Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.
Carry bigger, longer loads with this hitch-mounted load support. The adjustable-height system includes a 49" long, Vortex Aero 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, Vortex Aero 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 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 Vortex 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.
Customer Satisfaction Score:
97% were satisfied with this product
3% of customers were not satisfied
Ratings & Reviews
Honestly was excited about this. Loading the kayak was easy. Unloading not so much. Unfortunately the kayak ended up smashing my back window. Would skip and get one of the side loading load assists from another vendor.
Perfect fit and look, thanks George even with 35" spare on the back. Headed to Montauk later to try the new racks out
The Rhino Rack Load Assist looks like it will satisfy my need completely. I have an inflatable dinghy, which weighs the same as a kayak. The Load Assist will help me place the dinghy on the roof racks of my Toyota Highlander! The packaging was well worn when the product arrived at my home but the double packaging by etrailer.com ensured all parts arrived safely.
This is a fantastic system I’m 69 years old and now I can load my canoe safely by myself
It’s we’ll built and shipping and service from e trailer was fast and fantastic!!
This bed extender works really well. It’s also built strong!
Will made ordering these items a breeze. He answered all my questions and made sure all were in stock. The order arrived in a few days and he followed up with a notice that all was "delivered". Awesome service and gentleman
Heavy duty
The unit is much more stable than expected. No rocking or swaying even with a side wind. The canoe is easy to load, I come in from the drivers side, set one end of the canoe in between the uprights and then move over to the truck and set the other end on the bar across the extended cab and then just lift it over. Of course the 5th wheel is not in this picture but that is why we load over the front.
Currently using this Rhino-Rack T-Load to load a tandem touring kayak on top of a 2023 Toyota 4 Runner. The kayak is very heavy and awkward and extremely difficult to do even with a hatch mounted ladder. This thing will save you from damaging your vehicle. Kayak went straight from the ground to the rack without touching the vehicle.
Excellent product! I was able to load my fishing kayak on my 4Runner by myself and this kayak is heavy! The Rhino is very sturdy and good quality. I am so far very impressed! Luv it!
I purchased the T Load support bar system for my 2013 Ford F-150 FX4. My kayak is a Seda Glider, weighing 42 Lbs and 19ft long. I’m so glad I opted for the T Loader, as my long kayak would be next to impossible to load onto the cab roof racks without the T Loader. With the T Loader, I can completely load my
kayak while standing behind the truck with no stress or strain. I’m 68 years old and about 6’ tall. I honestly don’t think I could load my long kayak without the T Loader!
My complete Rhino Rack system was not cheap, but it is very strong and stable on the road at 70MPH. This system enables me to take my kayak anywhere I want to go, safely and without hassle.
I bought this load assist bar for my hobie pro angler 14 ft . This was the first time using both of them . It went well they are some down falls with it but I would still highly recommend it . My vehicle is a 02 ford excursion. The t bar loader is well built but my first problem is that the hitch pin is a little short but still works and it is the wrong diameter for the size of the hole it should be a 5/8 pin size instead of 1/2 inch diameter. The second thing is, and it might be because of my vehicle, the height it extends to is a little short for my rig. It still does the job just fine but there is no rear end support witch is not a big deal for me . One thing you have to be carful of is when you are unloading your kayak the t-bar does fall towards you . I do use a small step ladder after I have the kayak on the roof to adjust it. Without the t-loader it would be nearly impossible to do it .
Bought this for a 2015 Jeep Cherokee to load a Hobie Passport and it works great. I was hesitant about carrying the kayak with just the two cross bars. This third wing helps to load and secure the kayak.
Loading - I spread the goal posts wide enough for the beam of the boat and lift one end onto it. When lifting the other end and sliding onto the roof rack, the goal posts keep the boat from sliding laterally too much.
Securing - I narrow the goal posts to fit the boat and secure at three points: the two roof rack cross bars and the Rhino Rack. The front and back are narrow enough to prevent the boat from sliding forward or backwards so no bow or stern lines needed.
It is a bit pricey, a bit heavy, and awkward to store, but it gives me a lot of peace of mind that the kayak isn't going anywhere while I'm on the freeway. Plus it was one of the few that was adjustable enough to get to the same height as the roof rack cross bars.
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 recomend
Steve M.
1/17/2014
Jeremy any pic of your Kayak on your jeep? I have a wrangler wsoft top would like to see your system.Thanks for your time Steve
Jeremy
2/6/2014
Rack works perfectly on my 2013 JK with 2 receiver. When installed, the racks vertical posttube rack butts up on stock spare tire. So if you have a larger spare mounted on tailgate, may be an issue. On the front, my light bar is used with Rhino Rack for kayak. Works great for me since I use up/down soft top a lot. Very clean install and setup, and well built.
Steve M.
2/10/2014
Jeremy, I like it locks great going to look into getting the same setupThanks fro sharing the picture Steve
This has been a big help when getting my 14 ft kayak on and off the roof rack of my SUV.
Lazer S.
9/23/2025
Glad to hear you like it, Mike! I whish more people used these as they really do make loading and unloading easier. What kind of kayak do you have? I did a little bit of that in my younger years.
