factory vs. thule/yakima (roof rack)

[VanillaGiant]

Hey guys,

First of all i want to say i am new to this site but you guys have been amazing with your questions and answers concerning the 5th generation 4runner. I have a 2011 4runner and i have the factory installed side rails, in the winter time i go snowboarding often and need crossbars as you can imagine. The question is should i get the factory ones from Toyota or should i get Yakima/Thule one's?

Thanks in advance for the help,
VG
:hello:

 

[adio3x]

I would think it would be cheaper just to buy the factory cross bars, cause if you went with the yakima, you would also have to buy mounts. Plus if all you'll be holding is a couple snowboards, that'll be fine.

 

[Batang.Gapo]

I went for the factory cross bar as it is cheaper and more aerodynamic. The advantages of Yakima/Thule are easy to install/uninstall and can hold heavier load.

 

[UtahSooner]

If you're only planning to install a ski/snowboard rack the factory bars will be fine. That said, I have a yakima rack w/ the RailGrab crossbar mounts on the top of my TE and it works well for all the gear I typically haul around. I have wider crossbars installed so there's room to mount my bike trays outboard of the factory rack and have plenty of room for my FatCat6 ski rack or roof box in the middle.

Either way, I would definitely spend the extra $$ for an aero ski/snowboard rack like the FatCat (or equivalent Thule option). The old Big Powderhound I had on the roof of my 3rd Gen (which worked well on that truck) made some horrible noises when I put it on the roof of my 2010 TE and got on the highway. Don't know if it was the crossbar spacing, a lack of ceiling insulation in the truck, or both... got a FatCat6 and it now just sounds "normal" (keeping in mind that I've had a roof rack on every vehicle I've driven for the past ~15 years).

 

[jca21]

i have a yakima fat cat and it mounts up to the factory bars nicely.

here's what it looks like

crappy picture but i suppose its better than nothing


i usually carry 4 boards. i've done 1000+ km trips with no problems at all.

 

[Slag]

Thanks for that photo of the Yakima.

Does anyone have any others?

 

[Jin]

factory crossbars are $149 from the dealer. is this acceptable? or is there somewhere where i can get them much cheaper?

Thanks!

 

[Japsfinest]

i have a yakima fat cat and it mounts up to the factory bars nicely.

here's what it looks like

crappy picture but i suppose its better than nothing


i usually carry 4 boards. i've done 1000+ km trips with no problems at all.

The Fat Cat looks thinner than the big powderhound.

I have the big powderhound and could not believe the noise it made on thop of my TE either. The problem is I didn't know any better so I drove 1600 miles with it up there. Come to think of it once I put the 2 boards and the two sets of skiis it was not that loud.

coouple of pics last season...

 

[jca21]

i dont notice any wind noise at all whether its got boards on top or not

 

[UtahSooner]

I have the big powderhound and could not believe the noise it made on thop of my TE either. The problem is I didn't know any better so I drove 1600 miles with it up there. Come to think of it once I put the 2 boards and the two sets of skiis it was not that loud.

Yep, I had the same experience for the ~2 weeks before I bought the FatCat. The skis and/or board on the roof changed the airflow enough that it didn't make that much noise. However, no skis on the rack and it sounded like I had one of the rear windows open (i.e. painful on the ears). I'm guessing that part of the reason it never sounded as bad on the roof of my old 3rd Gen were the luggage cross beams (for lack of a better word) that were flush with the roof and parallel with the rack crossbars. Those probably created just enough turbulence on the roof to offset the "airdam" effect of the ski rack.

In addition to the aero design and lower overall height (yes, it is thinner than the Powderhound), the bottom of the FatCat sits just a little above the cross bars (maybe by ~3/8 in) so there's room for airflow between the crossbar and the ski rack.

I wish the Powderhound was quieter since I actually preferred the "all black" roof rack look with the Powderhound vs. Yakima's new dark grey color on the FatCat (and their other new style products). The FatCat is hands down a better product though and worth the price difference in my opinion. I may end up spraying the FatCat black if I get motivated before she goes back on the roof for the winter...

jca21 -- ditto, no noise difference with or without skis/boards on the roof with my FatCat last season (she was on the roof November - April).

 

[Co4runnin]

Heres some shots of my powderhound on my trip to UT. It definitely gets the job done.

On my volvo I have the Yakima cross bars and Its great because I can twist the Ski racks back flat so they are parallel with the roof and I dont get as much drag on my gas mileage. Its just nice because I dont have to remove them when they aren't in use.

 

[PracticalFJ]

Any chance that second picture, above is from PC/Deer valley?

 

[Co4runnin]

Any chance that second picture, above is from PC/Deer valley?

Haha... yeah. Park City. A couple blocks from main.

 

[PracticalFJ]

Very cool, walking distance from the No Name Saloon!!!

I know that road and those driveways. My best friend has a home in Jeremy Ranch and his girl has a place up on Deer Valley, not far from the Montage.

 

[Co4runnin]

Very cool, walking distance from the No Name Saloon!!!

I know that road and those driveways. My best friend has a home in Jeremy Ranch and his girl has a place up on Deer Valley, not far from the Montage.

Thats awesome... I really like that area and PC is a blast.

 

[DEKA3]

Hey guys,

I went to check on my Megawarrior rack this morning and noticed a piece missing from my factory cross bars. Its the piece that you screw down to tighten the factory cross bars.
Anybody know what that piece would be called and where I can get one?

 

[Reino]

This is a good thread. I'm resurrecting it instead of starting a new one.

I have a Thule Flat Top ski rack that is mounted to Thule square bars on my Accord. I want to transfer the ski rack over to my wife's 4Runner, which already has the factory rails and crossbars, but the crossbars are broad and flat, so the square brackets made for the Thule crossbars won't fit.

I assume I should get a new set of brackets made for the 4Runner crossbars. Does Thule have a product like this?

Has anyone ever done this, and can you supply a part #?

Thanks!

 

[forwheeler]

:bump:

This thread looks to be a couple years old. Any new or additional advice or thoughts on the Toyota crossbars vs. Yakima/Thule? I am looking to mount a snowboard/ski rack but also want the ability to carry one of those rooftop boxes in the future. Making things a little more complicated, the clearance at my work garage is only 6'3". My truck is stock right now, so it should be ablout 6 feet. Trying not to add bars that would increase my height by 3 inches or more (unless they are easy to take off/put on).

 

[crackiswack]

:bump:

This thread looks to be a couple years old. Any new or additional advice or thoughts on the Toyota crossbars vs. Yakima/Thule? I am looking to mount a snowboard/ski rack but also want the ability to carry one of those rooftop boxes in the future. Making things a little more complicated, the clearance at my work garage is only 6'3". My truck is stock right now, so it should be ablout 6 feet. Trying not to add bars that would increase my height by 3 inches or more (unless they are easy to take off/put on).

Either yakima or thule will mount on top of the factory siderails so that won't work for you. I don't think any of the ski racks will work because they are all taller than 3"

 

[Canon_Bob]

factory crossbars are $149 from the dealer. is this acceptable? or is there somewhere where i can get them much cheaper?

Thanks!

I bought them off Amazon for less than $100. I think it was around $90.