Reviews for Kargo Master 5035-1 Congo Cage for 07-18 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JK 4 Door
reluctant to order considering the reviews and pipe size considering its about half inch smaller then other roof racks but turned out looking great. of course theres wind noise and the instructions are decent at best but all it really is fitting pipe together so no instructions r really needed. baught the rack on sale for 250 which is a great price yet the accessories are quite pricey so im making my own cross bars out of tube clamps off amazon and some steel rectangle tubing capped and painted for a much cheaper outcome. overall happy
Looks beautiful and fits good.
Several deviations, however:
1. Washers for the front brackets were not correct for the 2017 model year. Kargo Master sent new nylon washers in 3 days - great customer service!
2 . Instructions show the bolts on top going in from 12 to 6 (clock position) when in fact they go in 9 to 3 (clock position). Was able to use the extra O-rings and washers included to make a watertight fit - i.e. instructions need to be updated.
All in all, very pleased - sits about 5" to 6" above the hard top roof on our 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara.
This one doesn't seem to fit real well with the front mounts - it kind of hovers over the mounts after the bolts are torqued down. Last time I bought one of these it only happened on one side - this one does it on both. still works.
Bought this rack and it has been on my last two JKU's. First thing I did was replace all the hardware with stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers. After a year, the rusty water was coming out of the seams so I taped them all with black tape and took the connecting bolts our and squirting foam insulation inside the piping filling each as much as possible. That stopped the rust issues.
The harmonics from the front cross tube was solved, somewhat, by spiraling black comm wire around the front up tubes and the front cross tube.
The only thing I use it for is to transport a Hobie kayak and it is good for that.
To be frank, it takes a lot of screwing with to have it the way it should have been delivered out of the box. Would not buy one again.
I purchased this rack for my last Jeep (2010 JK) and really liked the strength and support it gave. I carried lumber, a Yakima carrier, kayaks, and tons of other stuff with no problem at all..very capable and sturdy.
My only complaints are that 1) the powder coat flaked off in a two spots and rusted, and 2) although I applied TONS of silicon sealant in the required places when putting it together, it still somehow got water in and drained rust in those spots.
I would have purchased another right away for my 2017 Jeep, except I am disappointed that when I contacted customer service about the flaking they never responded to me. In fact, I wasn't even asking for a replacement or anything, just some information about the powder coating and the new racks...but nothing, no responses. Although I really like the rack, I am super disappointed in customer services.
Seriously, only purchase if you are attempting to save a few $. I would recommend the pro- or pro-lite versions based on what I can see of the construction differences. The biggest issue with this version is the need to fill every joint with silicone sealant. So installation and removal (if you so dare) is challenging. Noise while driving is noticeable, but not horrible - the wind deflector should be included. Installation instructions are a joke. The product is not packed very well so you will likely receive with some scratching, etc. The brackets for the front should have rubber washers to insulate from the pillars - I purchased these from Lowes.
Laughable instructions, poor materials and bad design. The trifecta of a bad purchase.
Please do not waste your money on this product. Started off bad with the packaging. Powered coated poles onlt packed in thin plastic sleeve and were scratched. The "Instructions" are pitifully bad. There are a few websites and you tubers that are some help, but be prepared for a lot of frustration.
Parts are a smattering of Metric and SAE and different materials. Since it is designed for a jeep all the parts should be metric and the hardware for the cage should be black poweder coated. The metric/SAE problems really is bad when they provide SAE bolts to replace the M10 metric bolts that are threaded into the jeep. Had to buy 4 - M10 1.0 40 mm bolts to complete the install. Also, the provide adhesive instated of silicone and do not provide any rubber washers for the front windshield install. Overall poor manufacturing and instructions.
The biggest design flaw is that you can't b put down the freedom soft top. You can prop up the front of the rack to fully put down the top but their is not enough clearance to ride with the freedom top open.
Overall unsatisfied with this expensive purchase