Snowboards & roof racks
I just bought a set of those sliding clamps. not thule brand but very simmilar.
I had some non sliding ones on my hire car in NZ last year and the only problem I had was if you were mounting boards base to base you need to lookout for the roof to binding clearance, some boards we had didnt fit upside down.
I’m using Thule bars - Aerobar on the old car, Wingbar on the new. On a family trip to the snow i have a pod on the left and clamp carriers on the right. Due to the size of the pod and the old racks, my clamps are wide enough to do 2 boards base-to-base plus 1-2 sets of skis next to them. I’ve never had any big issues with the clamps. I think it’s pretty secure for short-term parking and the clamps hold the boards well while travelling. Depending on rack height, you may have issues (as I did) with the bindings on the lower board rubbing on the roof. Not sure if there is a little spacer or something you can get to boost the rack height, but my new racks are higher off the roof so should be all good. The other issue of course is that your gear is exposed to sun, road grime, potentially stones flung up from other cars, and in spring bugs! I got home from a spring trip 2 years ago and found the base nose area of my new stick was completely splattered with bugs, and they took some cleaning to get off. You might be hard pressed to find a bargain on second-hand racks/clamps as they seem to hold their value surprisingly well.
Buy a dual cab 4wd ute and don’t worry about needing roof racks…............
That will be next year haha
Buy a dual cab 4wd ute and don’t worry about needing roof racks…............
I got my bars and clamps for under $280 all up. Just gotta shop around online.
yeh $700 is exorbitant!
Im sure their “Free installation” was actually allowed for in that price!
i did find this interesting little thingie while i was searching for my carriers.
might be alright for someone who already has roof racks but looking for a cheaper alternative to the clamps
Racks were shout 400 and the xtender was around 300.. (everywhere I looked were about the same.. I didn’t want to buy online.. I’d never had roof racks and wanted to go see them before I got them.. The xtender cost about 100 more than the other carries because it slides.. ( and it was worth every cent for that feature..) I’ve gotten my use out of it.. So I’m happy with the 700.. I could have gotten it all online for around 500 then installed it myself etc but I like the fact that some one who knows what they are doing put them on and showed me how.. Thule Australia set the prices btw,
As long as you are happy with it thats all that matters!
I’m more than happy to buy online and install myself but obviously i wear the risk if anything fails etc.
Racks were shout 400 and the xtender was around 300.. (everywhere I looked were about the same.. I didn’t want to buy online.. I’d never had roof racks and wanted to go see them before I got them.. The xtender cost about 100 more than the other carries because it slides.. ( and it was worth every cent for that feature..) I’ve gotten my use out of it.. So I’m happy with the 700.. I could have gotten it all online for around 500 then installed it myself etc but I like the fact that some one who knows what they are doing put them on and showed me how.. Thule Australia set the prices btw,
as a non handy man type
i paid for installation for mine as well
i rather it get done right then it fall off somewhere on the way
i looked online as well and you really dont save that much buying it anywhere in Australia
in general found places in Perth seem cheaper than Syd but freight it across the country you lose “most” of the benefit buying there
looking overseas could save you but freight kills it
I have run the roof clamps for 10 years now. Love them.
I leave them on in summer to cart fishing rods and any other long things.
I want to get two more so I can have one on each bar. (Amarok with a canopy)
I can get four boards on base to base with bindings.
got my racks set up today! woo! excited!
Nice!! (I put mine back on in about 3 weeks!!)
Also out of curiosity, how much did the white walling cost? (kind of toyed with the idea of getting it done pink.. but never really looked into it..)
they cost $150, but I just bought a tin of whitewall paint for $35 im gonna do them myself from now on.
mad car mate!