- Dirt Road Magazine - Garvin's XJ Rack

- Dirt Road Magazine - Garvin's XJ Rack - (dirtroad.com)

Š2008 Dirt Road Magazine

For most of us, a Jeep isn't just an extreme rock-bashing machine, it's a family camping / hunting / fishing / exploring-mobile. And, every time we venture into the backcountry or on an extended trip, we end up with more gear then we anticipated. To answer this problem, I turned to Garvin Industries of San Diego, California.
The Rack:
I picked the 4"-tall Wilderness rack, with tire mount, floor kit, and gutter-rail mounts. What first struck me about the rack upon reciept was the tough, yet light-weight construction. ALL hardware was provided for assembly (they even included extra bolts!), along with simple-to-follow directions.
Installation:
Installation is a snap - follow the instructions, and you can't go wrong! Tighten everything at least twice to account for cross-torque. Unless you are quite strong or very tall, you will need to have an extra pair of hands to help get the rack onto the roof.
Uses:
At present, we've got a 30" spare tire mounted securely in the rack, a pair of Lightforce ORV lights on the front of the rack, and some simple tractor lights (for backing up) mounted to the back. We've used the rack to haul lumber, fire wood, coolers, tools, trash, off-road gear, and much more. The rack has been laid into trees on the trail, and has withstood snow, rain, hail, and even the blistering Texas sun.
If you need more space on your Jeep, Garvin Industries should be your first choice!

Moab
Rear Lights
Rear Lights
Front Lights

What We Really Think

All I can say is "Wow!" I've had all kinds of equipment in the rack, and it hasn't even phased it. The tire-rack even has a chain welded to it for locking the tire down (anti-theft). The rack will support a surprising amount of weight - I've climbed into it for tire changes, and while securing cargo. The rack shows very little signs of aging, just a few light scratches from cargo that came loose, and one scratch from being laid into a tree (the rack actually saved me from rolling over). The light brackets available for the kit fit like a glove. We added 2 forward- and 2 rear-facing lights with the brackets.
For more information, visit their web-site at: www.garvin-industries.com/, or call them at 619/440-7415. You may also contact us directly if you have any questions about our Wilderness Roof Rack.
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Dirt Road Magazine is sponsored by Turner 4WD Parts Co.