Can you drive w rear hatch open? Will it bounce up/down? Want to be able to hang items out the back…wood, Surfboard, Dogs looking out the back?
Drive w rear hatch open?
- Thread starter Redondo Matt
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- #2
It does have gas struts to keep it open, but they were never designed to sustain wind and bouncing (it will bounce on every bump) and very expensive to replace. That being said, it wouldn't be to hard to fabricate some strut blocks out of PVC pipe to keep them it the full open position. I would never drive above crawl speed with it open.
Basically measure from the top mount to the bottom mount, cut a piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe to length, then cut a slot down the entire length of the PVC pipe. The slot should be only wide enough to allow the PVC to slip over the gas strut (I'd make it so some force would be required) Then you could use some velco straps to secure it to the strut.
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Thanks for taking the time to share this info.
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Did the glass rest on the board bag or open all the way? Would love to avoid the hassle of putting boards on top.
Glass was up, you can have it sit on the board as the board sticks out too much. I’ve also put boards on top and honestly the roof rack makes it super easy with the machined holes.
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Very handy feature to have. I have used my roll down window in my 4Runner many, many times. This will function very similarly.
Maybe just the window on the rear hatch open. The hatch open would be dangerous for your dogs I think. Someone with the ASPCA would frown on that.
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- #11
Yes, only thinking about the window on the rear hatch.
Is that just straight straps over your Creatures board bag or is there some sort of attachment you affixed on the roof rack? Hard to tell from the photo. I’ll mostly just stuff in the back, but for longer range trips or more boards, throwing ‘em up top is preferred. Mahalo.
Just the Thule roof rack straps.. that was my first time putting it up there but since then whenever I strap up top I clip the hook side right into the hole of the roof rack which makes it a bit easier to strap in. Also very secure.
I believe the rear glass wiper motor is attached to the gate and not the glass, and when the glass is open, the wiper arm can freely move. Be careful when closing the glass after driving with it open. If the arm rotates from its resting position while open, the arm may not line up with the motor and fracture the glass when closed.
I drove it with the rear window open for 5 miles with 5-gallon gas can snouts sticking out. no issues. Just hit the ignore button when the warning light came on the DID.
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- #17
Love it. I’m stuck w the beach breaks in the South Bay. Any regrets w the purchase? I have a deposit for LC, LC Prem w Java. Currently in a 07 4Runner.
No I’m really pleased with it. I was coming from ~15 years of driving Audis so it took a little getting used to different drive type - more cruisey and truck like in LC vs sporty and nimble in the Audis. Almost a month in and I’m liking the car more and more. Very happy I choose the LC and not the other cars I was shopping. My couple qualms are - wish it had a larger gas tank and the cabin noise can get kind of loud at highway speeds with it being a big box & having the roof rack ontop doesn’t help.
