Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform Rack - Ditch Mount - 52" Long x 56" Wide

Video Transcript for Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform Rack Review RR26QX

Hi everyone. It's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today, we'll be taking a look at our Pioneer platform system. So, this is gonna be a complete system with the Pioneer platform. What we have is the 60 inches by 54-inch large platform. We also have the Quick Mount legs and we have the ditch brackets.

So, if you wanna be able to put a platform onto your naked roof, have something sturdy, something versatile, well, let's take a look at this one. So, there's usually two options for you. You can either get a crossbar system or you can get a platform system. Where the platform really shines is it's gonna be its versatility. You can carry your recreational accessories just like you would if you had crossbars.

But with this, you have more space for many different types of cargo and more weight distribution. So, this can be helpful for if you wanna carry a kayak one day, and on the other day, you wanna carry a really, really large cargo for your different adventures. This is made of aluminum. So, even though it's a really, really large rack, this weighs 62 pounds. It is still kind of heavy but then you can still have extra roof weight for your extra accessories.

Since it is made of aluminum, this is also weatherproof. So, you have that black powder coat finish. Even when you have it out in the elements, even when it gets scratched up, it's not gonna rust on you. So, this is gonna be 60 inches long by 54 inches wide. And that's gonna be about how much of a support base you have for your cargo.

You also have these C-channels on the insides with special C-channel mounted accessories. You can fit them right in there like your Rhino-Rack load stop to make it easier to tie down your cargo. You can also get accessory bars. Those fit right in there and create bars, which you can clamp your accessories around. Again, there's just so many options for you. This is a Pioneer platform that is an open tray design. And I say that because Rhino-Rack has some different options for your Pioneer platforms. Some have walls on the side, which look cool, help with aerodynamics. But I personally prefer the versatility of an open tray, especially if you wanna carry things like a rooftop tent, or you have cargo that may spill over to the side and you don't wanna be limited by walls, you would go with an open tray like this. Now, the downside to having such a large system like this is it all arrives in a box in smaller pieces. So, assembly and installation is required. It takes a little bit of effort. Now, I did this on this truck. So, this is gonna be a Ford F-450. If you wanna check that out, check out our installation video. So, this comes in three parts. You have the tray, you have the legs, and then you have the brackets. So, let's talk about the legs. These are the Quick Mount legs. So, if you want to, you could just take off this whole system, including the legs, and then leave the brackets in place, and then pop it right back on when you're ready to go. It is kind of heavy, so it is gonna take some time, but this allows you to lock your system and keep it secure. This is installed to a naked roof, but notice how we don't have clamps hooking down into our door. That's because we have the ditch mount bracket. So, these are installed right into our ditch. They involve drilling and riveting, so definitely check out the install video for that, but this means that this is permanently mounted to our vehicle. A permanently installed system like this is not for everyone. Let's say, you're just leasing your vehicle or you're planning on upgrading to a different vehicle next year, I don't recommend this system for you. And there's other options out there. You could get the crossbar systems that go right into your door. They're more temporary. You could take them out when you're done with them. And that's a great option too. You still have that good weight capacity. But if you're someone who is perfectly fine with drilling and riveting into their roof and you wanna make the most out of having a Pioneer platform on your roof and then have that extra weight capacity and versatility, then this might be a good option for you. But how much cargo can you load up on your Pioneer platform rack Well, that depends on what kind of vehicle you're installing this on. Since this is ditch mounted, you are limited to your actual roof weight capacity. So, we do have special fits for different vehicles. Rhino-Rack gives the specification for where you're gonna install it and how much weight capacity you then have. So, definitely follow those instructions when it comes to the cargo weight capacity. So, my personal thoughts about the Pioneer platform is I do think it's a really cool rack as long as you can get it assembled and installed properly. Though that's gonna be the trickiest part. That's gonna be what's gonna take up some time. But once you have it installed, it's permanent, it's there, it's ready to go. So, the versatility is very helpful. Again, really consider, is the cargo that you're gonna carry can be carried with crossbars or would you rather have the full system If you are carrying things like tents or larger items, you want that versatility, you wanna put it in here, put it over in the corner, put it on the sides, then the Pioneer platform rack would be the one for you. Just make sure you get the right fit for your vehicle. So hopefully, this video helped you out with guiding you through that decision making process, so that you can get the right fit for your adventures. And that was a look right here at our Pioneer platform system, which is ditch mounted with our 54 inch by 60 inch platform, our Quick Mount legs, and our ditch mounted brackets right here at etrailer. My name is Evangeline and I hope you enjoyed the journey..