TOP LOADER
WE GRABBED A RHINO-RACK PIONEER PLATFORM AND THREW IT ON A TRUSTY OL’ PRADO 120 TO SEE WHETHER THE ROOF-RACK SYSTEM STACKED UP TO ALL THE WORKSITE HYPE.
TESTED: RHINO-RACK PIONEER PLATFORM
AT 4X4 Australia we want our roof racks to do everything and then some more, so we’ve been keeping an eye on low-profile roof platforms as they’ve progressed from welded steel to alloy to composite with present-day systems offering an accessory list longer than your mate’s rusting winch cable. The idea behind these nifty rooftop trays is they should be just as at home halfway across the Tanami as they are dodging the sprinkler system of your local undercover carpark. They should brace a mountain bike for Friday arvo rides with mates or a kayak for a spot of estuary fishing, but also tote a spare wheel and highlift jack for those off-road exploratory camping sojourns. It needs to offer simple attachment and removal of accessories, even a roof box … and of course be relatively easy to fit, quiet, aerodynamic and look sleek but tough.
A tall ask, but if you’re forking out more than $1.5K for some powder-coated aluminium to bolt to our roof, it’s gotta be better than some rusting tradie-bars and a couple of frayed bungees.
In Rhino’s favour is the fact it has been manufacturing roof racks since Richard Cropley developed the first prototype in 1992. The Pioneer system emerged in 2010 and has been refined over the last decade with the present-day iteration made from noncorrosive reinforced nylon and aluminium, delivering an extremely lightweight but durable product.
For our review we opted for Rhino’s 2128mm x 1236mm Pioneer Platform coupled with a Rhino-rack Backbone to replace the Prado 120 Grande’s existing factory roof rails. This combination provides us with the lowest possible profile and max load capacity for our vehicle. In fact, when fitted via the Prado’s existing ditch mounts, the backbone sits at the exact same 50mm midpoint-ditch
backbone mount (without accessories) while also limiting the platform’s on-road cargo capacity to under 75kg.
Installation is reasonably straightforward and Rhino-rack offers clear and concise instructions with detailed diagrams for every product so fitting can be carried out at home with a mate and a good set of tools, but you’ll need to be patient and precise when fixing the backbone channel-nuts to the platform. The 2020 platform (now available) with an integrated measuring strip makes things easier on this front.
With a backbone and platform installed, the roof becomes a base for your next adventure, and for our 4x4 setup we chose a Spare Wheel Holder, Gas Bottle Holder (4kg), Horizontal Jerry Can Holder and Recovery Track Holder to fix our tools. For fixing toys, we installed a bike mount, kayak mount and roof box option as well as a Pioneer Roller and a load of eyebolts.
VERDICT
The Rhino-rack Backbone and Pioneer Platform combination comfortably delivers on what it has been designed for. It is low-profile, rugged and hard wearing, with
a high build quality. The platform is quiet on road, looks stylish and most importantly offers a plethora of options for everything from trade to 4x4 to adventure accessories.
The Pioneer Platform loses some points for small frustrations such as limited tool-free options, the need for a multitude of tools to fit accessories, and design issues surrounding the use of accessory bars.
Fortunately, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the practicalities of the platform far outweigh its minor annoyances and when, on occasion, we found ourselves scratching our heads in frustration, we were relieved to discover the Pioneer Platform is as much about practicality as it is about prettiness.
All-in-all, the Rhino-rack Pioneer Platform does exactly what is asked of it, performs admirably and delivers an extremely capable roof-carrying system for those who demand a solid tray to excel in the harshest of Australian conditions.