How to Protect Load Bars of TracRac Ladder Rack When Sliding Boat onto Them

Question:

How to protect the cross bars from being scratched when loading an aluminum boat .I just installed my new Thule track rack on our 2014 ram duly mega cab Limited. The rack looks great on the truck . On another question I asked about the rear steak pocket which has a plastic that causes the rubber boot to grip the plastic instead of the metal. But so this question looking for something to protect the paint finish on the crossbars because I will be sliding a 12 foot long with the boat up onto the rear bar and pushing it up onto the top of the truck. Seems like it won’t take long before the finish will start getting scratched off of the aluminum rail. I am picturing in my mind a 1 foot wide piece of quarter inch thick Teflon which would be shaped and folded around the rack Cross rails that the aluminum boat would slide onto perfectly. These could be held in place perhaps with hose clamps. Is anybody making something like this that is bent and shaped To fit or should I hit up my local tap plastics and buy some material and start folding it around the cross rails and attaching it with hose clamps.

asked by: Dave M

Helpful Expert Reply:

We have a foam block style of boat carrier that has a large enough hole for the thicker TracRac bars with the part # MPG159. This would be our best solution to protect the finish of your bars as well as securely carry your boat. See attached picture to see the pads used on a TracRac ladder rack. For straps then you'd want the part # MPG306 and part # MPG322 if you wanted to run the straps to under the hood of your truck as an attachment point.

expert reply by: Jameson C

click to enlarge

Dave

4/13/2020

That soft rubber is made for kayaks and would be torn up sliding 100 pound aluminum boat across the rack. I need something stronger to hold the boat and protect the rack.

Chris R.

4/15/2020

A more durable option would be something like the Thule Pad # RRRWP04. This is a lower profile, denser pad that would hold up great to your heavier aluminum boat.