Thoughts on Basic Carrier for roof rails?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,770
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From: Lake Oswego, OR
2020 GLE 450; 2023 BMW M2 Coupe
Thoughts on Basic Carrier for roof rails?
For my W163, I had Yakima cross bars and mounts for the factory rails for rooftop carrying. It worked fine, and was certainly versatile, what with all the accessories Yakima makes.
However, I am considering the MB bars for better appearance and, hopefully, less wind nise. Anyone have these? How easy to put on and off? Wind noise?
However, I am considering the MB bars for better appearance and, hopefully, less wind nise. Anyone have these? How easy to put on and off? Wind noise?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,770
Likes: 1,264
From: Lake Oswego, OR
2020 GLE 450; 2023 BMW M2 Coupe
Basic Carrier review
Well, I got the carrier (two crossbars that attach to the roof rails. Overall they are well made and easy to attach. I did not realize one thing, however. Because the roof rail "track" tapers from front to back, and the rails are fixed lengths, there is only one location (give or take a couple inches) to mount each bar. This places them 29.5" apart (~28-31" range).
That's fine for skis, bike rack, etc., but if you are carrying anything long like lumber, it's pretty close together. It would have been easy to make the mounts slide on the crossbars to give more flexibility. That's the big drawback I see.
The are oval anodized aluminum tubing and have a T-slot in the top that accepts the accessories. It will also accept 5/16" sst carriage bolts, I found out, which would make it easy to bolt anything to them. It has a rubber strip that slides into the slot where nothing is attached. The bracket portion clamps to the crossbars using a supplied hex wrench, though my electric screwdriver made it much faster. There are plastic covers that lcok over the attachment bolts.
All-in-all, a more custom look, and hopefully less wind noise, than Yakima, Thule, et al, but certainly not as flexible. List is $228/set.
That's fine for skis, bike rack, etc., but if you are carrying anything long like lumber, it's pretty close together. It would have been easy to make the mounts slide on the crossbars to give more flexibility. That's the big drawback I see.
The are oval anodized aluminum tubing and have a T-slot in the top that accepts the accessories. It will also accept 5/16" sst carriage bolts, I found out, which would make it easy to bolt anything to them. It has a rubber strip that slides into the slot where nothing is attached. The bracket portion clamps to the crossbars using a supplied hex wrench, though my electric screwdriver made it much faster. There are plastic covers that lcok over the attachment bolts.
All-in-all, a more custom look, and hopefully less wind noise, than Yakima, Thule, et al, but certainly not as flexible. List is $228/set.
Last edited by GregW / Oregon; Sep 22, 2005 at 11:18 PM.
