Roof Racks for new vehicles

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:17 pm

I got a Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Access Cab with the 4cylinder engine and a manual transmission. Flawless after 50000 miles. Got a cap on top and 78" Thule racks.
I can sleep in the back (6'2" bed).
The rack holds 6 canoes on their side no problems.
Mileage is depending on load, speeds and time of the year between 22 and 28 mpg.
Highly recommended vehicle

TGG!

jim gross · Post by **jim gross** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:21 am

Julie,

You could always purchase with what ever manufacturers rack is on there. Then go to the guys out by the Tygart Arden section and have them fabricate an attachment. Easy peasy Japaneasy.

Jim

Stingray · Post by **Stingray** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:21 am

A van might be a good ride for you
Good luck partner!!!

JulieKeller.com · Post by **JulieKeller.com** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:06 am

Bill M wrote:Julie, Check out the Toyota Rav 4. Gabi had one hauled 2 oc's and slept in it. Not sure about the instrument fitting tho.
Bill

Hi Bill!

I went to the Toyota dealer today to try the Highlander and came home liking the RAV4 better than the Highlander. The 4 cyl RAV4 gets $4500 on the Cash for Clunkers program and I was amazed that I wasn't driving a 6 cyl. The cello fits!

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:21 am

Ive a few friends that swear by thefront wheel drive honda Element.

Marc Evans · Post by **Marc Evans** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:08 am

Hi Julie:

I'm going to third the Rav if it fits you. I've got the V6, which almost has too much power, but does haul the gear. Just returned from a week on the Main Salmon and hauled a trailer with a cataraft, all the necessary gear and food for a week, a kayak, my spanishfly and four people. Hardly felt the load. Mileage dropped to about 20 mpg with all this stuff, but is normally around 28-29 mpg on the road and about 18 mpg for purely around town.

I have put a 17 foot canoe on top, but you will have a hard time finding a place to anchor the bow line. Let me know if you find a good spot to anchor the bow line. I have placed a spanishfly and a LL Remix (C1) on top without a problem.

I have a friend who had an older Subaru Forester and we had put a single tripping canoe on top. Can't recall if we ever put two up there, or if it is possible. The new Foresters are considerably larger and should hold a bit more. My friend liked his (his daughter has it now) and it has been very reliable. He now uses a Tacoma (4 door) with a V6. I suppose that this is similar to what The Great Gonzo is describing, but the V6 gas mileage is disappointing. We got about 15-16 mpg when travelling to the Boundary Waters with 3 people, two tripping canoes and all the gear for two weeks. The 4 cylinder is a much more efficient way to go.

Marc

Post by **sbroam** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:48 am

At OC Nats last year, we looked at Gabi's Rav 4 - nice. We also discussed the lack of tie downs on the front and suggested an old trick I'd seen somewhere and used on a Saturn we had once. Under the hood, locate a bolt near the edge and front that you can back out - use it to secure a climbing chock (?) :

[img]http://www.needlesports.com/nutsmuseum/ ... sterxs.jpg[/img]

You can pull this up from under the hood and use as a tie down or tuck it under when not in use. Use a couple of inches of tubular webbing to protect your paint. Set up one each side. Worked fine for me.

Bill M · Post by **Bill M** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:16 pm

They also can take a lick. Gabi got rear ended by someone running 55 while she was stopped at a light. She walked away from it but is having some serious back problems now. The back of the car crumpled up to the passenger compartment which remained intact.
Bill

cbcboat · Post by **cbcboat** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:58 pm

Just a note, have seen a lot of post saying they put X amount of boats on top of specific vehicles--any vehicle can carry multiple boats as long as you have the long bars for the rack. Its not a matter of the vehicle being capable of hauling the boats, its a matter of the rack being capable of hauling the boats. A Geo Metro can carry as many boats as a truck, if the bars are long enough.
B

jscottl67 · Post by **jscottl67** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:31 pm

cbcboat wrote:Just a note, have seen a lot of post saying they put X amount of boats on top of specific vehicles--any vehicle can carry multiple boats as long as you have the long bars for the rack.....
B

A lot of the posts are stating the gas mileage while driving with X boats loaded and/or how they handled the load. A couple of RX touring boats and camping gear make a difference, esp. if you have a 5 hour drive to good water like some of us peeps do. I'd throw a couple of boats on a Metro to go 10 miles to the put in or run shuttle, wouldn't want it for a 300 mile trip.

Just my 2¢

JulieKeller.com · Post by **JulieKeller.com** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:46 pm

cbcboat wrote:Just a note, have seen a lot of post saying they put X amount of boats on top of specific vehicles--any vehicle can carry multiple boats as long as you have the long bars for the rack. Its not a matter of the vehicle being capable of hauling the boats, its a matter of the rack being capable of hauling the boats. A Geo Metro can carry as many boats as a truck, if the bars are long enough.
B

Not exactly - it is really a matter of - can you get long bars on the vehicle that are far enough apart to support the load. The only way to put long bars on the 2010 Outback is to have the bars 21" apart. A 21 inch bar spacing is not really enough for a 16 foot canoe.

JulieKeller.com · Post by **JulieKeller.com** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:48 pm

jscottl67 wrote: lot of the posts are stating the gas mileage while driving with X boats loaded and/or how they handled the load. A couple of RX touring boats and camping gear make a difference, esp. if you have a 5 hour drive to good water like some of us peeps do. I'd throw a couple of boats on a Metro to go 10 miles to the put in or run shuttle, wouldn't want it for a 300 mile trip.

Just my 2¢

I really don't care much about gas mileage other than that the vehicle needs to have good enough mileage to qualify for the cash for clunkers program.

JulieKeller.com · Post by **JulieKeller.com** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:03 pm

milkman wrote:I'd add another vote for a Forester. I haul two (side by side) to three (third on top of the side by side) solo canoes every weekend on mine and occasionally two tandems (one stacked leaning against the other). My Forester is a 2005 and was pictured in American Whitewater with three canoes on top. I get around 25 mpg on the highway with canoes and about 30 mpg without. I'm 5''ll" and have slept comfortably in the car. Don't know about the cello, but I can get a 60" paddle at a diagonal in the back without lowering the rear seat. Car has been really reliable for 60,000 miles now. It's one downfall is that it pings under load. I've had it checked out by two mechanics--neither could find anything wrong. I now run the car on premium gas and it doesn't ping.

I just test drove the Forester. The regular was very sluggish but the turbo was acceptable. The cello won't fit without putting the back seat down. I can't believe how you can sleep in the Forester - I'm 5'2'' and it would be possible but a tight fit to sleep in the Forester. The 2010 Forester does not have the new roof rack and you can put a yakima with at least a 37 inch spread.

jscottl67 · Post by **jscottl67** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:05 pm

It wasn't my primary concern either, but getting better than the roughly 12 mpg my buddy gets on his landcruiser when loaded is nice when you have a 600+ mile round trip.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:26 pm

call me cheap... i picked this one (family expander) up in Ohio for $6300 in January... 300HP AWD... averaged 72mph on the way home and still pulled 27mpg. i can't afford nor would i buy a "new" car again... too much depreciation and i'd rather "recycle"

i've still gotta get some roof racks for it though

(btw... the vintage "made in USA" Huffy bike hangin' in the garage... that's been saved from the dump for our little one someday... and Kaz get's to use it when he's here in town... he brings his own basket and bell though... won't leave them for her?)

C-Forum

Roof Racks for new vehicles

Julie

Re: New Car

Rav 4