Monster Tower Cargo Rack

I bought this towards the end of last season and tried to get it installed but ran out of time as we spent as much time as possible on the water playing. I keep my boat at my lake home, so working on the boat during the week isn't an option. Anyway, I started taking pics of the project and have posted below so you all can see how well it's made. There are also some pics of an installed Cargo Rack that I took at the Monster showroom.

I will update as I get this installed sometime next month when I put the boat back in the water.

shipping box
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0481.jpg

packed nice
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0483.jpg

good directions
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0484.jpg

parts
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0485.jpg

getting frame together
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0488.jpg

close up of frame connector
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0490.jpg

frame with cross members that keep canvas goes over
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0491.jpg

installed rack at Monster showroom
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/DSC02445.jpg

more shots of installed rack at Monster showroom
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/DSC02439.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/DSC02442.jpg

close ups of attachment point. you "pop" these out of the brackets to allow the back of the rack to pivot down so you can access whatever you have stored on the top. The front pivots are the same in design and can also easily be removed from the brackets so you can take the bimini off easily when towing or storing. I plan to remove mine and store under the cover when not in use to prevent squirrels from chewing on the canvas.
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/DSC02443.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/DSC02444.jpg

Drew, I know you really dont want to dill into the tower for the mounts--what about clamps? I think you could use some speaker clamps and drill the clamps so the mounts would be bolted to the clamps.

I thought about that too! But, I think volfo may have talked some sense into me b/c if I decide to get a new boat (had to check to make sure wife wasn't around when I typed that :)) it would be the XLV and I'd probably just order it with the Z5. I'm thinking that taking the Cargo rack with me to the new boat really isn't going to happen. I mean who wants a brnad new, shiny Moomba with an old top?

So, I think I'm going be drillin'!

Drew, thinking about is just the start, that thought wont go away-trust me i know

Thanks very much for this report. This is the rack that I would like to get for my XLV. Hopefully I'll be able to fit the larger size.

Does the rack include a weight-carrying specification?

Also, do you think that it's actually safe to carry a board with no boots? I wonder if a net or something might be needed. I've got more boards than boots, and almost lost a board in from the racks once.

Wolfeman, that Z-Cargo looks awesome. I KNOW you will love it. Do you need me to take pics of how ours (stock) is mounted?

Ian, I am thinking that Wolfeman just wanted to SEE something in his Z-Cargo. He wont be travelling that way. :)

You shouldn't have a problem getting the larger size on your XLV as I bought the larger for my '08 Outback V.

I don't recall a weight spec in the installation directions but will check when back at the lake or you can call Colton at Monster.

Being safe for boards with no boots might depend on how you drive, but I think you'd be OK. There are 2 bungie cords that run across the top for securing boards, skis, etc. and a removable "spider" that you use to secure tubes. This spider is an X shaped piece of neoprene with 4 bungie cords that run to the corners of the rack.

be careful with boards with no boots. I thought there was no way my board (with boots on) would fall out of my monster rack and so I didn't bother securing it with the cord most of the time. I was right all summer. Then late fall, one of the last rides of the season, I looked up just in time to see it coming out. My son was sitting in the rear bench and I jumped up just in time to keep it from falling on his head. Slammed into the side of the boat pretty hard, but no harm done surprisingly.

It was lazy and stupid of me and I won't make that mistake again. I guess it might never happen again in 10 years but if you hit a wake just right, or who knows what, it just isn't worth it. Especially if you have people sitting in the boat behind the storage point. Although I feel stupid for posting this, I'm hoping somebody who occasionally does the same thing might read this and maybe I'll save you a similar experience.

Ditto to always using the cords. Two years ago a friend's daughter (11 years old) did not get out of the way and the end result broken nose, stitches and a lot of blood. He felt like a horrible. he always makes the time to put the boards in correctly and takes the time to use the cords, so do I.

Don't worry -- I am quite finicky when it comes to safely securing things. The time that I almost lost a board on the wakeboard racks was based on the faulty conclusion that the rubber liner in them would provide plenty of friction when held in place by the elastic cord. Either the shaking jiggled them loose over an hour or so, or the friction failed when getting wet. Of course, simply screwing one of my shallower spare binding screws into a hole ahead of the rack would have fixed it just fine.

If I get this cargo rack, I might just fashion my own strap with an elastic netting on the back. This would mostly envelope any bootless wakeboards, boards, plus kneeboards and any future wakesurf boards.

Thanks again for the answers on the rack!

OK, some of you may have seen that 1LOKMOOMBA (aka Danny) put my OEM bimini on his ride this past weekend. Looks sweet and I couldn't be happier how it all worked out. Especially since it got me motivated to finally finish up the install of the Monster Cargo Rack I bought last season.

First, for those that are looking at the Z5, take a look at the Monster Cargo Rack. It's $700 vs the $1,500 - $2,000 that the dealers have been quoting. I've checked out the Z5 as I wanted one bad after being on zegm's boat and saw how it worked. I tried and tried to find a way to get one to work on the rad-a-cage, but struck out. The Z5 does look better, attaches with clamps vs screwing into the tower and may be a bit larger (?), but I think if the functionality is why you want the Z5, then the Monster Cargo should be something you consider.

So, the install wasn't all that bad. I figured if you guys were drilling big ole' holes in the bottom of your boats, I could put a few screws into the tower. Worst case, I mess it all up and then just go get the Z5 - on a new XLV!

