Roof rack question / Thule fit kit or Yakima drilled option

[dasnake]

I am buying a 2007 or 2008 Toyota Yaris 3 dr hatchback.

I will be carrying 2 heavy downhill bikes, approximately 45 lbs each.

Thule makes a roof mount system (listed below) for the car which they rate at max weight capacity of 110 lbs. I If I were to place two Thule 594xt sidearms
(21 pounds each) on there plus two downhill bikes i would be over the weight limit by 20 pounds.

Thule system:
400XT Aero Foot Pack, LB50 50 Load Bar, Fit Kit KIT2196, Thule Short Roof Adapter 477

Yakima does not make a fit kit for the 2007/2008 Yaris. Instead they send you to a rack dealer who will drill your roof to lay tracks, install control towers and crossbars. I would put yakima highrollers on there. According to the Yakima rep, weight would not be an issue.

Which one of these two setups is preferable? Any other things I am overlooking?

thanks

[12 yaris]

Honestly,I would get a hitch and a bike rack,rather than drill holes.

[dasnake]

Honestly,I would get a hitch and a bike rack,rather than drill holes.
why the hesitation to professionally drill the roof?

i cannot get a hitch. i live in nyc and parking is too tight to add a few inches onto the car.

[swidd]

No, you get a hitch rack.

I first bought the Thule rack. It is great if you never drive anywhere (only use the Yaris as a bike rack/storage); with the Thule "big foot" bicycle carrier on the rack, it holds the bike perfectly, only takes 10 seconds to load/unload the bike, and even let's you lock it, but it adds a lot of wind resistance, totally kills your MPG, and you can't go into parking garages. I love my bike too much to see it sway up there held only by a low point on it's frame; I fear for damage to the carbon frame. So I added a hitch.

The standard U-Haul hitch is $170 installed, took 45 minutes, and is a hidden hitch, with idiot-proof lifetime warranty for $5. It does not add any inches to your vehicle when the bicycle carrier is off; the entire hitch is underneath and nearly invisible.

I got the "Sportswing" bicycle carrier from walmart for $90; it can carry two bicycles, and do so by hanging them from the wheels and securing the bicycle to soft foam. Perfect way to transport the bicycle and actually drive for long distances. Absolutely no excess stress on the frame; no sway in the wind, no wind resistance, no loss of MPG. I did a cross country of 900 miles with the bike on the hitch - not a scratch!

Driving 900 miles with the carbon frame swaying in the wind, held only by a rubber clamp straight on the carbon? Would've left a huge scratch mark.

I recall the load limit on the Thule as 165 lbs, but do not quote me... I carried a 36lbs bicycle, the Thule bicycle carrier, a 50lbs kayak and Thule pro kayak carriers. The Thule rack is rock solid anyway, I'd be comfortable pushing the limit on it.

Adding/removing the Thule rack is a 15 minute job of lining up everything and tightening clamps a few revolutions at a time to evenly add clamping pressure. Storing it requires... a lot of space. Thule rack is very expensive - totally worth it, but why? Thule racks are also "hot", so I doubt you should leave it on your car while parking in a place like NYC/NJ. Also, you don't need the MPG loss constantly. The car drives with a lot of drag with the roof rack on. To reach 70mph without a roof rack is a process as it is--with a roof rack and a headwind, the top speed is pretty much 60.

Once adjusted, adding/removing a hitch rack is as simple as removing three quick pins and taking it out, it takes no more than 30 seconds. If you go with the "sportswing" from walmart (it is really a re-branded Highland rack that retails for more under a different name), you'll find the bike rack will swing a little in turns, but it is perfectly fine because the bike is held in a way that cannot damage it.

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-1375100-SportWing-Mounted-Carrier/dp/B004002CS4 This is the one.

So in summary: both solutions totally work, but hitch rack is better. Your argument about parking space is null. To be fair and balanced, I will mention that it does take about 2-3 minutes to load/unload the bicycle from the hitch rack, and it does require some diligence putting the straps on in a manner that holds the frame against the soft foam. But handling the hitch rack is much easier than handling the roof rack.

You'll save money, all you have to do is go to a u-haul and have them crawl under your car, and then spend 15 minutes buying and assembling the hitch rack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxZSf9vE6h8&feature=relmfu There are two versions: aluminum and steel. I got the steel version, and it is perfectly light weight enough. Once assembled and adjusted, the rack is held in your hitch receiver with either a bolt (takes 30 minutes to get that *#$%*#*%#*% bolt on), or with a quick pin that takes 10 seconds.

