MOS UpLift Kayak Roof Rack and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs

Video Transcript for Using your MOS Uplift Roof Rack Lift Assist for Different Adventures

Today we are going to be talking about the MOS Uplift. This is going to be a lift-assist roof-rack adapter from MOS Racks. Here at etrailer, we're going to be trying this with all kinds of different accessories. Now, I've used this for all kinds of different things, so I also have some recommended accessories, whether you want to go kayaking, go for a bike ride, use this for your cargo box or carry around your skis. So if you're curious about what this thing on top of my roof is, well, stick around for this video and you'll find out. This might be a little different from the regular roof-rack accessories that you're used to seeing.

That's because it's what we call an adapter. So, the MOS Uplift attaches to your roof rack and then creates another base that your accessories attach on. So it's an in between lift-assist adapter where if you struggle with, let's say, loading your kayaks up onto a roof or loading your heavier bikes up on there, then this will bring things a lot lower and make it a lot easier to manage. This does have an 85-pound weight capacity, so if you do wanna use this with a cargo basket or a roof box, that's something to be mindful of. For those taller vehicles or those shorter people like me, this will bring your cargo down two feet.

So if you release those levers (levers clicking) and pull the Uplift down, this makes your cargo more accessible at an easier-to-reach height. Now, what can you carry with this You do have an 85-pound weight capacity. So for those heavier kayaks, multiple bikes, you can even carry a roof box or a roof basket with this, you do have to be mindful that just 'cause your roof box can carry a lot of weight, you are limited by the Uplift's weight capacity. Also, you are limited by the width capacity. So, your cargo should be no wider than 26 inches to stay within these bars.

Since these are an adapter or an extension of the crossbars that are currently on your vehicle, these are gonna be set to about the similar distance apart. But, in terms of mounting accessories to the rack, you do have some options. My favorite option is gonna be the track mount or the channel mount. If you have accessories that work with T tracks, then chances are very likely that your accessory will work with the Uplift. And if you're not sure if your accessory is channel-mounted, you can use our facets or our fit guide here on our website to get you started.

The other option, which is a little bit more finicky, is that you can technically clamp things around the crossbar, as well. There's very limited space and clearance for clamps on this rack. So some clamps do work, but a lotta clamps don't. So, if you don't wanna get bogged down with numbers and measurements and things like that, well (chuckles) I have some recommended accessories and we do have some kits here at etrailer to get you started without having to stress about it. But something to show you real quick is that if you did wanna use a clamp, your best bet would be something that has a strap or a cable that makes it easier to fit around your MOS rack, and then you're not running into really important levers. The other thing, too, is that if your clamp can fit into this opening, as well as around the end of the MOS rack, then you're good. So the measurements there is 11 inches from the closest point, or 16 inches from the furthest points. I see the Uplift in a lot of kayaking situations, especially when people wanna carry two kayaks on top of their car. It's really easy to carry two Uplifts because of how little space they take up. So if that's the route that you are going, really all you need is the etrailer kayak strap kit. Now you are going to be using the rubber strip on the Uplift, which will hold your kayak down and in. And then your etrailer Cam Buckle straps are gonna be very helpful for securing the kayak up and down to the rack. We have that all kitted together in our lift-assist kayak carriers. But if you're planning on going for a road trip and you need a little extra cargo space, but you're tired of climbing up and down your car to get your bags up onto your roof, well, that's where the Benton Shell Raiser is my recommended roof box. It's a very small roof box, but since you are limited by the 85-pound weight capacity, you don't wanna spend your weight capacity on a larger and heavier box. This one will be a small space roof-box, just enough to carry your extra bags and things that you might not have space for inside your vehicle. Now, if you're ready to hit the slopes, that's when the Rhino-Rack 3 Ski and Snowboard Carrier might be the option for you. That's a very straightforward carrier, it mounts into the channels, and with that, you can carry two boards or three sets of skis. And if you really want to, you can also carry fishing pools with that. And if you're looking to go for a bike ride, well the ToyPro Ride XD is my recommended kit for you. That's because with that bike carrier, it is channel-mounted, so you just install that into the tracks of your Uplift and you don't have to remove any wheels with that carrier, you just load the bike up as-is, and then you can lift your carrier up onto your roof. And whenever you need to go take your bike back down, you lift everything right back down. No more sketchily holding your bike while trying to balance on the door of your vehicle. So, those are gonna be my recommended accessories just because I've tried them before, I've installed them into the Uplift and I know that they work. The specs for this lift-assist adapter is a little particular. I really wish I had more than 26 inches to work with 'cause then you can increase our compatibility with other carriers like boxes and baskets. But that doesn't mean there aren't any options for you. So, hopefully, those accessories do help you out. And if you have similar accessories, then just check out our information, and that will help you see if they're compatible, too. But here's the thing, this can be a pretty pricey setup because it's just a roof-rack adapter. You still need to get the roof rack, you still need to get the accessory, and then you get the MOS Uplift that goes between them. So, all in all, if you don't need the Uplift, there really should be no reason to get it. But for those that do need it, and I'm a big example of it, that is very helpful because, here's the thing, I've lifted and worked with a lot of kayaks and it's very rare that I am able to lift the kayak up onto the roof all by myself. I usually have to get a second person to support it or at least make sure it doesn't drop down. But the fact that I can get a kayak up onto the roof and now I'm ready to drive all by myself with very little effort is very unusual and very impressive, too. And, again, it's not just for kayaks. If you wanna carry cargo or roof bike racks, that's yet another thing that I struggle with. Being able to bring this all the way down where it's a lot more manageable is awesome, because the thing is, I'm pretty strong if the item is within reach. But once I'm at tiptoes and my hand's above my head, that's where I lose a lot of leverage, and heavy things can get a little dangerous. So that's where the MOS rack's Uplift comes in handy because not only does this make it a lot easier to load and unload your cargo, but compared to some of your other lift-assist options, this makes it where you can get even two of these on a small SUV like what I have here. So, with that in mind, hopefully this video just helped explain how this works, how you might use it for your own personal vehicles or your own personal cargo. And if you're curious about how any of the kits I recommended work, well, check out my video where I explain the different specs, measurements and details about those kits to help you figure out if that's gonna be the best fit for you. But today what we saw was using your MOS Uplift lift-assist roof-rack adapter at etrailer.com. My name's Evangeline, and I sure hope you enjoyed this journey.