MU-X build: Rola Titan Tray and Ridge Mount system

• Part 1: Installation
• Part 2: Put to work

Part 1: Installation

With the limited cargo capacity of the mid-size MU-X wagon, a roof rack was definitely called for to carry any bigger bits of gear. Thankfully, Isuzu bestows the MU-X with a generous 100kg rating for the roof, so there’s quite a bit you can haul up there if you need to.

With some of the newer hard-shell roof tents weighing in at 80kg and more, you’ll use every bit of that rating once you account for the weight of the rack itself and any mounts.

After sampling and being impressed with the Ridge Mount rack on its 300 Series LandCruiser earlier this year, we went straight to Rola Racks to see if it had a Ridge Mount for the MU-X. It turns out it didn’t but were keen to develop one ASAP, so our MU-X would be the guinea pig.

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The Ridge Mount system is a good-looking alternative to conventional mounts for Rola Titan Tray flat racks. They form a stylish spine that runs down the length of the roof that gives a more stable mount for the Titan Tray. The Ridge Mounts attach to the vehicle in the factory channels and mounting points, so there is no drilling or modification needed to the vehicle itself.

The team at Rola’s Melbourne headquarters were able to fabricate the Ridge Mount for the MU-X before we got there, so, all things going well, it should be a relatively easy installation and something anyone with basic skills and tools could do at home.

In fact, the most difficult part of the job was removing the factory sealant that is in the roof where the mounts bolt to. Don’t forget to put sealant around the bolt holes when you are bolting the Ridge Mounts on to the car.

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With the two Ridge Mounts lined up and bolted down in the Isuzu’s roof racks, it was time to fit the Titan Tray. We chose an 1800mm x 1200mm Titan tray to suit the MU-X, but they are available in bigger sizes for bigger wagons and smaller trays for utes and cargo hard covers.

The Titan Trays have their slats running front to back rather than side to side on the roof of your car, which offers plenty of adjustment for whatever you need to carry on your roof.

There is also a huge range of Rola accessory mounts for specialist items like jerry cans, gas bottles, traction boards, light bars, shovel/axe holders and awnings. The accessories attach via T-bolts in the slots, so again there’s plenty of adjustment for where you need to carry the load. Raised side rails for containing your cargo are also an option.

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Fitting the lightweight tray is relatively simple but best done with two people because of the size and to have someone on each side of the car. Once it’s up there and lined up to where you want it to sit, it’s just a matter of bolting it down and it’s ready to go.

The Titan Trays and Ridge Mounts are rated to hold 300kg, which exceeds that of the 100kg rating on the MU-X and most other vehicles.

So far we only have our Narva LED light bars fitted to the front of the Titan Tray using the Rola accessories brackets, but in the coming months we’ll be loading a roof tent, awning, recovery gear and other accessories (not all at once) on to the rack, to put it through its paces.

Part 2: Put to work

A quality roof rack is essentially a must-have for any 4x4 being used for outback touring.

Be it a place to mount large items like a rooftop tent; to carry bikes, kayaks, a tinny or any other large sporting equipment; to mount an awning; or simply to haul cargo that doesn’t fit inside the car. The roof rack can fill all those roles. The rack on our Isuzu MU-X has been called on to carry, haul and mount many of the items mentioned above and has proved a priceless addition to the vehicle.

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The rack we chose is a Titan Tray flat rack from Rola, measuring 1800 x 1200mm. Flat racks have become the go-to product for 4x4s as they offer a lower overall height when there is nothing on them and a ton of versatility when combined with the many accessories available for carrying all sorts of gear, luggage and equipment.

Some of those accessories that are of particular interest to four-wheel drivers include shovel/axe mounts, high-lift jack mounts, jerry can brackets, gas bottle holders, awnings and light mounts.

Rola’s Titan Tray range of flat racks comes in many sizes to suit a range of different vehicles, from large wagons to the relatively small roofs on utes. They are made from black anodised aluminium to be both lightweight and durable, with the slats running lengthwise down the rack. The slats and perimeter rail have channels in them to secure eye bolts for lashing cargo down or any of the many different accessories.

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The hooks in the ratchet straps and tie-downs easily slip into these slots or the edges of the slats. Titan Trays are rated to carry up to 300kg, but this is limited by the rated capacity of your vehicle’s roof itself. In the case of the MU-X, the capacity is 100kg when driving.

While the Titan Trays have been around for many years, a new product for Rola when we were fitting out the MU-X was the brand’s Ridge Mount system to hold the tray to the vehicle. The Ridge Mount is a long mount that bolts into the vehicle’s factory roof channels and supports the full length of the rack for more stability and to even load bearing. They also look great and help keep the overall height lower.

Since fitting the Ridge Mounts and Titan Tray to the MU-X, it has been in use the whole time. First up was installing the Narva Ultima light bars to the front edge of the tray, which were fitted using Rola mounts made especially for LED light bars.

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Next up was a rooftop tent from OZtrail which went on easily and was fully functional. As good as the RTT was, it didn’t really fit with our use of the car and limited anything else we could carry up there due to both its size and weight.

We replaced the tent with a 270° awning, also from OZtrail, which we get much more use from and has been an invaluable addition for bush touring. Again it mounted easily and securely using the channels in the tray and appropriate hardware. This also freed up space for us to carry our MaxTrax on the rack, as well as swags and storage cases when required. We’ve even strapped firewood up on the Titan Tray when needed.

Our OZtrail 270° awning has been an invaluable addition for bush touring

As the MU-X is a relatively small vehicle when compared to popular wagons like LandCruisers and Patrols, and with the fridge and storage system in the back of our car, the internal cargo space is further restricted. Because of this limitation, having the extra carrying capacity of the Titan Tray up top has been invaluable when hitting the tracks.

Rola is preparing to release its third-generation Titan Tray in Australia, promising to be more versatile, functional and stylish. Keep an eye out for them online and in retailers and, dare I say it, on our new Ranger build.

Pricing

• Rola Ridge Mounts for MU-X: $551.55 (plus fitting)
• Rola Titan Tray (1800 x 1200mm): $839 (online)

Available from: www.rola.com.au