Roof rack owners, I got a Question for ya...

snook07wrx · 01-12-2010, 06:34 PM

Ok, kinda an odd/noob question.

This is my first winter w/ a base rack system on the car w/ the snowboard attachment. Works great, makes trips w/ friends and gear much easier.

My question is this: Do you guys take off the snowboard attachment, or the whole rack set up in between trips to the mtn?

I ask because the subie is my DD and it makes some quite loud wind resistance, and I'm sure a few less mpg's. It's a Thule rack system that takes about 30min or so to put on. We go about once a week. Just not sure I wanna deal w/ the hassle of taking it off/putting it on every weekend. I'm sure it's more a preference thing, just wondering what you guys do.

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stu1811 · 01-12-2010, 06:48 PM

Whole thing. I have a yakima rack and it takes <5 minutes.

snook07wrx · 01-12-2010, 06:59 PM

yeah, I think the next time I put it on would take much less then 30min... just kept making sure it was even, tight, and not going anywhere, over and over...lol

Donnie_Doritos · 01-12-2010, 07:00 PM

I leave it on all season. There is a fairing attachment you can buy that cuts down on the noise. Pretty much a slanted piece of plastic that directs air over the rails. Before I had the fairing, it would whistle at 45+mph and get annoying very fast

LouderPlease · 01-12-2010, 09:06 PM

I'd suggest getting a fairing; It's worth the cost. There is still a bit of noise, but not nearly as bad. I'm not sure how you have the ski attachments mounted, but you could always just take those off and leave the base system on in-between trips.

Stiggy · 01-12-2010, 11:01 PM

I have two racks. One is a Thule setup for mountain bikes and the other is for snowboards which uses factory crossmembers. The Thule rack takes ~5min to do, and the board rack only takes 2 - just four little screws. So during ski season, I'm constantly switching between the two, but I always leave one on. I'd get better mileage without them off, especially the bike rack, but its a PITA to put on / take off by myself.

snook07wrx · 01-12-2010, 11:19 PM

Thanks for the info.
Another question though regarding the factory base rack (cross members, or whatever they're called) how does it attach to the car?

The Thule one I have and the Yakima ones I looked at all clamp to the top of the window sill and have the rubber pad that you tighten down. I'm paranoid (however farfetched it may be...) that they will loosen up and fly off the car. Do the factory ones mount any different or are they mounted the same way?

cps102 · 01-12-2010, 11:51 PM

Just leave it on all season! That prevents alot of hassle. As for wind noise, the fairings really do wonders in cutting down the noise. As for mpg, I have a box on all year long and I still average 28 mpg highway. So for just the winter you can probably manage

higgins14 · 01-13-2010, 07:34 AM

what everyone else said... get the fairing. i took my fairing off to clean off some surf wax. i could not believe how loud the rack was on the highway without the fairing.

K Dub · 01-13-2010, 07:52 AM

I leave mine on all winter too...and yeah I have a fairing on it as well.

01-12-2010, 06:34 PM	#1
snook07wrx Scooby Newbie Member#: 214630 Join Date: Jun 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Dekalb, IL	Roof rack owners, I got a Question for ya... Ok, kinda an odd/noob question. This is my first winter w/ a base rack system on the car w/ the snowboard attachment. Works great, makes trips w/ friends and gear much easier. My question is this: Do you guys take off the snowboard attachment, or the whole rack set up in between trips to the mtn? I ask because the subie is my DD and it makes some quite loud wind resistance, and I'm sure a few less mpg's. It's a Thule rack system that takes about 30min or so to put on. We go about once a week. Just not sure I wanna deal w/ the hassle of taking it off/putting it on every weekend. I'm sure it's more a preference thing, just wondering what you guys do. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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01-12-2010, 06:48 PM	#2
stu1811 Scooby Specialist Member#: 124651 Join Date: Aug 2006 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: RI Vehicle: 2011 LGT DGM	Whole thing. I have a yakima rack and it takes <5 minutes.

01-12-2010, 06:59 PM	#3
snook07wrx Scooby Newbie Member#: 214630 Join Date: Jun 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Dekalb, IL	yeah, I think the next time I put it on would take much less then 30min... just kept making sure it was even, tight, and not going anywhere, over and over...lol

01-12-2010, 07:00 PM	#4
Donnie_Doritos Scooby Newbie Member#: 63470 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sacramento Vehicle: 2007 WRX TR Blue	I leave it on all season. There is a fairing attachment you can buy that cuts down on the noise. Pretty much a slanted piece of plastic that directs air over the rails. Before I had the fairing, it would whistle at 45+mph and get annoying very fast

01-12-2010, 09:06 PM	#5
LouderPlease Scooby Newbie Member#: 214427 Join Date: Jun 2009 Chapter/Region: NWIC	I'd suggest getting a fairing; It's worth the cost. There is still a bit of noise, but not nearly as bad. I'm not sure how you have the ski attachments mounted, but you could always just take those off and leave the base system on in-between trips.

01-12-2010, 11:01 PM	#6
Stiggy Scooby Newbie Member#: 205354 Join Date: Mar 2009 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Seattle / Bellingham Vehicle: 2002 WRX Wagon Silver	I have two racks. One is a Thule setup for mountain bikes and the other is for snowboards which uses factory crossmembers. The Thule rack takes ~5min to do, and the board rack only takes 2 - just four little screws. So during ski season, I'm constantly switching between the two, but I always leave one on. I'd get better mileage without them off, especially the bike rack, but its a PITA to put on / take off by myself.

01-12-2010, 11:19 PM	#7
snook07wrx Scooby Newbie Member#: 214630 Join Date: Jun 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Dekalb, IL	Thanks for the info. Another question though regarding the factory base rack (cross members, or whatever they're called) how does it attach to the car? The Thule one I have and the Yakima ones I looked at all clamp to the top of the window sill and have the rubber pad that you tighten down. I'm paranoid (however farfetched it may be...) that they will loosen up and fly off the car. Do the factory ones mount any different or are they mounted the same way?

01-12-2010, 11:51 PM	#8
cps102 Scooby Specialist Member#: 222776 Join Date: Sep 2009 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: The last best place Vehicle: '08 OBS	Just leave it on all season! That prevents alot of hassle. As for wind noise, the fairings really do wonders in cutting down the noise. As for mpg, I have a box on all year long and I still average 28 mpg highway. So for just the winter you can probably manage

01-13-2010, 07:34 AM	#9
higgins14 Scooby Newbie Member#: 144281 Join Date: Mar 2007 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Merrimack Valley, MA Vehicle: 2010 Jeep Wrangler	what everyone else said... get the fairing. i took my fairing off to clean off some surf wax. i could not believe how loud the rack was on the highway without the fairing.

01-13-2010, 07:52 AM	#10
K Dub Scooby Newbie Member#: 210438 Join Date: May 2009 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Come at me, bro Vehicle: 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4D	I leave mine on all winter too...and yeah I have a fairing on it as well.