I’m looking into getting my first roof rack, probably Thule. I was just wondering if tower locks are necessary? If the car doors are locked can the rack still be stolen off? I’m not really sure how the feet towers work.
Yakima Towers
I used Yakima towers on my last car (a Suburu Legacy). Without the locks, the towers could be snapped open. When the towers were snapped open, it loosened their grip on the car “gutters” and and they could be slipped off the car without opening the doors.
i have gutterless
I have a gutterless car if that makes a difference? not sure.
Itegrated locks with Saris
Look up comments in the archives here. Great racks - super strong and easiest on/off. Seem to be better for cars than trucks though.
Don’t know about Thule
but Yakima towers definately need locks (on at leas one tower, front and back) or the whole thing, towers, crossbas, saddles and kayaks can be removed and thrown in a pickup for a quick get a way.
Thule
I just got the thule feet for my Element. These feet arent like the ones I had on my Durango. Your able to push a button on these feet and remove the entire rack in seconds. This seems like a great feature but if you want your rack to be safe spend the money for the locks. I got lucky I used the locks from my old feet.
BOTH YAKIMA & THULE NEED THEM IN THE 3
applications I have/had…
Yakima RailRiders on the Jeep’s rails: no locks, towers can be opened, loosened, and then worked off their feet on their tracks.
Thule CrossRoads on the Mazda6 Sport Wagon’s roof rack bars: no locks, end caps can be removed, and incorporated allen wrench can be then used to loosen/unscrew straps, and then to remove all hardware.
Yakima Towers: not presently in use; no locks appears to be case of loosening/opening towers, removing them and the bars from their feet.
Thule Towers: not presently in use; no locks allows opening towers, removing them and the bars from their feet.
Locks are a good thing…
They help keep your rack on your hauler so you can get the boats to and back from where you like to
PADDLE ON!
-Frank in Miami
any deterent helps -
i use thule racks that attach to my outback rails - the locks only hold a plastic cover in place to prevent instant access to the tightening bolts - they’re not a great preventative, but probably will stop a casual thief -
The Yakima and Thule locks are not
serious theft deterrent, but I use Yakima locks because I KNOW those cams are going to keep the clips on the car, unless someone cuts through the plastic lock plates. And people are less likely to steal racks if they have to cut up parts they will have to replace.
You could also get some vinyl (“ABS”) spray paint and spray the bars and towers some ugly colors. I used to make bicycles more theft-resistant that way.
g2d
so YOU’RE the person who we used to point at and comment on the ugly bike !!! LOL
accesories
Does anyone know if the Thule saddles, hull a ports, and canoe carrier have a place for the Thule lock cylindar?
Locks.
Hull a port and canoe carrier have no places for locks.
Out of sight
I just remove the racks and place in the trunk or
back of the Jeep and cover them up. Take less than
2 minutes. Out of sight - out of mind.
#
Yeah, I was just wondering how many lock cylinders to add when I buy my new rack. I would like all the keys to match so I thought about buying a ten pack ($63). But if the accesories can’t take locks I don’t know if I will use ten. Maybe just four for the towers?
Anyone make…
Anyone make snot-green kayaks? My favorite bike color.
Can’t lock my Yakima Forester Towers, so
I can’t lock my Yakima Forester Towers - no place for locks - so I just cable-lock the boat to the very-robust undercarriage hook(s) on my Forester. They could steal the rack out from under the boat, I suppose, but I don’t think anyone’s gonna do that. 
- rob
just 4 then?
So should I just buy four locks for the towers then since the kayak/canoe carriers don’t seem to take locks?
Yes buy the locks.
If you dont lock the rack to the roof it can be stolen in less than five seconds.
Yakima…
sells lock housings for installing on the threaded bolts to prevent rollers, saddles, & other mounting attachments from being stolen off the cross bars also.