How to attach my Thule box without the bars

[davieboot]

I recently sold my Subaru and bought an Xterra. I kept the old Thule feet, bars, and box so that I could put them on the new vehicle, but, of course, the feet don't fit the new rack. New feet ( I need the 450 Crossroads) cost over $150, and I don't have that kind of scratch right now, so I am looking for alternatives.

Ideas? I couldn't find a U-bolt that would fit around my rack and through the holes in the box. Ideally, I would like to get the bars attached so that I could use the box and my bike rack, but I would be happy just to get the box attached.

I am open to any suggestions.

[hitmanbob]

[toast2266]

bolt the box to the bars, use a couple of hose clamps to attach the bars to the factory rack. should work fine (I''ve done it before on an xterra).

[Bandit Man]

What model box do you have? I have a Thule Cascade XT and it goes on both my Yukon and 4Runner attached to the factory cross bars. It fits lower on the 4Runner this way and allows me to get into parking garages that are 7-ft in height.

Is the problem those funky tubular bars on the Xterra?

[XXX-er]

I put my thule box on Tele babe's 2000 astro van so she can shlep van loads of xc racers around to the races .

The holes don't fit either but what I do is I bolt the box to the thule bars , then I bolt the crossbars to the existing GM rack with BIG U-bolts ...it works fine

I have a bud who just looped a couple of camstraps around the bars & box to hold it onto his old jetta ,way ghetto and kind of embarrassing in view of the fact we were working at a thule dealer but it worked

[Skidog]

Is the problem those funky tubular bars on the Xterra?

Thule makes a kit for these odd bars (i have them on my pathfinder) I have a cascade. I dont know how much the kit costs as I bought with the box, but it exists.

[davieboot]

Yeah, the kit costs $150.

The problem is the bars. The cross bars are not quite tubular, but they are wide.

I have used the hoseclamp approach before on another car and it works, but I was hoping for something a little cleaner. Plus, that forces the bars right down onto the factory rack, so I wouldn't be able to put my bike rack on.

I like the ideas though.

[XXX-er]

Yeah, the kit costs $150.

The problem is the bars. The cross bars are not quite tubular, but they are wide.

.

Thule bars are rectangular shaped and you say they are too wide ,I don't get it ?

maybe you could space it away from the rack on the xterra in some way ?

I think 4 u-bolts are 10 $

[karpiel]

Gorilla glue.

[eug]

I have an older style summit thule box and I had it mounted on those tubular bars. Box had extra holes in it that were wide enough to accept bolts that went around wide factory bars. I used those and mounted just like on regular bars.

[XXX-er]

I have an older style summit thule box and I had it mounted on those tubular bars. Box had extra holes in it that were wide enough to accept bolts that went around wide factory bars. I used those and mounted just like on regular bars.

You are right there are 3 holes in each mounting point on my box OR you can drill wider holes anywhere


just an FYI , these boxes are really easy to fix ,my box has 600,00km on it ,from the vibration & UV I must have a doz patches

You patch from the inside with slow set epoxy and fibreglass mat or lately I been using dryer sheets that have been thru the machine a few times ,when the hinge rivets go use a pop rivet gun

[Conundrum]

U-bolts and drill new holes in the box. Clean and cheap.

[davieboot]

I guess I never thought of drilling new holes in the box, but it makes perfect sense. That is what I will do.

[splat]

U-bolts and drill new holes in the box. Clean and cheap.

You totally blew my suggestion to go with big bolts, nuts, and washers straight down thru the roof.

[El Chupacabra]

You totally blew my suggestion to go with big bolts, nuts, and washers straight down thru the roof.

Add in a little DoreTech for the ultimate in roofbox retention strength.

[jfost]

w3rd. I drilled the yak space booster (the cheap one) to move it away from my tailgate so it could open fully. Holes have been fine - no elongation or cracking after 7+ years, so just drill baby drill!

[mtskier]

although these suggestions will prob work, the REAL solution is much cheaper and quicker.

you need thule xadapt 6. its a set of longer bolts and it costs $15.00. i'm assuming you have the older hardware. this link should help.

http://thuleracks.com/instructions/05067%20xadapt6.pdf

[Skidog]

Yeah, the kit costs $150.

The problem is the bars. The cross bars are not quite tubular, but they are wide.

I have used the hoseclamp approach before on another car and it works, but I was hoping for something a little cleaner. Plus, that forces the bars right down onto the factory rack, so I wouldn't be able to put my bike rack on.

I like the ideas though.

I think we MUST be talking abotu a different "kit". This thing is like 2 bolts and 2 flat pieces that go on each side of the bar. NO WAY it cost me $150.. I think I paid under $300 for the entire setup at an EMS store back east...in fact I think it was under $250. Os if you're "kit" cost is right I got a brand new cascade XT box for $100? I think not.

[mtskier]

he's calling the rack a kit. he only needs the $15 adapter depending on how old the box is. if needs all new mounting hardware it costs $60.

http://thuleracks.com/product_spare2..._id=52&sku=668

[Skidog]

he's calling the rack a kit. he only needs the $15 adapter depending on how old the box is. if needs all new mounting hardware it costs $60.

http://thuleracks.com/product_spare2..._id=52&sku=668

Knew it had to be something

[Conundrum]

You totally blew my suggestion to go with big bolts, nuts, and washers straight down thru the roof.

I once saw a chick NAIL her ski rack to her roof. No joke. Her parents were pissed when they came into the shop.

[XXX-er]

they bolt really well to the removable fibreglass roofs of older ford & chev SUV's