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Urban
Jungle SUV Featured In
So you're prepared to
rack'em up and hit the highway? It's pretty straight forward, really and
something most people can handle in there own driveways. For the skinny on a
typical rack installation we spent a few hours with the installation Department
of Urban Jungle SUV (Dept. MT, 21 Santa
Rosa, Suite 300, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 (888)465-8645), a Sport Utility Vehicle Outfitter on
California's Central Coast. The Assignment: Bolt up a Yakima multi-Sport Round
Bar rack with a few key accessories to allow a 1998 Isuzu Trooper Limited to
carry skis and snow gear, a kayak, and other bulky sports items on a whim. Since
a Trooper isn't available with factory rack system-- one of the few SUV's with
this distinction--the Yakima multi-purpose rack is an ideal addition.
Like
any do-it-yourself project, the first order of business is to make sure all
needed parts are on hand by unpacking the components and comparing parts and
hardware with the parts list contained in the instructions. Familiarize yourself
with the instructions and then go for it. Our experience with the Yakima rack
showed it offered no mysteries--just a series of installation steps that are
detailed in the instructions. In fact, the most time we spent in any one area
was adjusting and readjusting the towers and crossbars--a bit time consuming,
but worth it for achieving a perfect fit.-Ron Cogan
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Begin by unpacking the bars, mounts, and hardware, checking to
make sure that all parts detailed in the instructions are on hand.
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Assemble the Yakima crossbars to the towers, then fit and adjust
the gutter less tower mounts on the Trooper.
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The saddle mounts for carrying a kayak come next. Fit these to the
crossbars, make appropriate adjustments, and cinche them into place.
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Before mounting the Rocket Box, an array of hardware and inside
cargo straps must be installed. Instructions make this a very straightforward
job.
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The Rocket Box is now lifted into position and bolted to the
crossbars. Crossbars can move forward or rearward for optimum Rocket Box
positioning.
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Looking great! All we need to do now is strap on the Ocean Kayak,
toss the paddles and floatation vests in the Rocket Box, and we're
off.
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