How is the CORPS 1804 4Runner Roof Rack different than Yakima and Thule roof racks?
- Sean Flickinger
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
If we were to pick a single attribute of our racks to tout it would be “easy to use”. To start with, our racks are easy to install with just one person. Then, it is easy to attach several of the most common types of overlanding gear to our roof rack “Carrier Deck” accessory panel because it can be done while the panel is off the vehicle before mounting it up on your roof rack. Things remain easy because our racks are wider, which means gear can be mounted further out from the center of the car making it easier to reach. The added benefit to this is that you should stay cleaner not having to lean on your dusty truck as much to get gear down. Roof top tents can also be easily secured to our racks using our roof rack accessory “Dog Bone RTT Hardware Kit”, which uses a robust, time proven method, of attaching roof top tents to our roof racks. In fact, your 4Runner uses this method throughout the vehicle, of clamping two items together by using a screw and a bolt. Awnings are also easy to install with the added benefit of being able to position them in several different positions to suite your particular needs with the apply named “Swiss Awning Bracket” accessory kit.
Now, while we look similar the Yakima and Thule racks out there, we are not. This rack was designed specifically for the 5th generation 4Runner from 2010 to 2024. Our roof rack bolts directly to the factory roof rack mounting bolt holes. The Yakima and Thule racks mount to the factory roof rack side rails. In doing this they reduce how wide the bars can be placed front to back, which is a factor that helps in stabilizing load, especially for roof top tents. They also add more height to the vehicle, an issue for those with 7’ tall garage doors or who park in parking garages.
We also integrate features right into our roof rack design to help you get more out of it right out of the box. We developed our own universal hole pattern for adding camp lights right to the rack. This allows you to choose the lights you want to use and you do not have to buy roof rack accessory brackets to install them either. To help manage the wiring for the lights we have added small slits for zip ties to keep the wiring all tidy and easy to install or remove. On the ends of our crossframes we have loops that are great for either tying things down to the roof rack or for attaching any number of items to at camp. This could be used for hammocks, as well as a tie-down point for tarps or even for leashing pets too.
While Yakima and Thule make great roof racks and have a broad range of accessory items for them, the universal fit design limits how well they meet the specific demands and functionality of off-roading and overlanding. We have focused our rack design on this one category of use which allows us to do more with less compromise and adding greater value that you can use and enjoy. So, check out our CORPS 1804 roof rack page to learn even more about the design and our roof rack accessories to mount many of the most common pieces of gear we use when going off pavement. If you have any questions that are not answered there, please email us, because others may have the same question, and we will get it answered for you and add the info to our site.
Oh, did we mention we are made in the USA? Did we also mention we are based in Colorado where we test our products in the Rocky Mountains? Well, we are and we do! (We also test in Utah!)
