Little help needed with positioning OEM roof rack etc on my 88 Suburban

[8888]

Among the stuff I got from a guy who was parting out a Suburban was what I assume was the factory roof rack and rear "spoiler" looking unit.

It took me a while to find a good photo, this looks like what I have:

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/2008/4141/5019570099_large.jpg

I didn't bring anything with me to measure the location of the mounting holes in the roof to mount them.

If anyone has these mounted on their Suburban could they give me a measurement from the top of the rear door opening to the position of each of them? I can center them, I would just like to be sure how far from the rear of the roof they usually are mounted.

I'm thinking a fabric measuring tape like my wife has in her sewing kit would work pretty well to follow the roof line but I'll take whatever I can get.

Thanks!

 

[glockholiday]

I'll measure when I get home

 

[8888]

Thanks!

 

[glockholiday]

Dammit I forgot, I'll try and remember tonight.

 

[skysurfer]

I have the rack but no air deflector. I'm measuring 8" from the outer lip of the barn door's rain gutter to the most rearward screw on the rack's footpad. Don't think the measurement is ultra critical, the passenger side is an even 8" but the driver's side is 8.25". Rack is straight despite the difference.

 

[idahovette]

I don't think building these rigs was ever an exact science, not sure it is now!!

 

[Blue Ox]

AFAIK there are two types of deflectors. One is fixed position with two fasteners per leg. The other is adjustable and uses three screws per leg. My understanding is the adjustable one was for Blazers, but was often installed on Suburbans by dealers. If you have the adjustable one I can measure the one on mine for you.

 

[yevgenievich]

Attached, but no tape measure

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[bucket]

There was also two different style roof racks. It seems the second design started in '89.

If all else fails, I can measure my '88 tomorrow since I just found out I'll be home another day or two.

 

[yevgenievich]

Little blurry due to low light, but about same as was posted above, 21.5cm. on 87 suburban

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[8888]

Thanks guys. Been working on the oil pressure switch question in my other thread and haven't gotten to this just yet. Looks like I need to get the rack etc out of the back and see what I've got. I packed all the extra parts in there 6 months ago for the move and haven't looked at them since, trying to sort out the mechanicals.

Also started looking into swapping out the dented up rear bumper for the nice one I got when I got the rack. It appears that the aftermarket trailer hitch and the dents in the bumper have pretty much closed off access to the bumper or bracket mounting bolts, haha. It almost appears that the gas tank mounting straps somehow attach to the hitch but I'm hoping I'm not seeing that correctly.

 

[bucket]

Well the plot thickens. Here's how my '88 is mounted and it must be longer than the others posted. Mine is the one with the wood grain inserts on the rails (faded badly) and the other style didn't get the inserts.

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[8888]

Thanks for the info. I dug mine out yesterday and I'll need to put it back together and measure overall length. I disassembled it completely so it would fit in my car for the 2 hour drive home. I don't have the strips that attach to the top, just the rack and air deflector.

 

[8888]

Alrighty, it appears my rack once assembled is 77" long. I have an adjustable air deflector.

I took all of this stuff off of the other Suburban myself, it was an 86 as I recall. There no way the center support on the deflector will touch my roof without adjustment down, haha. Also appears that the profile built into the bottom of the deflector supports doesn't match the roofline back by the doors anywhere I've positioned it.

Other that that, it's a perfect fit!

I'll keep messing with it, referring to the photos you guys uploaded above, and figure it out.

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[Blue Ox]

Mine sits much further back than that. The rack is about 5 inches from the rain gutter. The deflector is much closer to the edge of the roof as well.

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