Roof Rack hacking

[Abad]

So I saw someone with a bike rack directly mounted on the car's rails, or whatever you call them... those factory rails that are parallel to the car's doors.
I wish I could do that, but obviously can't find any commercially available solution to do it.
Has anyone ever seen this?

[grskier]

So I saw someone with a bike rack directly mounted on the car's rails, or whatever you call them... those factory rails that are parallel to the car's doors.
I wish I could do that, but obviously can't find any commercially available solution to do it.
Has anyone ever seen this?

Going the same direction as the rail, or mounted perpendicular to the way the vehicle travels?


I guess if you had a wide enough rail it'd be OK torsionally.

[XXX-er]

Depending on your typing skills you should be able to find a solution in about 1 min of googling Yakima or thule

[djspookman]

yup, on my old passat wagon. muffler clamps and old THULE crossbars. Total hack, but I wasn't about to spend $250 on feet and a fit kit on my $400. car. Muffler clamps were a whopping $10 for all 4. I ran it for 4 years like that, and new owner of car is still rocking them.
D

[XXX-er]

that's an option too if you don't wana shell out for the clamps designed by the rack makers for the factory rails, if you wana go deluxe ... get stainless steel

[Abad]

Going the same direction as the rail, or mounted perpendicular to the way the vehicle travels?


I guess if you had a wide enough rail it'd be OK torsionally.

I’m thinking the same direction as the rail. Basically as if the bike was mounted directly on the car’s rail, without the need for perpendicularly mounted bars.

[Abad]

Depending on your typing skills you should be able to find a solution in about 1 min of googling Yakima or thule

Thanks for the tip. Hadn’t thought of that.

[Abad]

yup, on my old passat wagon. muffler clamps and old THULE crossbars. Total hack, but I wasn't about to spend $250 on feet and a fit kit on my $400. car. Muffler clamps were a whopping $10 for all 4. I ran it for 4 years like that, and new owner of car is still rocking them.
D

Right, but you still had crossbars mounted on your car’s rails, correct? That’s what I’m thinking should be avoidable...

[RootSkier]

How much is your bike worth?

[toast2266]

How much is your bike worth?

And how much are the side windows worth?

Because when this ghetto rigged contraption rotates in a corner, the handlebars are going through those windows.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[jono]

One part of the brain says there's a way to make this work and the rest is screaming: STFU! I've done some rack hacks. But somehow explaining them to someone else feels grossly irresponsible. Use crossbars.

[djspookman]

Right, but you still had crossbars mounted on your car’s rails, correct? That’s what I’m thinking should be avoidable...

True. But like other users have said, you need them there to keep the whole assembly safe. Unless you're just going to use a truckbed fork mount and thru-bolt the thing to your crossbars at the fork, then strap the rear tire.

[jono]

True. But like other users have said, you need them there to keep the whole assembly safe. Unless you're just going to use a truckbed fork mount and thru-bolt the thing to your crossbars at the fork, then strap the rear tire.

Unless?? See comment above about torsional strength of stock rails.

[djspookman]

Unless?? See comment above about torsional strength of stock rails.

Yup, OP should just scour craigslist and get a steal on old racks and do it right!

[XXX-er]

I've never seen anybody do it but maybe you could somehow attach a tray or the bike crossways

I've never seen anything commercially or macgyvered going directly to factory rails without crossbars

crossbars can just be pipe of the correct diameter not sure what size they use

and

[El Chupacabra]

Yup, OP should just scour craigslist and get a steal on old racks and do it right!

This.

Think about the torque from the leverage of a bicycle mounted on a rack.

If OP really insists on avoiding crossbars, then he could mount a wide plate inside and outside the roof, through bolt it to sandwich the roof, and mount a rack to the plate.

[Abad]

This.

Think about the torque from the leverage of a bicycle mounted on a rack.

If OP really insists on avoiding crossbars, then he could mount a wide plate inside and outside the roof, through bolt it to sandwich the roof, and mount a rack to the plate.

Lol

[Abad]

Thanks guys.