I'm trying to save you from a costly mistake here! (not saying the Thule isn't worth it, it just isn't best).

[JonS]

Drilling and installing the Yakima rails is no big deal if you can measure. I carry my wife's and my 17 foot Kayak at 50lbs each on long hauls and the setup has been bombproof. Why pay someone else $400 plus dollars to do something you can do yourself after a bit of measuring, measuring again, and then taking the plunge?

[dasnake]

Drilling and installing the Yakima rails is no big deal if you can measure. I carry my wife's and my 17 foot Kayak at 50lbs each on long hauls and the setup has been bombproof. Why pay someone else $400 plus dollars to do something you can do yourself after a bit of measuring, measuring again, and then taking the plunge?

JonS, I agree that I could probably do the job myself. It would probably cost me $150 to get someone to do it.

Do you think drilling the roof allows you to hold more weight on top of the yaris 2 door hatchback versus using Thule car specific solution?

[A1an]

Why not go with fork mount carriers to shed some weight? I find them to be more stable versus the upright carriers anyways.

[swidd]

Well, I tried to help you.

[WeeYari]

I'm guessing you decided not to go the roof rack route since you now have this thread http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38528

[JonS]

Well, I just think that having the rails drilled and mounted is more bombproof and less chance of your boat flying off as you go flying off down the freeway.

[dasnake]

Why not go with fork mount carriers to shed some weight? I find them to be more stable versus the upright carriers anyways.

I don't want to take the front wheels off. It's not quick release on downhill bikes. It involves some work.

[dasnake]

So The Thule roof rack solution (non-drilled )may work. I would be right at the weight limit.

Thule system:
400XT Aero Foot Pack, LB50 50 Load Bar, Fit Kit KIT2196, Thule Short Roof Adapter 477


The Sidearms rack weigh 15 pounds / per (REI gave me the exact weights). If I could get my bikes to 40lbs a piece I would be right at the weight limit of 110 lbs.

Anyone have any experience with Fit Kit KIT2196 for the Toyota Yaris and weight limits?

[dasnake]

Well, I just think that having the rails drilled and mounted is more bombproof and less chance of your boat flying off as you go flying off down the freeway.

I'm afraid of getting a leaky roof.

[dasnake]

I'm guessing you decided not to go the roof rack route since you now have this thread http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38528

I'm weighing the options. I'd rather put the bikes on the roof, but this will be my backup plan.

[1.5]

Roof rack. Trunk/hitch racks look gay.

http://www.microimageonline.com/forums/showthread.php/4839-07-Flint-Mica-Yaris

[swidd]

uhaul hitch + sportwing = $170 + $90 = $260. Will not damage your bikes, it is okay to be gay or look gay, even for a yaris, will give less wind resistance.

[dasnake]

Roof rack. Trunk/hitch racks look gay.

http://www.microimageonline.com/forums/showthread.php/4839-07-Flint-Mica-Yaris

I like the roof rack idea but I am right at the weight limit.

[dasnake]

uhaul hitch + sportwing = $170 + $90 = $260. Will not damage your bikes, it is okay to be gay or look gay, even for a yaris, will give less wind resistance.

swidd. I am considering using a hitch rack on my liftback. I live in manhattan and sometimes the parking spots i find will only fit the car and not the additional 16 inches the rack adds to the car. I have to use a special rack for downhill mountain bikes.


my issue is storing the bike rack inside the yaris when i park it. I have a seperate thread going to figure out if this is feasable.

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38582

[WeeYari]

Seriously man, you are WAY over-thinking things.

Get a hitch rack with fold down arms. Will only add 5 inches length to vehicle with the arms down.

Get a locking hitch pin so you won't have to store the rack in the vehicle.

Also, check your measurements. There is no way that a hitch rack is almost 5 feet tall.

[watersoilair]

JonS, can you share your installation experience with me? I'd really like to install some on my 3dr soon!!

[JonS]

Hey there,
Here's the link.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29812

I kinda go through the process on post #14. The rails are really no big deal to install...just be very sure of your measuring and don't let the drill bit go skidding across your roof. You'll be stoked with the finished setup. My wife and I long haul two 16ft fiberglass Nigel Dennis sea kayaks @55lbs each, with no problems.