Z3 Boot-lid Rack with side mounting clamps.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi to you all out there. Has anyone got a La Prealpina boot rack that is side mounted with four clamps or any other brand that is side mounted and with four clamps - as is the La Prealpina rack ?

All will be revealed unless you already know and are aware of an issue.

[BladeRunner919]

No, but my car obviously had one in the past - there was light damage to the paintwork where it had been mounted.

[Southernboy]

......should'a used rubbers Blades...

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi two you both - BladeRunner and Southernboy.

Now thereby hangs a tale !!!!!!!!!!!

I have fitted the one that I have and complete with the protective "Rubber Blades" !!! After only a few miles of driving the clamps - ALL FOUR had slid down the taper of the boot lid.

I repositioned it to the point where it cannot go around the downward curved edge and re-secured it and within another few miles of driving it had shifted down again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a last resort I removed it and fitted but using new leather blades as the rubber ones were beginning to look a bit grim and were showing signs of splitting/cutting through.

GUESS WHAT !!!!!!! Over night and without the car being moved the rack went Walkies back down the taper. By the way - it has not yet been used to carry anything on it.
WHAT THE HELL would happen if it was loaded and especially to the maximum recommended load of 30 kgs ?

It would appear that there is a serious design flaw/omission with this seriously expensive Italian Designed/Manufactured and dedicated Z3 boot mounted luggage rack.

The rack should clearly have a couple of adjustable anchors that hook onto the rack and fit over the top edge with protective/padded hooks at about 30mm wide.

How can a rack that fits onto the sides of a tapered boot lid with four claps be expected to remain in position ?

[Lancsbob]

Looks like your going to have to make some sort of brackets that will
fit to the upper edge of boot lid.Can you connect a bracket to the
rack using the side clamp bolts then up to the top edge of boot lid?

I was looking at this rack :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boot-luggage- ... 3cfcf306a3
its a lot more expensive but hooks over the top lip.

Bob

[murray]

Hi I have fitted a 60s chrome rack (e bay £30) see my pick in the gallery with suckers on the feet and two side clamps only, no problems with it, supports my golf clubs no probs, the side clamps are well made and designed from the 60s, there should have been four knuckle jointed rubber feet but werent supplied, the frame design is also engineered to avoid sliding, the 2 feet at the forward of the frame are shorter than the rear to eliminate a slope on the rack, fits well dont know what it came of though

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Looks like your going to have to make some sort of brackets that will
fit to the upper edge of boot lid.Can you connect a bracket to the
rack using the side clamp bolts then up to the top edge of boot lid?

I was looking at this rack :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boot-luggage- ... 3cfcf306a3
its a lot more expensive but hooks over the top lip.

Bob

Hi Bob. The brackets that you refer to are available on E'bay from two different sources albeit they are listed as for the Mazda MX5. One with and one without the rubber suckers.

I am actually about to order a pair of the without the suckers albeit there may be a small modification to the angle/curvature of the where they fit over the tubular frame and or the front edge of the boot lid.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi I have fitted a 60s chrome rack (e bay £30) see my pick in the gallery with suckers on the feet and two side clamps only, no problems with it, supports my golf clubs no probs, the side clamps are well made and designed from the 60s, there should have been four knuckle jointed rubber feet but werent supplied, the frame design is also engineered to avoid sliding, the 2 feet at the forward of the frame are shorter than the rear to eliminate a slope on the rack, fits well dont know what it came of though

Hi Murray. Yes the one in The Gallery on your car is one that I had considered BUT I was fearful that the suckers would leave fade marks if the rack was left on the car for any length of time as my car is an all-year rounder albeit I also have a Volvo V70 D 5 SE Geartronic as my lugger and workhorse transport and for very very long runs (Diesel against petrol).