I have a 2000 Cherokee and need to buy a roof rack. At this point my plan is to mount it to the stock roof cross rails. The rails that run from back to front of the Jeep end at the back of the front doors. I'm worried that if I get one that is too long that the front won't be supported. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

you could always go pull some rails from an older XJ at a junkyard, the ones that go along the whole roof, if you're worried about having enough support.

 

best basket of course is a custom one, but there is a ton of options you can choose from. I'm running a yakima basket warrior w/ extention and and a custom fitted defender series light rack. But Ideally my dream basket would be a top hat from olympic offroad. it also comes down to your budget and if you want a rack that can hold accessories.

 

i really like JCR offroad roof rack

 

I run a RAGE roof basket and it ends far enough back to use a light bar in front of it on my 4 door.
I have added a couple of crossbars (3 supporting basket,1 used as a light bar)

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. Any suggestions on length of the rack to buy? It probably won't stay on the Jeep all the time. Will mainly be used during hunting season to carry extra gas, jack, shovel etc. Maybe wrap a deer in a tarp (quartered) up there too.

 

Any rack will do. Rage is the cheapest. And you can put your jerry cans, hilift etc. up there. But keep that quarted deer on a tarp in the cargo area with ice packs! That's what I do.

 

What about a rear bumper that could carry all of that? http://www.rocky-road.com/jeep-chero...ar-bumper.html

 

I couldn't imagine a rack much bigger than the one I have, Garvin/wilderness rack. http://www.wildernessracks.com/roof-racks/off-road-series-racks/off-road-series-rack-91-02-xj-cherokee-72-l-rain-gutter.html
It's 72"x54" and takes up the whole roof. I bought it used so I didn't get any mounts so I ordered some weld on rain gutter mounts form JCR.

It's surprising how quickly space fills up on a rack this big even with just a tire up there.

 

I nearly got the 3/4 length rack , glad I didn't. Your not going to be throwing stuff up on you roof and saying to yourself , damn !! I wish I got the small rack. It fills up quicker than you think.

 

72" x 48" also by removing middle it can be 48" x 48"
$300 delivered.
https://www.nates4x4.com/ProductDeta...e=XJ_ROOF_RACK

 

JCR sells gutter clamps that may work better than the stock roof bars.

 

That's a hell of a good price for a rack that big! The only thing I would change is how high the rack sits up off of the roof, but that's easy to accomplish.

 

The one I got is 87 x 58 and fits over the existing racks. It's all steel , so it's not light , but has 8 gutter mounts and is suppose to be capable of carrying 350 lb. not that you would want to. $300 new , delivered off eBay.

 

I like this one. Does it come with a way to mount a HiLift or a tire? Did you have to paint it?