I`ve got a set of Yakima racks taken them off three times and in the last two times they did not go back on right.The guy that fixed the back bar was not there today anyways when I clip them down the tower on one side does not seat tight to the roof makeing it a little sloppy and not as safe as it should be.Any tricks or tips .(03 silverado)
Before anyone can help you…
…you need to tell us what kind of towers you have?
Cheers,
JackL
Installation Manuals
Not to be smart, but read the manual on how to do it. If you don’t have it available, call Yakima and speak with Customer Service’s Warranty division. They will EMAIL you the instructions and also try to assist you over the phone. I just dealt with them this past month and they were extremely professional and informative. They replaced the part of my rack that had broken at no charge to me and now the rack works even better than when it was brand new!!
I find the racks to be kind of tricky to put on and take off with all of the various adjustments that neeed to be made and the precise measuring and centering of the towers onto the roof. You must follow their exact installation methodology. Trying to do it any other way is just asking for trouble IMHO. Your mileage may vary. Good luck!
If I understnad correctly…
I also have a Silverado with a Yakima rack. If I understand your comment correctly then here is what I think you have to do.
You have to alternate tightening one side and then the other to get the rack to where it will clamp down tightly on BOTH SIDES and still be centered. Too much tightness on one side will cause the rack to slide to that side and not to be tight on the other.
Alternate tightening the screws under the clamps until you get it right. The right amount of tension should cause it to be slightly difficult to close the clamp.
Matt
My 2 cents…
It sounds to me like the shoe that the tower slides onto is loose or installed incorrectly.See if there is any play in the shoe with the racks removed, if there is, bring it back to your dealer or use an Allen key to tighten it yourself.I have a pair made to go on a ford taurus wagon that I probably have taken on and off a hundred times without any problem, because i didn’t want to leave them on all the time.The towers are self tightening when you flip the latch up so i doubt the problem is with them.
poblem solved
I took them to my local cap it centre. The bar had slipped in the tower almost an inch.Cost me twenty bucks,about the money I saved buying them at the KAYAK SHOP that has all the manuals.Lesson learned you don`t go to florist to buy a carburetor.
THANKS FOR THE HELP