SHERPA The Diablo 19+ Ram 2500-3500 Roof Rack Instruction Manual
- June 10, 2024
- SHERPA
Table of Contents
SHERPA The Diablo 19+ Ram 2500-3500 Roof Rack Instruction Manual
HARDWARE CHECKLIST
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8 3/16” Rivets
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29 1/4”-20 (1”)
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8 M8 (16mm)
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10 1/4”-20 (9/16”)
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8 M8 Flat Washer
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48 1/4” Flat Washer
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10 1/4” Tnut
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1 1/4”-20 Nylock Nut
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2 FRONT Mounting Brackets
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2 REAR Mounting Brackets
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1 Fairing Brace
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2 Contoured Rivet Spacers
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2 Flat Rivet Spacers
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2 Side plates
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6 Extrusion Crossbars
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1 Wind Fairing
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
The installation of this rack requires you to drill into your roof. If you are not comfortable with this, please contact a reputable installer.
USING TNUTS
MOUNT ASSEMBLY
Required Components:
8x M8 x 16 Hex bolt
8x M8 Flat Washers
2x Rivet Spacer – Contour
2x Rivet Spacer – Flat
Loosely fasten the supplied rivet spacers to the bottom (longer) flange of the mounting brackets using the supplied M8 hex bolts and M8 flat washers. The contour spacers go on the front mounting brackets, and the flat spacers go on the rear mounting brackets. The brackets are designated with ‘F’ and ‘R’, respectively.
Note the notch in the bottom flange of the mounting bracket. The notched
corner will face forward towards the front of the vehicle. You should have two
opposing front mounting brackets and two opposing rear mounting brackets.
MOUNT ASSEMBLY
Required Components:
8x 1/4”-20 x 9/16”
8x 1/4” Flat Washers
8x 1/4” Tnuts
Secure the tops of the mounting bracket pairs to the wide faces of the cross members using the supplied T-nuts, 9/16” hex bolts, and flat washers.
Leave the hardware that attaches the mount to the crossbar loose. This will make it easier when placing the rack on the truck later.
Later, the rack can be centered on the roof by measuring the distance from
the ends of the cross member to the inside-edge of the mounting brackets on
either side of the vehicle.
SIDEPLATES
Required Components:
8x 1/4”-20 x 1” Socket Button
8x 1/4” Flat washer
Fasten the sideplates to the ends of the three mounting-foot cross members using the supplied 1” socket buttons and flat washers in the designated mounting slots. Refer to the diagram on the left for which slots to use.
FRONT-QUARTER VIEW
FAIRING ASSEMBLY
Required Components:
4x 1/4”-20 x 1” Socket Button
8x 1/4” Flat Washers
4x Hex Nuts
Place the wind fairing between the assembled sideplates. Line the top flange of the fairing up with the top surface of the sideplates and fasten it by running the supplied hardware through the slots in the sideplate.
BOTTOM VIEW
FAIRING ASSEMBLY
Required Components: (ABOVE)
2x 1/4”-20 x 9/16” Hex Bolt
2x 1/4” Flat Washers
2x T-nuts
On the bottom of the forwardmost crossbar (which should have the front
mounting brackets attached to it), loosely fasten the fairing brace using the
supplied hardware as pictured above.
Required Components: (RIGHT)
1x 1/4”-20 x 1” Socket Button
2x 1/4” Flat Washers
1x 1/4”-20 Nylock Nut
Move the brace to the center of the crossbar, where it should meet up with the hole in the wind fairing. Fasten the brace to the fairing utilizing the hardware as pictured to the right.
Finally, tighten the hex bolts on the bottom of the brace all the way.
TEMPLATE
The current assembly should look the same as the above image.
Position the assembled rack on the roof of your vehicle.
The bottom edge of the sideplates should fit nicely along the curvature of the vehicle with a consistent gap of around 1/2”. If it does not, move the rack (or cross members in the slot) until the rack looks centered and placed properly.
A good way to check if the rack is in the correct spot is to look at the fitment between the clearance lights and shark-fin antenna and the cutouts in the wind fairing. There should be no contact at any point between the roof and the fairing.
