we bought one this winter and now i am trying to figure out how to put 2 rec kayaks on top of it. the cross bars only spread about 30 inches, front to back, so i don’t think that i want to have the boats set on just them. i have 2 thule 58 inch cross bars but would need to buy the correct thule feet (430) and tracker kit (tk10)and would still have the problem of having the bars so close together. plus, a set of 4 would cost $158 plus tax and i really don’t want to spend that much. i thought that i could use the feet and 1 bar at the rear and lash the fronts down onto foam blocks. i would still have to buy a complete set of four though. anybody thinking outside of the box out there? and dan, if you read this, i remember that i still owe you for the bars. thanks, jay
buehler, buehler, buehler…?
no problems
30" is a fine crossbar spread to use for kayaks. Thule will recommend that you use saddles of some kind. a 30" spread is better than a foam block/single bar hybrid for secure tie downs. I would look at the cost as an investment. Most the parts on your vehicle cannot be replaces for less than $200 so a roof rack is cheap in comparison.
No problem…
if you stick with the Thule adaptor kit. I drove my Valley Skerray from RI to Seattle last August. Used a front and back tiedown as well. It`s worth the piece of mind (IMO) to do it right. The Equinoux is a wierd roof rack to be sure. Good luck
Chuck
Yes, spend the $
Geez, you have a $30,000 suv, and at least $1250 or whatever in rec boats and gear, my advice would be to bite the bullet and haul them correctly.
If you rig something up, you may not find out that it doesn’t work until your boats fall off on I-96 on the way to Kensington, ouch!
Of course you’re talking to a guy that used to drill holes in the roof of a brand new Ford Explorer to install false rain gutter mounts. :^)
I’m not a doctor
but I play one on TV
check your local state regulations, but you could lose your license to practic for using foam blocks
(doctors don’t use foam blocks)
squirt…
you make too much damn sense. i can’t find an argument to your logic. i guess i’m off to my thule dealer. thanks for the advice.
Go Rack!
Heck, make life easy for yourself as long as you’re forsaking the foam blocks. Put on a pair of Hull-a-vators.
See you on the water,
Marshall
www.the-river-connection.com
Hyde Park, NY
a follow up
dick’s sporting goods advertised thule hullaports on sale for $99.00 each so i bought 2 sets and solved my problem. they mounted, very easily, directly to the factory rack. the boats look really big, on their side like that, but seem to ride ok. thanks to all who replied.