Rhino and Frontrunner platform owners chime in

[tailspinshea Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close tailspinshea]

I am debating on the Rhino platform or the Frontrunner slimline II. They both seem very similar. I have read through plenty of posts about them but I'm still undecided. I can get the Rhino for much cheaper but I will pay more if its worth it. What are your opinions of these racks? Pros? Cons? would you buy again?

[andoland Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close andoland]

I have a frontrunner rack. It's been taken on some tough trips heavily loaded and have had no problems. I'd get another one next time if I needed a slimline rack again. Can't comment on the Rhino rack.

[tailspinshea Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close tailspinshea]

I have a frontrunner rack. It's been taken on some tough trips heavily loaded and have had no problems. I'd get another one next time if I needed a slimline rack again. Can't comment on the Rhino rack.

Thanks for the response! I don't think I have heard anyone complain about their slimline rack in any post that I have read, which really speaks volumes. I have heard some people say they were not happy with some aspects of the rhino rack. I just wonder if the rhino rack complaints are by over critical people that you will never make happy or if they are legitimate complaints. I would really like to hear from a handful of rhino owners who have lived with the platform for a while.

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Very happy with my Pioneer Platform. Lots of accessories to bolt on.

[andoland Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close andoland]

I will say that I only bought the frontrunner rack because a standard rack with the side rails wouldn't fit in the garage at my last house. While the frontrunner/pioneer style racks are very versatile in that you can bolt on eye-bolts and various other accessories in just about any location, there are times when I'd like to have the higher sides of a standard rack. With the flat racks it's more difficult to carry timber and if you're driving over very rough ground (like chewed up dune crossings or the mogul type spinifex mounds in some parts of the desert) which is rocking the vehicle from side to side I've noticed the load tends to move around a bit without that lateral support (I normally have everything in a roof bag with the roof back tied down to the rack). Just something to be aware of. I don't know if other people have had similar experience.

But, as I said above, my rack has been very tough and has done a great job.

[Sludge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sludge]

I will be getting the Pioneer tradie due to it looks more slimline than the Frontrunner which I would think less noise if any at all, and also for same reason andoland mentions.

[tailspinshea Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close tailspinshea]

I will say that I only bought the frontrunner rack because a standard rack with the side rails wouldn't fit in the garage at my last house. While the frontrunner/pioneer style racks are very versatile in that you can bolt on eye-bolts and various other accessories in just about any location, there are times when I'd like to have the higher sides of a standard rack. With the flat racks it's more difficult to carry timber and if you're driving over very rough ground (like chewed up dune crossings or the mogul type spinifex mounds in some parts of the desert) which is rocking the vehicle from side to side I've noticed the load tends to move around a bit without that lateral support (I normally have everything in a roof bag with the roof back tied down to the rack). Just something to be aware of. I don't know if other people have had similar experience.

But, as I said above, my rack has been very tough and has done a great job.

I thought about that when I began looking at rack systems. The main reason I decided on a platform is the cost of crossbars and a basket are about the same as a platform system so I thought id kill two birds with one stone and have the versatility of the blank canvas the platform provides. After all, you can buy the side supports and get a full basket should you want one and take the sides off when you don't want or need them on.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

I will say that I only bought the frontrunner rack because a standard rack with the side rails wouldn't fit in the garage at my last house. While the frontrunner/pioneer style racks are very versatile in that you can bolt on eye-bolts and various other accessories in just about any location, there are times when I'd like to have the higher sides of a standard rack. With the flat racks it's more difficult to carry timber and if you're driving over very rough ground (like chewed up dune crossings or the mogul type spinifex mounds in some parts of the desert) which is rocking the vehicle from side to side I've noticed the load tends to move around a bit without that lateral support (I normally have everything in a roof bag with the roof back tied down to the rack). Just something to be aware of. I don't know if other people have had similar experience.

But, as I said above, my rack has been very tough and has done a great job.

Pioneer have bolt on side rail kits available. Take them on and off as you need.

http://www.rhinorack.com.au/products...44103b-_43144b

[tailspinshea Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close tailspinshea]

So the biggest difference between the two racks is the rhino slats run from front to back and the frontrunner runs side to side. Does anyone have any opinions on one being better then the other? My initial thought would be that having the slats run side to side might allow you to add some thule accessories but the slats are probably a little to wide for that. Does the orientation affect road noise or are they both similar in that respect?

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Interesting info: Dolium used to be the AU distributor for Windcheetah roof racks, but they have changed to K9 for unknown reasons. K9 looks very similar to the Windcheetah but the slats run front to back:



http://www.dolium.com.au/retail_cata...T031_item.html

There is some wind noise on the windcheetah as speed approaches 100kph. It's not deafening, but it is there.

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Although the Rhinorack Pioneer Platform's planks run front to rear there are 5 crossbars underneath. So probably the same wind noise. The border planks curve down though and looks more aerodynamic.