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Carry bigger, longer loads with this hitch-mounted load support. The adjustable-height system includes a 49" long, Vortex Aero crossbar; a tilting mast for easy loading; and a tie-down for transporting a ladder or kayak.
Features:
Specs:
Carry larger and longer cargo on your vehicle's existing roof rack by installing the Rhino-Rack T-Load in your 2-inch trailer hitch. This adjustable-height crossbar system provides the lateral support you need to safely carry long gear such as a ladder or kayak on your roof rack.
The T-Load includes a 49-inch-long, Vortex Aero crossbar that sits parallel to your roof-rack crossbars. The aluminum crossbar is mounted on an anti-swivel plate to ensure stability. And it has a built-in channel for mounting Rhino-Rack accessories such as ratcheting tie-downs and load supports. The crossbar also has a rubber insert in the channel that helps to cushion your load and that provides slip resistance during transport. The insert can be cut to accommodate channel-mounted accessories. An anti-swivel plate provides a stable mounting point for your crossbar. The plate is designed to accommodate a Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero (included) or Heavy-Duty (sold separately) crossbar, so you can swap out the bar depending on the accessories you wish to use with the system.
The height of the T-Load's upright bar is adjustable to match the height of your roof-rack crossbars. This enables you to use the T-Load on multiple vehicles. To adjust the height, simply loosen a nut and bolt, slide the bar up or down, and retighten the bolt. You also have the option to secure the T-Load in place at a fixed height. To mount the T-Load in a fixed position, drill a hole in the bar at the desired height and use the included wire lock linchpin to hold it in place. This option is great for those who will frequently be using the T-Load on the same vehicle - or for those who are always reinstalling the carrier and don't want to line up the height and use a wrench every time. Once your hole is drilled, the system requires no further adjustment, and drilling the hole enables you to simply pull the pin and lower the crossbar for convenient storage when not in use.
The upright bar of the T-Load tilts forward and away from your vehicle for easier loading and better access to the rear cargo area. The bar has a bracket in the base that lets you choose between two angles of tilt.
A rubber mat is provided to serve as a no-slip base for leaning a kayak or canoe onto the crossbar from the ground. To load, place the bow of your watercraft on the mat, lay the other end on the T-Load crossbar, and push the kayak or canoe up and onto your roof rack.
This system includes a pair of load supports that you install by clamping them around the crossbar. The load supports can be positioned anywhere along the bar to accommodate cargo of different widths. Each load support has an angled side and a straight side. For an item with a curved shape - such as a kayak - position the load stops with the angled sides facing each other on the crossbar. For straight-edge items - such as ladders or lumber - position the load stops with the flat sides facing each other.
The T-Load comes with a 51-inch-long nylon strap to use when you are carrying your canoe or kayak hull-side down. The strap - or sling - has buckles that you insert into cutouts on the load stops to anchor the strap in place. When pulled tight, the strap helps to balance the canoe or kayak during transport. Use tie-down straps and bow/stern tie-downs (sold separately) to properly anchor your kayak to your roof when using the T-Load.
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (71 Customer Reviews)
Carry bigger, longer loads with this hitch-mounted load support. The adjustable-height system includes a 49" long, Vortex Aero crossbar; a tilting mast for easy loading; and a tie-down for transporting a ladder or kayak.Product shopped immediately, arrived as scheduled. Had installed and kayak on top of car within two hours of opening box. Very simple. I am 67, still go to gym a lot, but my joints ache and back is feeling the years, so this makes loading of my 85 lb kayak now very easy. Worked smooth first time, though practicing the balance while unloading and rocking the bar back is important. I previously used a Yakima Bar Extender, (pic attached) which was fine for my previous lighter kayak. But I did scratch the side of my car many times with the Yakima system when unloading, and nearly dropped the heavier yak several times because the Yakima bar sagged under the extra weight of the newer yak. I just got a new Subaru and dearly wanted to avoid any scratches. This Rhino Rack seems perfect option, kayak is always under control, and is very secure.
Bought this for a 2015 Jeep Cherokee to load a Hobie Passport and it works great. I was hesitant about carrying the kayak with just the two cross bars. This third wing helps to load and secure the kayak. Loading - I spread the goal posts wide enough for the beam of the boat and lift one end onto it. When lifting the other end and sliding onto the roof rack, the goal posts keep the boat from sliding laterally too much. Securing - I narrow the goal posts to fit the boat and secure at three points: the two roof rack cross bars and the Rhino Rack. The front and back are narrow enough to prevent the boat from sliding forward or backwards so no bow or stern lines needed. It is a bit pricey, a bit heavy, and awkward to store, but it gives me a lot of peace of mind that the kayak isn't going anywhere while I'm on the freeway. Plus it was one of the few that was adjustable enough to get to the same height as the roof rack cross bars.
