be done while it is on the T-Load because of the rudder, then I have a fishfinder mount that gets stuck on the strap and must be lifted over it, etc. All of which is manageable once you've done it a few times, but can otherwise get you in trouble if you're not prepared for it -- thus have a buddy around to help the first few times. - Wear gloves, especially if you are sweaty or just coming off the water (assuming you are using to load a kayak). Sweaty hands will slip and get you in trouble quickly, especially if you're alone. My fishing gloves with a rubber coating solve that problem. So I give the product two thumbs up. It is very rugged and well constructed. It is my first Rhino Rack product, and my impression from it is that Rhino Rack delivers quality products. I expect this thing to last a long time. And my purchase through eTrailer was also very good. No issues at all. 53803
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Installation Details
