? for Owners of Thule or Yakima Roof Racks

[LStoudenmire]

Let me rephrase an early post I had. Maybe I'll have a few more replies.

I am interested in purchasing a new roof rack for my Ex'. There seems to be quite a few configurations, and I am unsure as to which way to go. For those of you who have the aftermarket roof racks:

1. Does your aftermarket rack utilize the factory "slide" rails? If so, what part numbers did you use for you particular setup?
2. If it doesn't utilize the factory slide rails:
a. How does it attach?(as there are no gutters on Ex's);
b. What part numbers did you use for you particular setup?

Thanks

 

[Limited Ex]

I have a Thule roof rack and it does use the factory slide rails. Here is the site and mine is the square bars. I can check and see if i have any pics, and I do not remember the price, I've had it awhile.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Well I've had my Thule on for at least 5 years now and I'm sure the part #'s and parts are a little different now. Maybe check out their web site.

1. I didn't want to get the side rails because I love my bike to much to loose her and I'm glad I didn't. One time moving into a new house the phone lines were to low and snagged my bikes. Broke my forks on one bike and ripped both out of there cradles. Bent the hell out of the cradles but the rack itself was fine. Funny thing is I was going to blow it off as my fault then two weeks later a large phone truck drove down our street and ripped the lines off the house. Called the phone company and they paid for new shocks and fixed my racks. Second I tried going thru a car wash with them on, the brushes got snagged and stopped the truck it almost went over the little push thing into the car behind before the brush thing broke. The car wash wouldn't pay a dime. Point being if I had gone with the "slide rail" type they would have just gotten ripped out of the roof. That would not be pretty.

2. You have to drill out four rivets and replace with screws and brackets. The rivets are the ones that are holding the weather trim on.

3. Same as 2.

4. Sorry it's been so long.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fischer]

I have had both Thule and Yakima on different cars and cinfigs. I currently have a Yakima with the slide rail towers. Easy to figure out, just use the website.

I loved my Thule when I had it...Really not much of a big difference in the two. Yakima I believe is made in the USA...

 

[blichy]

If you get the Yakima that doesn't slide on the existing rack, the clips (Q-Towers) clip onto the rain rails in the doors (when you open the door there is a weatherstip with a lip inside of it--that is what it clips too). Most cars built now don't have the gutters, so they developed something that works on it.

I used a Yakima when I had my Mounty to carry a small sailboat. The froward rail was at the front doors, and the rear was connected to the roof rack. Worked great and held pretty good.

If you get 48" bars, you shouldn't have a problem at a car wash, but to be safe, I would take them off (especially after reading about Possitive Vibes's experience!).

 

[LStoudenmire]

Thanks Guys. I had been checking out both websites and just couldnt tell how the nontrack mounts really worked. But my Ex' is a sport, so I'm rather limited on the tower mounts(probably only 1.5'- 2' from front bar to back bar if I mounted on front.) There is just not enough room front to back to mount them since it is a 2 dr. So I guess Im stuck with mounting in the tracks. I think it would look ridiculous to have the stock tracks on the rear and then mount a nice rack on the front.

Blichy, what kind of mount did you use for the rear to mount to the tracks?

Any other ideas or comments, anyone?

 

[blichy]

Mine was on a Mounty which has a different rack style than the Ex. What you will want for the track is the RailRider (preferibly the Locking RR 1).

Another option is to get an extender. Basically this is a bar that goes between the towers holding the rails. The clips to the door are at the front and halfway down the extender. Personally, I would go with the RailRider, or a combination of the Q-Tower and RR (if you can by them without getting 2 complete sets).

 

[LStoudenmire]

Thanks Blichy. I've been checking and waiting for a set on ebay. Maybe I can find a seperated set somtime. I'll keep my eyes out. Thanks alot.

 

[blichy]

No problem. I might have a set that I don't need which would work for the front bar--I will check my garage.