2003 4runner and Yakima Fairing

T

ToolmanJohn

New member
I have search the site and found that some people are using the Yakima round bars and Lowrider Rail clamps for mounting a Yakima rack. This allows the use of their Fairing to cut wind noise, because the fairing clamps are designed to mount to the round bars.
My problem is that I have a complete Yakima system, but the towers and bars are for an Oldsmobile sedan (last vehicle). They won't work on the 4runner.
I purchased the Yakima Mighty Mounts (10V) which adapt the factory rack aero bars perfectly, and I can mount my ski carriers. Great, but I can't install the fairing!!
Does anyone have an adapter that they got from Yakima to solve this problem? I don't want to purchase Lowriders and new round bars (the old bars ar 48", th e4runner requires 58"). That would be WELL over $200, just to get the $40 fairing on!!
I MUST have that fairing on!! My ski rack sounds like what has been described as a "hungry ghost" on the roof of the vehicle.
 
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windjammer

yakima sells another piece called a "windjammer" which goes on the bar in place of the fairing.
 
It won't solve my problem unfortunately

The Windjammer is a shaped plastic shroud which goes around the ROUND BARS... The factory 4runner rack has Aero bars. And the noise isn't coming from the bars, it's coming from the ski rack mounted to the bars. I didn't make that clear. I'm sorry.
I need a fairing, which will deflect air UP and OVER the ski rack, greatly reducing wind noise. The problem is that the Yakima fairing does not clamp to the factory 4runner aero bars.
I wanted to know if anyone has ever encountered and solved this problem.
 
now i get it

oh then yes i have the same problem...i wanted to just put on my fairing on the existing stock bars...i tried to clamp it on, and no chance! you cant even modify the brackets they are too short to get over the stock crossbars....this is a difficult one, and i only looed at it briefly when i initially thought of putting it on - ill pull it out of the shed and come up with something - i hope - ill let you know
 
Yeah, it's a technical problem

I contacted Yakima, and they admit they don't have a solution. I think it's a ploy created to sell their Low Rider towers. They recommend I try Toyota for a fairing, but if Toyota had a factory roof rack fairing, I'm sure I would have found it online by now.
I do have a solution, though I haven't applied myself to it yet. I can take a piece of 1-1/8" PVC tubing to create a dummy round bar, and connect the fairing to that. Then create a braket system from 1/8" thick by 1" wide aluminum strip, to create brackets to attach to the yakima Horizontal Mighty mounts, which attach to factory bars.

Yakima makes a mount called the 23H Mighty Mount. Typically it's for their accesoriies which require horizontal mounting. I bought those mounts think I could attach the fairing directly to the factory bars but I can't.:(

AND biggest problem is that the fairing is short in height, and must be quite far in front of my ski rack because the factory bars are very low to the roof compared to the Yakima tower/bar combination by several inches in fact.

This means that the fairing will interfere with skis!!! AAAARGH!! And since it will have to also be put at least a foot or more in front of the ski rack to create clearance for ski tips, it may not create enough of an air dam effect to stop the noise! Bah....

If I figure out a good method I will post it here. With pictures.
 
Last edited:
solved..sort of....

I gave up. I removed the ski racks from the factory rails. Quiet again. I guess I will just put them on when I go skiing. This problem with the wind noise is kind of sad. I would give Yakima or Toyota my hard earned money to solve it by producing a good fairing, but neither company has stepped up and done it.
 
I have Yakima racks on top of my car with the 10v mighty mounts. Everything fits perfectly and no problems with sound.
 
No noise?

Which Yakima ski rack do you use? All I get over 40-45mph is howling from the racks. I have the ButtonDown4, which is an older Yakima rack.
Do you have any type of fairing at all? I do notive that there is actually less noise with skiis in the racks, but still distracting and annoying.
 
Re: No noise?

I have absolutely no noise. It's so quiet that I have to turn on the music (because I can't stand silence while in the car). I have the Power Hounds. No noise with snowboards on it, and no noise without anything on it. No fairing.



ToolmanJohn said:
Which Yakima ski rack do you use? All I get over 40-45mph is howling from the racks. I have the ButtonDown4, which is an older Yakima rack.
Do you have any type of fairing at all? I do notive that there is actually less noise with skiis in the racks, but still distracting and annoying.
Click to expand...
 
I just checked them out online

They look extremely similar to the ButtonDown4 that I have. I will have to go see them at sports store and see what difference there is. Maybe the PowderHound is rounder?
I might just purchase them and if they howl, return them to the store. It should only take a half hour..
Thanks for the info..
 
.

lefty, when you get a chance can you please post a few more pics of your truck with the yakima rack...a few showing the whole truck from different angles would be great...thanks
 
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