N_Jay

Has anyone used the factory cross bars to hold a Thule box?

It looks like they come with a rubber strip in the track where the t-bolts go.
Do you just pull that out, or do you really NEED the "Carrier Base" for a box?

alx

I have and I have the largest coffin Yakima sells. Lol. Many thousand miles later- it is still there and I haven't lost it. So... I Guess it works.

Ofcourse - Use common sense when attaching ... I do not recall a rubber strip- just attached the box and clamped it in four places with the sliding clamps that came with box. I do not know if the Thule is any different.

N_Jay

No problem.

I found a picture on the web showing to removable rubber strips.

I just did not want to tear them out only to find they could not be put back in.

Guessing this next trip will not have my usual fuel mileage.

a2j

Rubber strips are for when you don't have the "coffin" on the roof, to keep the dirt out. Ther are removable. I don't bother with that as I remove bars when I don't have cargo box on. 1 or 2x per year. Your fuel millage shouldn't change that much.

N_Jay

Mine are already off and in the basement (Why have the extra wind noise).

I am guessing I may lose 1 or 2 mph when I am cruising at 80 to 85.

a2j

I suppose, at those speeds... but I usually cruze under 70 and I can't really tell the difference in mpgs. I guess front/side wind would have the most effect on that.

terp97

They are removable and you can replace them. But like others I remove after use. The bars are so easy to remove and much less noise.

pjdpatrick

I just used the cross bars for the first time. I have the MB cargo box (16) and removed the strips from the chrome cross bars just before attaching the carrier. To me the cross bars were more appealing than the carrier because of the lower profile. I am not sure about Thule's fit...I considered the newer Thule box with the X but was worried about trunk clearance. I can post a pic if it helps.

wally AMG

My longest trip (about 800 miles round trip) with OEM chrome cross bars and thule 16 cargo box at speed limit, not a single mile difference, steady 21MPG in my X164 GL450 not the X166 GL550, I will test the X166 GL550 shortly with the OEM set up, maybe same results.

N_Jay

Is something wrong with your GL, that it only does the speed limit?

Truble911

I use the Thule Boxster 611 (the one with the X). There are no clearance issues with the trunk at all, not even close. The nice thing about the newer Thule boxes is Power Click mounting system. It literally takes about 30 seconds to mount the box and the knobs have a built in torque indicator so you cannot over tighten. Lots of adjust ability and they mount any any type of bar.