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Home > Technical > Flatdog 110 Rax - Can’t fix it to gutter. Thoughts?
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Grenadier



Member Since: 23 Jul 2014
Location: The foot of Mont Blanc...
Posts: 5765

France 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Corris Grey
Flatdog 110 Rax - Can’t fix it to gutter. Thoughts?
Evening all. As per the subject, recently bought a second hand Flatdog Rax for a 110, but cannot for the life of me get the clamps to fix to the gutter. Not the legs, but the clamps which keep angling in and/or slipping off. Had to drive back from the UK with the rack ratcheted to the roof.

Am I missing something? A piece? A technique? Nothing I do will get them to stay in place. Long term, not a problem as it will be fixed to a roll cage, but short term, next few weeks (including a trip to Mallorca), I’d like the rack to be used.

Any thoughts?


Can anyone who has one take a photo of the legs and clamps so that I can see I have all the necessary parts?

Ta….

Thumbs Up Monsieur Le Grenadier

I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list.....

2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey
Post #948201 5th Apr 2022 4:32pm
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geobloke



Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4350

United Kingdom 
Post #948204 5th Apr 2022 4:37pm
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geobloke



Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4350

United Kingdom 
Actually those clamps look like a similar design to the Hannibal style clamps of old, with a square rod, triangular gutter mount and threaded bar. These had the tendency to slip outwards as well.

One of the accepted methods of preventing this was to put a bend in the at the point the gutter portion attaches to the square bar, so it angles upwards towards the base of the gutter. When the clamp is tightened it pulls the clamp up rather than out. The other thing is to make sure the racks feet are situated close to the roof and not towards the outer edge of the gutter, this also makes sure the clamp has as much of the gutter width to contact with.

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Post #948207 5th Apr 2022 4:56pm
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camelman



Member Since: 27 Feb 2013
Location: Peak District
Posts: 3308

United Kingdom 
Here's mine



Click image to enlarge
 
Post #948209 5th Apr 2022 5:24pm
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DSC-off



Member Since: 16 Oct 2014
Location: North East
Posts: 1342

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Aintree Green
I've not had any problems with either Flatdog or Frontrunner clamps.

Ensure the foot is adjusted on the rack so it sits at the edge of the gutter.
Loosely fit the clamps, not fully tight.
Adjust the grub screws to touch the clamp stem. - this stops the clamp slipping off.
Once everything is sitting in the right place, fully tighten the clamps and nip up the grub screws.

If there is no rubber/neoprene/foam on the clamp, I'd recommend fitting some to isolate it from the roof rail.
Corrosion and paint bubbling can start where the clamps touch.

Adhesive foam strips.


Click image to enlarge
Post #948303 6th Apr 2022 9:38am
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landy andy



Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5408

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver
I slightly bent every clamp leg, exactly the same as I did when I had a Frontrunner rack.
Post #948343 6th Apr 2022 3:20pm
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MichaelE



Member Since: 18 Jan 2020
Location: Crawley West Sussex
Posts: 155

England 
Use the grub screw to force the clamp to stay under the gutter. You can tighten it quite a bit and the main bolt will still pull the clamp up and tight.
Post #948414 6th Apr 2022 10:54pm
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Grenadier



Member Since: 23 Jul 2014
Location: The foot of Mont Blanc...
Posts: 5765

France 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Corris Grey
Thanks all. Yup, with your photos and the FD instructions, it seems I’m missing the grub screws. Problem is that the thread has either worn out or been drilled out as the hole has a larger diameter than the 8mm suggested by FD and less than 10mm, so I cannot (yet) merely replace the screws. So I’ve put two 10mm HD cable ties on each leg in lieu of the grub screw and it works a treat, all locked in place. Fortunately Safety Devices have a low profile mount I’ll use which forgo the need for legs. So it’s only a temporary measure. Thanks again. Thumbs Up

 Monsieur Le Grenadier

I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list.....

2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey
Post #948426 7th Apr 2022 5:33am
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Shroppy



Member Since: 25 Feb 2016
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 846

United Kingdom 1986 Defender 130 V8 Petrol HCPU Aintree Green
I am fairly sure that the grub screw threads into (and through) an M8 nut which is held in a slot in the foot. Is it possible that the grub screws and nuts were removed?

EDIT - You can just about see the slot I'm referring to in Camelman's photo above. The M8 nut is also shown in the PDF, red arrow showing the slot:


Click image to enlarge
 1985 127 V8 Build Thread
Series 2 109"
Series 1 80"
Post #948493 7th Apr 2022 3:13pm
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landy andy



Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5408

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver
You are correct. The grub screw goes into a nut that slides inside the leg.
Post #948566 8th Apr 2022 4:43am
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