I was nervous to drill holes in my new Jeeps roof. Luckily with a Jeep Wrangler you can easily purchase replacement roofs but those are a few thousand dollars. The Front Runner Outfitters Slimline II rack requires quite large holes (7/8 in. (22mm) and 16 of them. Thats right 16 holes in your roof thatcher’s are almost an inch big.
After the installation I feel a lot better about the whole concept. The holes are not just for the bolts. They provide aluminum spacers that the bolts go through. The rack does not actually rest on the roof of the Jeep. It rests on aluminum spacers that rest on brackets bolted to the roll cage. I am very confident of how sturdy this roof rack is. The aluminum spacers are also much larger than the bolts so there is room for play and it is not essential that your tolerances be perfect. Front Runner Outfitters really have a great through the roof design.