Cross Bar Length

[Deuce]

Right now I'm using low profile OEM cross bars that slide in the tracks on the factory side rails of my 2005 Expedition. I'm becoming increasingly uncomfortable with this setup for a number of reasons that I won't get into and am about to throw in the towel and get a Yakima Railgrab kit. I haven't found any other system that will fit. I hate to spend the money, but not as much as I hate the thought of the Explorer flying off the roof of my truck. As it turns out I can get the towers and my choice of cross bars for $180 shipped, which isn't quite as bad as I thought. Anyway, my question is this. I think I want 65" bars so I can put two boats up there if necessary. Does anyone think I should go smaller? Any other general thoughts before I pull the trigger? I'm pretty nervous about what I have now, so I'm feeling compelled to do this soon so I'll have it for Rendezvous.

[BHK Okie]

I've got 66" bars on a '98 Cherokee . Other than you whack your head getting in , I don't know what the downside would be . I just moved mine back so that the guy getting in the backseat is the one who will get the knot :-)

[Tim Eubanks]

I've got 78". Don't know how you could get two tandems on shorter bars, but I'm no engineer.

[Deuce]

I ended up going with the 78"s. I called instead of ordering online and they told me I could have them for another five bucks. And no, you're not an engineer. You're a roadkill chef extraordinaire.

[Cowper]

Shorter bars sometime work if the bars are far apart like on a van or suburban, or may work on some model canoes like narrow touring canoes. But I was going to say "go long" because it is so easy to custom cut to a shorter length if you find you have more than you need. 5 minutes with a hacksaw is all it takes. Since you ordered 78's that option remains open if you find yourself banging your head.

[Eric Esche]

If you want to regularly haul 2 open canoes on the flat or 4 stacked how ever you like, 78"'s are the best route, without going to a trailer, for 2 or 4 canoes. Yes, you have to warn folks to duck getting in and out if they are new, particularly on a "low" car like a VW, but they get used to it quickly if they want to ride. I had them on my Suburban and now my Pathfinder with 3 sets of saddles for sea kayaks. I actually have pictures somewhere off 13 boats on top of the Suburban and 6 on the Pathfinder using just the Thule 78's.

But then I got 11 boats on a VW Type III Squareback several times using 2 rain gutter Quick and Easyies on 2X8's back in the 70's with a lot of rope. Showed up for my first day of work in March 1977 with 2 canoes (Mad River Endurall and a Bluehole), a Hahn "lady"-lower volume C1, 2 Lettman Mk IV's and 1 Hollowform K1, one Sedavic C2, and 3 molds (Lettman MK IV, Lettman Mk V, and Large Hahn C1 mold) and the car/boats were quite to topic of talk at the Lees Carpet, Burlington Industries Plant in Rabun Gap,Georgia. Word spread quickly that they had hired a "river rat" as an engineer. Major controversy, back then.

Took me a few years to win folks over, but eventually was accepted as THEIR river rat. I was personally asked by Doyle Patterson, the plant manager, as a great favor to him, to take the company president, Lanty Smith, down the Chattooga with his prayer group and KEEP HIM ALIVE. Seriously. They had a great time and Lanty showed the 5 rolls of 36 exposure pictures to just about EVERYBODY who would look, in the 1100 employee plant, both wage and salaried, that I had Robert Harrison of Whetstone Photography take for a few cases of Stroh's beer. Killer photos of course, as were all of Robert's photo's. MY rafts and gear. By co-incidence, 27 of Robert's framed enlargements of ME in kayak, raft, and canoe lined the hall ways and management offices of the 1.1million sq.ft. plant that Lanty had seen for years, and Susan's river photos had won first place in the company photo contest. He was primed for the Chattooga. We were on his Christmas card list for years after that and he re-ordered photo's and blowups from Whetstone several times.

BTW - 78's haul rafts pretty good as well if you pad them.

Eric Esche, who has been also known to cook road kill and have folks like it.

[Shark Attack]

The most safe length is the same width as the mirrors on your vehicle. That way you know how far away from trees or drive-throughs your boats are.

[Deuce]

Eric, that's great. I love your stories. I think that might be the best one yet.

[tomOzarkVideo]

The most safe length is the same width as the mirrors on your vehicle. That way you know how far away from trees or drive-throughs your boats are.

Exactly!

[Gordon Kumpuris]

No wider than your mirrors. I've cut mine down twice now. Hitting your head is very painful! Note you might need a few extra end caps. The tend to get cracked especially if you remove them once or twice.

[Deuce]

Ha! Just looked up the exterior width of my 2005 Expy; 78.7 inches. One in a row! USA! USA!

[Tim Eubanks]

No wider than your mirrors. I've cut mine down twice now. Hitting your head is very painful! Note you might need a few extra end caps. The tend to get cracked especially if you remove them once or twice.

Maybe you're too d##$%@$%@ tall? I cut mine off twice and they're still too short!

[Eric Esche]

If you can't keep hitting your head on the racks, Try padding them. Tape some foam on with Duct tape or cram a pool noodle over the part that you hit.

I know for a fact that the center hole on a Large pool noodle will slide over the round Yakima Bar and can be forced over normal Thule Bars. Cut a slot for where ever your ropes normally go. Pool noodles are on sale this time of year and probably cheaper than a box of band-aids.

Eric