I didn't take pics during the install, but following are some pics of it on the boat.

locked in place & ready to go
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0656.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0651.jpg

pivoted down
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0655.jpg
http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0654.jpg

popped it out of the brackets and put it away safe & sound untill next weekend

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/SANY0657.jpg

Looks great. I, too, bought one last year and have not installed it yet. But today, given the great weather, I decided to go ahead and put it together as far as I could without having the boat handy. I am also impressed with the quality. Mine is the smaller version because my monster tower mt2 gets narrower at the top than the rad-a-cage, and that is all tht would fit on it. I hope mine looks as good as yours!

Drew, that looks great and looks like its a little longer=more shade than the original bimini. Can you store a board on top like the Z5

how did the backup camera work for you?

Daze,

Yes, I believe that it will provide more coverage than the OEM and with a 1 yr old, that made selling it to the wife a bit easier. :)

It is like the Z5 in terms of storing boards on the top. I believe one difference between the two is that the cross pieces on the Z5 are over the top of the bimini canvas while they are underneath the Monster Cargo canvas. It might be hard to see in the pics, but there are bungees that run across that you would put the boards under to secure to the top. There is also a "X" shaped piece of neoprene that has 4 bungee cords that you can use to hold a tube up on the top. I'll load it up next weekend and post some more pics.

Backup camera worked perfect! Thanks for letting me know these existed.

Wolfeman, Looks great glad you got it installed. Now you got me wanting to go get the backup camera, but I'll get the kids to tell me when I'm lined up.

I finally got a Monster Tower Cargo Rack and assembled it today. I'll have a neighbour help install it tomorrow morning before heading to the lake. One issue: how do you safely stow it for trailering? It's too big to fit in my truck, and I do not see a safe way to secure it inside the boat.

Can't speak for the Monster unit Ian but the Z5 stays up, you don't remove it for towing.

The manual specifies a 45 MPH limit when trailering. I guess I'll have to install some internal rings for a tie-down strap to attach in the boat's interior.

I find that the rear supports are too long. In order to make anything like the intended placement, the rack will be much lower than the original bimini (creating similar bang-your-head problems as if I had tower speakers) and too far back to accommodate much of an inflated tube. It looks like I'll have to cut the rear supports to have comparable position and height as the original bimini. Do any other owners have alternatives?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian Brantford

I find that the rear supports are too long. In order to make anything like the intended placement, the rack will be much lower than the original bimini (creating similar bang-your-head problems as if I had tower speakers) and too far back to accommodate much of an inflated tube. It looks like I'll have to cut the rear supports to have comparable position and height as the original bimini. Do any other owners have alternatives?

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Ian,

Did you notice the rear supports are adjustable for 3 positions by pushing in the spring button? Also, you should be able to move the mounting position of the rear supports toward the middle of the tower and this will effectively shorten them/raise the back end of the tower.

You can move the bimini positton forward or back by changing either 1) where you mount on the front tower legs (lower = forward) which I don't think is as good of a solution as 2) moving the crossbars on the bimini frame to a different position. I did not mount the front crossbar where the instructions stated as it left the bimini farther forward than I wanted.

BTW - I have the forward folding rad-a-cage tower on my '08 OBV and could not get a fully inflated tube squeezed between the bimini and tower. I had to let a bit of air out.

Hope this helps. Send me a PM if you have any other questions.

Drew

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ian Brantford

The manual specifies a 45 MPH limit when trailering.

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I think I saw a warning label on Zegm's Z5 that the max towing speed was 45 too. The 2 companies probably used the same lawyer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wolfeman131

Ian,

Did you notice the rear supports are adjustable for 3 positions by pushing in the spring button?

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Yes. Even at the shortest setting, they are about 30% too long for a good fit.

Quote:

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Also, you should be able to move the mounting position of the rear supports toward the middle of the tower and this will effectively shorten them/raise the back end of the tower.

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Yes, and the instruction manual indicates to angle them a bit for stability. However, to make it fit at the desired height, I would have to angle them at at least 45 degrees, which will put an unintended shearing force on the attachments and a compressive force on the frame all of the time. I have attached some pictures of our various attempts to find a good fit. Oops -- my friend was holding it upside down, but I think that the pictures convey the right message about the length. I simply put the new bimini on top of the old one while we experimented.

Quote:

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You can move the bimini positton forward or back by changing either 1) where you mount on the front tower legs (lower = forward) which I don't think is as good of a solution as 2) moving the crossbars on the bimini frame to a different position.

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In my case, it looks like there is quite sufficient adjustment available for the front mounts to do what I want. It is just the rear ones that are a problem.

Quote:

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BTW - I have the forward folding rad-a-cage tower on my '08 OBV and could not get a fully inflated tube squeezed between the bimini and tower. I had to let a bit of air out.

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I have the rear-folding model sold with the XLV. It is of very similar design as the typical model shown in the installation diagrams. However, even from those diagrams, at least the rear 1/3 of the rack is lost as inflateable tube storage due to the position of the tower's horizontal tubing. My guess is that only kid-sized inflateables were intended here.

Quote:

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Hope this helps. Send me a PM if you have any other questions.
Drew

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Thanks very much.

Ian - the second pic looks just about how I mounted mine with the bracket on the bimini frame closer to the side (vs the rear of the frame) and on the back of the rear tower tube. I had to rotate the bracket on the frame so that it releases correctly. See pic below where I have tried to show how it is angled on the frame.

http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/d...ackBracket.jpg

I'd guess mine are mounted close to 45 degrees, and haven't noticed that this is an issue.

Thanks for all of these pictures and feedback. I have scarcely been anywhere near the lake for a few weeks, and now it looks like my season is about over. So, I haven't gotten to finish the job and enjoy my Monster rack at all. :-( It is still sitting, assembled but not installed, right in my little-used living room. Maybe I'll get to do use once before winterising.