If you have a roof rack with gutter mounts WATCH YOUR GUTTERS
Here's what happened to mine after 4 yrs of my rack being in use my drivers side gutter failed. Here are pics of the way mine was set up and what happened.

My roof rack with tire and high lift mounted on drivers side.



The rear mount came through the gutter opening the body above & below the gutter.







And it was starting to do it at the front mount too.



CHECK YOUR GUTTERS OFTEN !!!!!!!

 

WOW!
that's some hefty damage

 

That sucks! Won't be having gutter rack mounts

 

Yep I'm going to have to modify the mounts to spread the contact area out.

 

Not my best repair job but I only had 1 day to get it done in.

 

That wouldn't be the first time I've seen a roof rack cause that, That is the reason I wont run a roof rack

 

A rack that has been properly loaded and mounted shouldn't have that problem.

Weight distribution goes a long way.

Gutter mount racks are much stronger than roof mounted ones. I pity the fool who decides to mount a rack, carrying a spare, directly to the roof, instead of properly mounting it to the gutter.

 

Some versions of the ARB rack (and probably others as well) have a full length "insert" that connects all of the mounting feet together but distributes the load over the entire length of the gutter. And for good reason. Should be easy to replicate.

Just something to consider.

 

x2

 

Full length, that gives me 2 ideas a solid pc of 3/8" round stock welded to the bottoms of the mount feet to fit in the gutter or a pc of 3/8" - 1/2" pipe with 2 slots cut in the to fit the mount feet ,that should spread it out.

 

I would like to hear how this is so?

I have always avoided gutter mounted anything.

 

The factory roof rails are bolted to nutserts that are installed in (relatively) thin gauge sheet metal.

The gutters are twice the thickness as they are made up of 2 sheets that are spot welded together and gutter mounts clamp around the gutter.
The only downside to how cherokee gutters are formed is that the lip is simply a piece of molding held on by 4 clips. would be better if the lip were part of the formed sheet metal.

If given the choice I would always go gutter mount vs. factory cherokee roof rail.

Of course, if the roof rack is poorly- or over-loaded then it doesn't really matter how it's attached. a few years of driving washboards and flexing the hell out of the unibody is going to work harden the sheet metal around the mounts and they WILL fail.

 

Wow, that's a new one on me!

To share a couple thoughts...

Looks like you have 2 mounts per side? Probably a bit light given the load you're carrying up there. Also, how think are your mounts? Too thin and they'll act like a chisel with each bump you hit until they cut through like this.

There's not a lot of space behind the gutter trim pieces and the roof for fatter mounts. I use 1/4" thick gutter brackets, and they're tight. I also use 6 per side on my bigger racks, and have never seen this type of damage, even hauling some pretty heavy stuff up there.

Again, take it or leave it, just sharing my roof rack thoughts and experience with you. Gutter mounting isn't bad if done properly! Roof mounting isn't neccesarily bad either for the right application. Never say never, there's always an exception to every rule!

 

hmm im going to order a couple more mounts for my nates4x4 rack after seeing this...

 

Mounted my surco straight to the factory crossbars. Surco sent fukd up gutter mounts anyways. Kinda glad now