The properly aligned rack will serve as the drilling template.
PRE-DRILL FITMENT
If the mounting brackets are not sitting flat in the roof gutter track from
the front/rear perspective (pictured below), the mounting brackets need to be
adjusted along the length of the crossbar it is attached to. Remember to keep
the brackets on each side of the vehicle adjusted the same distance from the
end of the crossbar so that the rack is centered
Example: The mounting bracket is moved towards the center of the vehicle so that it sits flat against the surface of the gutter track.
If the mounting brackets do not sit flat in the roof gutter from a side
perspective, they need tomove along the length of the roof gutter (towards or
away from the front of the vehicle).
If the sideplates match the curvature of the roof but the mount does not sit flat, then thecrossbar should be adjusted in the slot. This allows the mount position to move without changing the placement of the sideplate.
THE NEXT STEPS ARE CRITICAL AND ARE CONSIDERED AN EXPERT LEVEL INSTALL. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE DRILLING PLEASE FIND A LOCAL SHOP TO INSTALL YOUR RACK.
DRILLING
Required Tools:
1x Center Punch
1x 13/64” or #8 Drill Bit
With the rack on the truck, mark the position for each rivet spacer USING A
PUNCH to create your starting points for drilling. This is important as the
drill bit will want to walk away while drilling your pilot holes. The position
of these holes are important in making sure that the rack fits your vehicle
correctly. Measure 3 times, check 4 times. Be extremely careful not to drill
through your airbags – using a drillstop on your drill bit can help prevent
this by limiting the travel of the drill bit.
With the holes marked, the rack can be removed from the roof. It is worth
double checking that the rack sits in its final configuration before marking,
removing, and drilling. The rivet spacers can also be removed from the
mounting brackets on the rack to assist the following steps.
Once you have your drilling points marked with the punch, drill the hole using
a 13/64” or #8 sized drill bit. A pilot hole using a smaller drill bit – such
as a 1/8” or 5/32” bit – can be drilled first. DO NOT allow the drill bit to
plunge after the hole is drilled. The headliner is only a small distance below
the surface of the roof. Be sure to keep the drill bit as straight as possible
while drilling. AGAIN, DO NOT allow the drill bit to plunge after the hole is
drilled.
RIVETS
Required Components:
8x 3/16” Rivets
1x Rivet Tool
Next, secure the rivet spacers using the holes you have drilled. It is
important that the spacer is tight against the roof and free of debris before
riveting it down. Apply a small amount of silicone in and around the rivet
spacer and rivet to seal up the hole in the roof. Using your rivet tool,
clamp down on the rivet as close to the head as possible. The mandrel of the
rivetwill shear off once it is installed and should be flush with the head.
WE RECOMMEND PLACING THE FULL RACK BACK ON THE ROOF FOR THE REMAINING STEPS.
IMAGES ARE SHOWN WITHOUT SIDES FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES.
MOUNTS
Required Components:
8x M8 Bolts
8x M8 Flat Washers
Next, re-install the assembled rack on the roof, allowing the mounting
brackets to rest on the rivet feet. If these do not line up, loosen the
hardware that secures the mounting bracket to the cross member and adjust as
needed. Fasten the mounting Bracket to the rivet spacer using the M8 x 16 hex
bolt and washers with the addition of a drop of blue threalocker on the bolt
threads supplied with the rack.
Once satisfied with how the rack sits on the vehicle, tighten down all
hardware between the cross members and the mounting brackets. The rack should
not need adjusting after this step.
CROSS MEMBERS
Required Components:
16x 1/4”-20 x 1” Socket buttons
16x 1/4” Flat washers
4x 56” Cross members
Secure all of the remaining cross members to the rack system using the 1”
socket buttons and washers in the open slots in the sideplate. Position
according to your load requirements.
WARNING
Cross members should not be placed in the third slot (from front) if the
‘tilt’ sunroof function is to be used. The cross member will interfere with
the sunroof as it cycles through its opening and closing strokes.
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