I purchased the T Load support bar system for my 2013 Ford F-150 FX4. My kayak is a Seda Glider, weighing 42 Lbs and 19ft long. I’m so glad I opted for the T Loader, as my long kayak would be next to impossible to load onto the cab roof racks without the T Loader. With the T Loader, I can completely load my kayak while standing behind the truck with no stress or strain. I’m 68 years old and about 6’ tall. I honestly don’t think I could load my long kayak without the T Loader! My complete Rhino Rack system was not cheap, but it is very strong and stable on the road at 70MPH. This system enables me to take my kayak anywhere I want to go, safely and without hassle.
I assembled the T-rack without full instructions (steps 4-19 missing). I looked for them online & the same steps were missing. Also missing is one small bolt 32mm used to attach the wide bar to the top of the T. There were 2 bolts in the package, but one is 4 mm. I had to use it, but cannot cut the rubber strip to fit as it is raised due to the extra length. Taped it up for use. Also, it does not load as all the videos show. The tight fit of the vertical bar results in it having to be forced into place. So, along with the weight of the sea kayak (@50lbs) I am forcing the rack into position so I can fasten the kayak down. It does help a bit with loading, but not in the way it was advertised to work. I am disappointed.
Sierra K - 10/07/2021Truly I'm super grateful because it was delivered much faster than I expected. thank you for your attention
I bought this load assist bar for my hobie pro angler 14 ft . This was the first time using both of them . It went well they are some down falls with it but I would still highly recommend it . My vehicle is a 02 ford excursion. The t bar loader is well built but my first problem is that the hitch pin is a little short but still works and it is the wrong diameter for the size of the hole it should be a 5/8 pin size instead of 1/2 inch diameter. The second thing is, and it might be because of my vehicle, the height it extends to is a little short for my rig. It still does the job just fine but there is no rear end support witch is not a big deal for me . One thing you have to be carful of is when you are unloading your kayak the t-bar does fall towards you . I do use a small step ladder after I have the kayak on the roof to adjust it. Without the t-loader it would be nearly impossible to do it .
great product! got it to haul my kayak on my unlimited rubicon (soft top) instead of installing a full roof rack. worked out great. easy install, well built, and removeable. good price too. i highly recomend
Thanks for coming back and following up with us!
-- Patrick B - 2/10/2014Very impressive piece of equipment! Haven't had a chance to put it into action yet but sure it will work great for loading my fishing kayak! Instructions were east to follow and it was a plus that assembly tools were included! E-Trailer was a great company to buy from!
Missing multiple parts. So had to cancel trip to the lake. The packaging needs to be updated so parts cant go missing during shipping.
Sierra K - 08/30/2021The unit is much more stable than expected. No rocking or swaying even with a side wind. The canoe is easy to load, I come in from the drivers side, set one end of the canoe in between the uprights and then move over to the truck and set the other end on the bar across the extended cab and then just lift it over. Of course the 5th wheel is not in this picture but that is why we load over the front.
Very well built and engineered! Bonus pin key lock was nice. Instructions could have been a bit more complete. Never mentioned rubber strip that needed to be cut and installed midway through assembly.
I bought this product to make it easier for loading my 2018 Hobie outback kayak on top of my 2007 Toyota tundra. Hobie recommends that this Kayak be transported topside down, so that eliminates using the strap. So when trying to slide the kayak on the bar without the strap the rubber pops off the crossbar. My biggest problem is when the hitch pin is at its farthest location and the bar is lowered all the way, The tailgate hits the bar . It is a very sturdy product and I’m sure that it would work great for other kayaks and on a vehicle that does not have such a big tail gate but unfortunately it did not work out so good for me .
Kevin - 08/25/2020Rhino T-Rack arrived on time and in good condition...went together as advertised. Took a couple of tries for me to get the routine down but it definitely will help me load my 16 ft. kayak by myself. Trying it out tomorrow!!
Steven M - 10/09/2020This thing is amazing! So far, I’ve used it solely with my 39 lb Maas 24 sculling shell. It was fairly simple to load my boat before, but with the t-bar load assist and support - Wow!!! The device itself was fairly easy to assemble and install. I was originally expecting the T-bar in March, but etrailer was able to ship mine mid-January! Thank you to Kyle, who helped me order the right components, and to Mariah A, who straightened out my order, and kept me apprised of shipping dates, etc. Great staff etrailer! Please thank your staff. I will definitely recommend the t-bar and etrailer.com to my rowing friends.
This T-bar is the ticket when loading a Hobie PA-14 on the top rack of a lifted Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon by myself.
