Roof Rack Crossbars

Body kits, spoilers, lights, and anything on the exterior of the vehicle
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MVVibe
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:31 am

Roof Rack Crossbars

Post by MVVibe »

I'm a new member, just purchased an '04 Vibe to replace a worn out Ford Focus wagon. I cartop long kayaks and need 4'+ spread between the front and rear crossbars. I attached the rear Thule crossbar as far back on the factory rails as possible with a pair of Unisport rail feet, and the forward bar with Thule Traverse feet and Fit Kit 1512. This setup works OK, and my concerns may be more aesthetic than aerodynamic-- but because of the Vibe's arched roof the forward bar is 2" higher than the rear bar, which tilts the boats up at a noticeable angle; I'd prefer that they be level fore-and-aft. With the Thule feet my forward bar sits 4" above the roof, which seems excessive; does anyone know of a comparable setup from a different manufacturer which would clear the roof by just 2"? That would solve my problem (but since all my accessories clamp to rectangular Thule crossbars, a round Yakima bar won't work). This is my first post, will now try and attach a few photos. Thanks in advance for any advice out there!
Attachments
Vibe Kayak Rack 1.jpg
Vibe Kayak Rack 1.jpg (323.37 KiB) Viewed 1802 times
Vibe Kayak 1.jpg
Vibe Kayak 1.jpg (410.02 KiB) Viewed 1802 times
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