Fat Cat roof clearance with 5th Gen OEM crossbars

[smittw]

I recently bought a 2012 SR5 with OEM crossbars and need to add a ski rack (not a box). However, those darn crossbars are pretty close to the roof and limited in width. If I install a Fat Cat 6, is there enough room for the "bottom ski" binding to clear the roof without using the rack's lift feature? Or, should I also buy some Yakima (or Thule) bars to attach to the side rails to give me some extra height? I currently have about 9 inches of space between the OEM bars and the lowest point of the garage door opening. Thanks.

 

[jca21]

i run my fat cat 6 on factory cross bars on my trail.

i dont have skis but i do regularly throw boards up there with no problems at all.

 

[adsinclair]

I have the Fat Cat 6 on my Trail using the factory crossbars. I have had all kinds of skis on mine without a problem, including some with some pretty tall risers. The Fat Cat has built-in tilt bars in case you need the extra height, but you shouldn't. Mine clears my garage with no problem, as well.

 

[smittw]

Thanks for the info. Are the crossbars on the Trail the same as the SR5? My crossbars are only about 1.5 inches above the roof.

 

[Cutlerdaddy]

I have a 2012 SR5 with the factory crossbars. I installed the FatCats on it and the binding on my ski hits the roof unless I move it between the small ridges on the roof. My ski is K2 Aftershocks 174 w/MX 14.0 Also my wife's bindings do not tough no matter where I place them, so I think the ski and binding does make a difference. The FatCats have an option when you install them to raise one end of them up on an angle to help with those clearances, so I would do that before buying risers. I unfortunately don't have the garage door clearance to do that. I hope that helps.

 

[RocketGuy]

Thanks for the info. Are the crossbars on the Trail the same as the SR5? My crossbars are only about 1.5 inches above the roof.

The SR5 roof rack is not as tall as the Trail edition. On my SR5, the crossbars were lower than the fin antenna. On my trail, the crossbars are an inch or so higher than the fin antenna.

 

[smittw]

Thanks again. That is exactly the info I needed. I'm skiing the same size K2 Recons and Aftershocks with the MX bindings.

 

[wdlsmaerw]

It also depends what kind of bindings you have. Mine fit where as I have a buddy whos bindings are just a bit bigger so I have to seperate his skis and put them in individualy. It's tight for doing them stacked together but it can work. (I have a 2010 SR5 with stock bars.)