ARB Base Platform Rack - Fixed Mounting - 49" Long x 45" Wide

Video Transcript for Hands-On with the ARB Base Platform Rack

Hi everyone. Aiden here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at the line of ARB Base Rack Platform Racks. This is going to be a large rooftop platform that lets you mount a variety of different accessories to a number of different vehicle fits. So let's check it out. Now, the important thing to do to find the right one for you is plug your vehicle information into our fit guide and make sure you pick up the rack that's gonna work for you and your vehicle, because these are custom mounted.

For the most part, you've got two options, fixed mounting points or gutter mounts. And the gutter mounts are gonna be more for like that Jeep application. And the fixed mounting points is gonna vary a little bit. In the case of our 4Runner today, this actually replaced the factory raised rails. So we unbolted it and bolted the new brackets that we're custom made for this 4Runner to those mounting points.

Which is great because it just fit right in, no drilling required, but you wanna make sure for your own vehicles if you've got something different, that you just verify that installation process and see what it looks like because it's likely gonna be a little bit different. The other thing to note is that between the different kits, they're all gonna be a little bit different in size and weight capacity because they are a more custom fit solution. But in general, you can count on a couple things. The weight capacity is gonna be better than something like a typical roof rack just because this is a really robust construction and it's mounted more securely. Always check things like your vehicle's roof rating and just what your kit is capable of and go by the lowest rated components, we're not overloading anything on our vehicle or on the rack.

And then the other thing is that, again, compared to a typical roof rack where you just have two bars running across your roof, you're gonna have so much more space to mount accessories. We've got just a handful up here right now to showcase what this is capable of, but ARB offers so much more and we carry it here at etrailer so you can find the right ones for you to build out your vehicle for your adventures. So just to talk about a few of the options you've got with accessories, ARB makes awning brackets, they make recovery track mounts. Up here today we've got just some simple tie-down loops, a shovel mount and some T-track adapters so that we can use our T-track accessories. And I think that T-track adapter is pretty important to talk about because that's the thing that really sets these ARB platforms apart is the way accessories mount using these dovetails.

So all your accessories are designed to clamp onto this dovetail on either the outside border or on the slats on your rack. So it's a bit unconventional, but if you did have an existing accessory like say this ski and snowboard rack, that could be channel mounted. The adapter is one of those things that can allow you to still use that type of accessory. But if you're looking to build a rack from the ground up and just get a full kit of accessories to match your needs, then just know that going with this ARB rack, you're gonna have to go with their accessories that utilize that dovetail. And I think when it comes down to it, that's my main complaint about this platform. Those dovetails are cool and I think it does make it pretty easy to attach accessories, but in my opinion, it's really limiting. Comparing this platform to a very similar platform from Front Runner. I actually installed that on one of my videographer's vehicles on his 4Runner as well. So it's a very similar setup process. I actually like that Front Runner platform a lot more because to attach accessories on it, it uses channel mounted accessories. So all of the channels are standard M8 bolt head size, so it's very easy to mount things up. And if you needed to, you could DIY mount something, again, really easily because it's standard hardware that you could just find at the hardware store. Whereas these dovetails are not designed to be standard. It's a very proprietary system and it's gonna box you in in terms of accessories and limit you in this whole world of rooftop accessories that you could be potentially tapping into. Moving on to some other specs about the rack that I like though, the main platform is gonna be aluminum, which helps keep things lightweight, so it's not gonna take away from your overall weight capacity as much, and corrosion resistance. So as we're clamping onto the dovetails here, if that black powder coat on top did scratch away over time, I'm not worried about it rusting and corroding, that coating is gone, it's just gonna affect the look a little bit. And then down at the bottom, (metal clanking) these custom fit mounting brackets, that will be the joint between the platform and our vehicle, are gonna be steel, and that's the part that I want to be steel 'cause it's gonna be stronger and it's needing to support that weight a bit more. On the corners, these end caps are removable, just two Phillips head screws on the top that will feed through, leaving these side channels open and hollow. So if you we're to mount up something like a light bar at the front of your platform, you could run your cables and wire through here to make it a bit more clean and just maybe drill out a small hole in the plastic end cap to get that wire out and down into your vehicle. So for custom mounting, some things like that, you do have options there and I like that they make it pretty easy to get those caps off. So comparing this option to maybe some less permanent options like platforms from Yakima or Thule, if you're the type of person that goes out camping all the time or wants just maximum performance from your roof tray, then I think ARB is gonna be a better option because you've got more options for accessories there and the direct mounting is going to give you better weight capacity and just better looks overall in my opinion. But when you take this into the world of the more permanent solutions between this and Front Runner, I like the Front Runner a lot better just because I think the way it mounts up accessories is just easier and simpler. And for me, that's just what it comes down to. I'm the type of person that would want to DIY mount or at least have the option to. With this, you just don't really have that option and that's a bit of a deal breaker for me. If it's not a deal breaker for you though, then that's okay. At the end of the day, this ARB Rack doesn't require any modification for our 4Runner, whereas the Front Runner platform did. And that difference in install might be what makes it or breaks it for someone else. So again, just be sure to plug your vehicle information into our fit guide, see what platform options are available to you. And if this ARB one is going to be a simpler install and that's what you're looking for, then I think that's great. But at the end of the day, it just comes down to you, your needs and your comfort level with the install. Whichever way you go, you're gonna get a very solid platform and I think this ARB Base Rack is going to offer pretty good performance. Thanks for watching.