Installing the GotZuk Trail
Rack
By Figmo
One of the biggest advantages to driving a Suzuki Samurais on the trail is their size. Or more specifically, their lack of size. They are small vehicles and can squeeze between obstacles and maneuver through an approach line that larger vehicles would find more challenging. But that small size comes at a price and part of that price is their lack of cargo space inside the vehicle. Especially if you have the wife and kids along. There is just not much room for the ice chest, diaper bag, tool box, HiLift jack, spare parts and passengers inside a Samurai. I was always finding myself having to make choices at the start of the day. Take the tool box, leave the kids. Take the kids, leave the ice chest. Etc. Well stop compromising on your cargo! GotZuk has solved the problem with an innovative new trail rack design that installs in about an hour and is completely bolt on - no welding required.
The first thing you will notice when taking the trail rack out of the box is that this thing is quality built. A sturdy design, powder coated. Beefy! But that's not all - the next thing that impressed me about the kit was how complete it was. Little details that other companies charge extra for are included at no charge with the GotZuk rack. A HiLift jack mount and a third brake light are stock items on this rack. All nuts, bolts, washers and even a wire splice to tie the third brake light into your vehicles wiring are all included. Add to all this the illustrated instructions and installation becomes a breeze!
The first thing you will need to do is remove the back half of your soft top. No need to take the whole top off - just the back half. Now locate the factory holes for the rear of the mount that Suzuki has already seen fit to drill for you. It's right behind the support for the factory support for the roll bar on each side of the bed. Unfortunately, Suzuki did not make this hole big enough for our needs. You will need to drill these holes out to 5/16". This is the only drilling required for this install and it's pretty simple since the stock hole shows you right where to drill and is pretty close to this size already. Even a dull bit will pop right through the sheet metal in no time.
Next - remove the soft top rear tie down hoops from each rear corner of your vehicle. The hoop on the left side is also attached to the rubber stopper that keeps your tailgate from rattling so remove that also. The rack will use the holes where these hoops were attached as mounting points so it includes new holes to relocate the hoops to the rack mount itself - save your old hardware.
Now place the rack mounting arms in place. On the left side of the vehicle, use the supplied 1" long bolt for the rear. Secure it with the supplied "T" bolt and place the supplied star washer on the "T" bolt side of the bolt (see picture). For the right side of the vehicle, use the 3/4" bolt, nut and lock washer for the rear and be sure to secure the wire bracket for your auxiliary brake light (see picture).
Use the remaining two 5/16" bolts, nuts and lock washers to secure the front of each mounting arm to the factory holes you enlarged in the first step. No not tighten everything down yet - you will want the arms to be alittle loose to help you align the rack to them (next step).
Now place the rack itself on top of the mounting arms. There are six included screws, nuts and lock washers you use to bolt the rack to the arms. Once you have this done you can go ahead and tighten all bolts down snugly and push the rubber tail gate stopper over the "T" bolt on the left hand side. A squirt of WD-40 will help make this task alittle simpler. Finally, relocate your rear soft top tie down hoops to the new locations on the rear of each mounting arm of the rack.
At this point we are just about finished. The only thing left to do it hook up the auxiliary brake light wiring. Install the bulb and snap on the red lens to the light on the rack. There is a quick disconnect on the right hand side of the rack that connects the wiring between the rack and the mounting arm that will need to be connected. And you will need to splice in the wire that runs down the right mounting arm in to your brake light wire under the vehicle. This is simple using the included wire splice.
That's all there is to it! Your GotZuk Trail Rack is now installed and ready to be loaded down with cargo. "How much cargo," you ask? Well, I wondered the same thing myself. So the first thing I did was crawl up on this thing and plant my fanny down. Now let me tell ya, I am not a small guy. Without revealing too much, suffice to say I weigh in at right around the 200lb mark. And this rack did not flex, budge, or even groan when I plopped down on it. I am confident that it will be able to securely hold anything I might decide to toss up there.
Plus it makes for a good empty threat for the kids. "Quit your fighting back there or I'll move the ice chest up here and make you ride on the rack!" <g>
To purchase the GotZuk Trail Rack now, click here...