Made of good quality material, was pretty simple putting it together, shipped on time
Sturdy and fits together tightly. Should work great for loading my kayak onto my SUV. Box contained no assembly instructions, but was fairly intuitive. Only had to disassemble once to correct a flipped part.
This has been a lifesaver for getting my hobie outback up on top of my Subaru Forester by myself. I first saw this on youtube and it worked exactly like in the videos. You can tighten or loosed screws to adjust the height and also how much force it takes to push the bar from the leaning position, and into the upright position. You can also adjust it to lean a bit more or a bit less which is handy if you have a taller or shorter vehicle. I have it leaning more as it lets me open my trunk on my 2024 forester without having to take it off.
Using this on a 2021 Honda Passport. The rack works as shown on videos although it will take some getting used to using it with a Hobie Outback Kayak. Assembly was pretty easy; to me, the video was much better than the instructions. A lock does come with it, but had differing opinions whether it did or didn’t so I ordered a lock that I’ll be returning.
The hitch pin for this uses a threaded bolt and the assembly does rattle a bit when installed.
Rhino R.
7/16/2023
I decided to go another direction for load assist. The t-bar worked good but my other system works better for my particular application.
Product shopped immediately, arrived as scheduled.
Had installed and kayak on top of car within two hours of opening box. Very simple. I am 67, still go to gym a lot, but my joints ache and back is feeling the years, so this makes loading of my 85 lb kayak now very easy. Worked smooth first time, though practicing the balance while unloading and rocking the bar back is important.
I previously used a Yakima Bar Extender, (pic attached) which was fine for my previous lighter kayak. But I did scratch the side of my car many times with the Yakima system when unloading, and nearly dropped the heavier yak several times because the Yakima bar sagged under the extra weight of the newer yak. I just got a new Subaru and dearly wanted to avoid any scratches. This Rhino Rack seems perfect option, kayak is always under control, and is very secure.
Robin
8/27/2022
1 year update - I use this rack a lot for weekend trips. 2 minutes only to put on the car or take off. Heavy duty construction. I also use for a fragile 18 ft rowing shell and like the third point of support. I live on coast with salt air, so I occasionally rinse. Also oil the one mounting bolt threads so they stay clean and do not rust. Highly recommend this rack !
Picked this up for hauling our canoe with my F150. This is definitely the solution I was looking for. Is is strong and reliable. Well worth the money. I would recommend this to my friends
Easy to install
Claire H.
6/26/2026
It looks great! What are you planning on hauling that you'll use it for?
Good product, with some caveats. The concept is good and it’s effective once you learn to control the load going up and down. I’m loading a 72lb Nucanoe U10 with mine, roof-topping it onto a 2026 Honda Passport with OEM crossbars.
The suspension strap running across the aero bar’s load stops works well for loading boats hull-down, but is a PITA if you want to load the boat hull-up. It catches and snags on every little feature of the gunnels; notches, gear track, handles, etc. I finally removed the strap altogether and it works much better for hull-up loading. There’s a learning curve to both raising and lowering the boat. Mostly it’s about understanding where and when the T-bar begins to pivot towards and away from the car. As you are loading the boat, I find it easier to keep the bow well elevated. This “pushes” the T-bar forward as you move towards the vehicle. Same for taking it down; an angled bow postpones the T-Bar’s “drop” as you move away from the vehicle. The good news in both cases is that 90% of the boat’s weight is supported as you make these moves - you’re merely guiding/aligning the boat along the way. The ground pad for the stern of the boat is a quite small target. Then again, it stores easily.
I found assembly to be easy, with the exception of height adjustment. The sliding T-bar is so snug in the bottom section I had to use a hammer to adjust its height. Everything else went together very easily. The build is very robust and simple. I feel like it will outlast the boat.
Bought this product to help load the Old Town Malibu Tandem PDL Kayak. Works great, easy to assemble and easily attaches to the hitch. Can store it in the back of my Honda CRV which is also great. I can now roof top my kayak solo and not have to worry about it falling off when loading and unloading. Highly recommend this product.
After much searching and reading, we picked up this Rhino-Rack T-Load Hitch Mounted Load Assist and Support Bar to help us transport our Tandem Recumbent Trike (TerraTrike Tandem Pro), and it has been nothing short of EXCELLENT.
We paired this with our normal Thule roof rack, which just didn't have the length we needed for our tandem. With the help of an additional accessory kit for the Rhino Rack (to make sure the tandem doesn't travel left to right on the roof), we have a REALLY solid rack that allows us to take the tandem anywhere we want to go with it.
So far, our longest drive with it has been 3.5 hours, each way. I wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere, though.
The setup and instructions on the Rhino-Rack could've been a LITTLE more robust, but once we got everything dialed in (and drilled the hole we needed), it now just takes about 5 minutes to go from "in the garage" to "on the road."
This rack is well-built, and seems very solid.
etrailer has been great for all our rack needs. Highly recommend the rack, and this site.
Brooke M.
7/10/2025
Wow that is so cool! I have never seen a tandem Recumbent trike before! Looks comfy and now fun to be able to bike together! How long have you had it for? What sorts of trails or places do you like to go for a ride on the tandem?
Do you have a question about this Truck Bed Extender?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
John
11/2/2024
The Rhino Rack is working perfectly!