I've owned the product now for about 2 months. I use it to load/unload a Hobie Mirage Outback kayak on/off the roof of a 2007 Honda Pilot. I'm very happy with the product; however, it has taken some practice to get "good" at using it. It's not all as easy as the online videos would make it appear, but it does make the job as easy as I can imagine it being. And I tried several other options before this one -- the T-Load is the best of the bunch. It's just that there's no getting around the physics of lifting and pushing a 65-lb bulky kayak onto the car roof, and there is no substitute for having another person around to help you. Short of that, this is the next best thing. I am a relatively small guy (5'7") and I have gotten so that I can load/unload the kayak by myself without it killing me, so it fulfills my purpose for it. That's not to say that it is effortless though. Some tips if you are considering this product: - With the T-Load extended out, the rear hatch of the Pilot can be opened, with about 6 inches of clearance from the bar. Very nice. However your hatch must open up; you would not be able to open the hatch on, say, a RAV4 that opens to the side. - Practice with it first at home with another person around to jump-in if you get stuck. There are nuances to it that simply require some practice to learn. And to a large extent, the "nuances" have much to do with what you are loading/unloading -- in my case, my Hobie kayak, which has to be flipped hull-side up for transport, and that has to be done while it is on the T-Load because of the rudder, then I have a fishfinder mount that gets stuck on the strap and must be lifted over it, etc. All of which is manageable once you've done it a few times, but can otherwise get you in trouble if you're not prepared for it -- thus have a buddy around to help the first few times. - Wear gloves, especially if you are sweaty or just coming off the water (assuming you are using to load a kayak). Sweaty hands will slip and get you in trouble quickly, especially if you're alone. My fishing gloves with a rubber coating solve that problem. So I give the product two thumbs up. It is very rugged and well constructed. It is my first Rhino Rack product, and my impression from it is that Rhino Rack delivers quality products. I expect this thing to last a long time. And my purchase through eTrailer was also very good. No issues at all.
Another option that you might consider is to use the Thule Hullavator System # TH897XT-AB
Thule Hullavator - Easy Loading (Strut Assisted) Rooftop Kayak Carrier System for AeroBlade Bars
$611.41. This system uses powered struts to assist in loading your kayak on your roof rack system. You start loading at waist level, then use the struts to assist in loading if the rest of the way up on your Thule Xsporter rack system. I would not recommend using the Hullavator system to load your kayak while a kayak cart is also attached.
Rachael H - 5/27/2014This product is in short supply. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to purchase one and have it delivered within a week. Easy to install and a great tool to help load heavier kayaks.
The experience with E trailer was excellent, the customer suport, the product, evrething, even the marketing on line
So far so good; came on time, in good condition, and went together easily. The Yak is loaded up and ready for tomorrow's trip around Tilghman Island.
Really did the trick for us. We mount it on the front receiver hitch that we installed on the truck. Makes loading and unloading the kayak much easier.
took some time to set it up properly. was well worth the money . works better than expected
david k - 07/27/2021Product is well made and works great. Item was shown in stock when ordered but took a month to be shipped. Shipping paperwork shows delay was waiting for item to arrive in stock. Need to keep the web page current. Customer service was very helpful.
The Rhino-Rack does solve my problem of loading my kayak without fearing I might damage the truck. Initially I hoped the Rhino-Rack and a Back-Rack up front would be sufficient to transport and support my kayak. While off-roading, the sway of the Rhino-Rack was extreme. I did add supporting cables to the Rhino-Rack but this did not help. I had to add a ladder rack in the rear to support the kayak without fear of losing it on the road. This combination of the Rhino-Rack, Back-Rack and rear ladder rack works great.
Perfect fit and look, thanks George even with 35" spare on the back. Headed to Montauk later to try the new racks out
I purchased this product to transport 14' and 17' home-built kayaks with my 2017 Santa Fe. I wanted support further aft than the factory bars allowed so I did not need bow or stern straps supporting the kayaks. The unit went together well with good-quality instructions (except for a couple minor errors in the full exploded view) and high-quality hardware. Although the tools supplied were reasonable, you will still want to have your socket set handy for a couple of the bolts. It was easy to adjust to the necessary height and provided good support to the kayak. On the Santa Fe, the supplied tools will not allow you to tighten the anti-rattle bolt as the receiver pin is recessed too far so a 3/4" box-end wrench or ratcheting box-end wrench is necessary. The unit is heavy, too heavy for the target application. I believe it to be excessively overbuilt in order to use the same material the factory uses in class 2 or 3 hitches. With a rated support capacity of 125 lbs, lighter materials could have been used and the full assembly easier to lug about. For this reason, I'm deducting a star. I did try the tilt load feature as shown in the Etrailer video without the same success. My kayak was longer and heaver and I did not feel I had adequate control over the tilt function. I'll practice this feature, will probably find it useful in the future or with lighter/shorter kayaks.
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