Photo of a 2006 Chevy HHR roof rack and ski-snowboard carrier. The Thule 45050 Crossroad car rack is mounted to the Chevrolet HHR factory side rails and the Thule 91725 universal Flat Top snowboard-ski rack is attached to the 45050 Crossroad crossbars.

Photo of a 2006 Chevy HHR roof rack and ski-snowboard carrier. The Thule 45050 Crossroad car rack is mounted to the Chevrolet HHR factory side rails and the Thule 91725 universal Flat Top snowboard-ski rack is attached to the 45050 Crossroad crossbars.

Arriving at the ski slopes in style and without any worries about your skis and snowboards on the roof top is essential. This customer installation picture shows how it’s done with a 2006 Chevrolet HHR ski roof rack setup. The system includes the Thule 45050 Crossroad car rack attached to the Chevrolet HHR factory side rails and the Thule 91725 Flat Top ski rack-snowboard rack connected to the 45050 Crossroad roof rack cross bars. Locks are also included with these items so both the car rack is secure on the vehicle and the skiis and snowboards are safe inside the carrier.

2006 Chevrolet HHR car rack & ski rack install details

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

2010 Honda CrossTour Roof Rack

by rackdawg on March 10, 2010

Q: I’ve been looking around online but haven’t had any luck yet in locating a compatible 2010 Honda Crosstour roof rack. Does a car rack for the 2010 Honda CrossTour exist?

A: If your 2010 Honda CrossTour came with the optional factory rack with cross rails option then you can mount most Thule and Yakima gear carriers directly to the Honda CrossTour roof rack cross bars. However if there is nothing on the roof top currently, you’ll need to install the Thule or Yakima 42” or 54” Tracks onto the Honda CrossTour roof top. If mounting the Yakima Tracks, you can then connect the Yakima Control Towers car rack system to the Tracks (choose the Yakima LP1 Landing Pads, you will need two pairs of these, for mounting the Control Towers to the Tracks). You can then attach any Yakima gear carriers directly to the Control Tower cross bars.  Similarly you can use the Thule Tracks and the Thule 430 Tracker II car rack system (choose the set of four Thule TK1 Tracker Kits for connecting the 430 Tracker II to the Tracks. This Thule Racks solution is very similar to the Yakima Racks system outlined above. Remember, however, if your 2010 Honda CrossTour came with the option factory rack and cross rails then you can attach most Yakima and Thule gear carriers to the Honda CrossTour roof rack.

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

An excellent solution for carrying a kayak on factory racks, this image highlights a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee roof rack kayak rack system using the Yakima BowDown kayak carrier on the Jeep Grand Cherokee factory rack cross rails.

An excellent solution for carrying a kayak on factory racks, this image highlights a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee roof rack kayak rack system using the Yakima BowDown kayak carrier on the Jeep Grand Cherokee factory rack cross rails.

The chance to mount a kayak rack directly to factory rack cross rails offers a great way to save money by not having to invest in an after-market multi-purpose base rack system. This customer installation picture demonstrates that solution via a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee kayak rack on factory rack cross rails. The kayak carrier used is the 8004042 Yakima Bowdown cradles, which connect directly to the Jeep Grand Cherokee factory rack cross bars. A pair of yakima locks is also used to lock the Bowdown to the roof rack.

2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee kayak rack install details

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Thule 480 Traverse Review by ‘Derek’

by rackdawg on March 10, 2010

Thule 480 Traverse car rack review by 'Derek'. He is using the 480 Traverse system as a 2005 Honda Accord roof rack. The Thule 835Pro Hull-a-Port is then attached to the 480 Traverse cross rails.

Thule 480 Traverse car rack review by 'Derek'. He is using the 480 Traverse system as a 2005 Honda Accord roof rack. The Thule 835Pro Hull-a-Port is then attached to the 480 Traverse cross rails.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

Configuration: 2005 Honda Accord roof rack for carrying a kayak

“Installing the Thule 480 Traverse roof rack system was a snap! I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself, but I was very pleased with how easily it all went together. I also use the Thule Hull-a-port Pro for carrying my kayak, and I am very pleased with how stable everything is! I never have to worry about transporting my kayak again.”

all Thule 480 Traverse car rack reviews

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Thule 480 Traverse roof rack system review by 'Andrea". She is using it as a 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup truck rack.

Thule 480 Traverse roof rack system review by 'Andrea". She is using it as a 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup truck rack.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

“I ordered the Thule 480 Traverse roof rack system for my husbands 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup truck and he was able to install the system and found it fairly easy to do. I also ordered the fairing because I think it makes the overall system look better and sportier. I am overall happy with my purchase, although I cannot compare it to the Yakima Racks system because I have never owned one but many canoeing enthusists tell me the Thule system is better than Yakima. The only suggestion I would make is that on the fairing they suggested that his truck would need the size Large and to me the fairing doesn’t look quite wide enough for his truck. After measuring it and looking at the meausurements for the xlarge I think the xlarge would have been the better choice because I think the fairings should go across the whole vehicle.”

all Thule 480 Traverse reviews

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

1985 Volkswagen VW GTI Car Rack Basket Install

by rackdawg on March 10, 2010

Headed out to Burning Man, this picture shows off a sweet 1985 VW GTI roof rack cargo basket system that includes the Thule 305 Volkswagon car rack and A21030 SportRack basket.

Headed out to Burning Man, this picture shows off a sweet 1985 VW GTI roof rack cargo basket system that includes the Thule 305 Volkswagon car rack and A21030 SportRack basket.

A fantastic choice of components for the ultimate road trip to Burning Man, this 1985 VW GTI car rack basket configuration includes the Thule 305 Volkswagon roof rack (includes a four pack of Thule locks to lock the roof rack to the VW GTI roof top) and the A21030 SportRack roof basket attached to the Thule 305 cross rails. FYI, the 1985 VW GTI has a 3A 2.0L bubble block motor out of an Audi 80.  The previous owner ralley crossed this baby!

1985 VW GTI car rack basket install details

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

2007 Hyundai Sonata Ski Roof Rack Install

by rackdawg on March 9, 2010

Picture depicts a 2007 Hyundai Sonata roofrack and ski rack setup using the Yakima Q Tower roof rack system (with Yakima Q5 clips and Q99 clips) and the Yakima Buttondown ski-snowboard rack.

Picture depicts a 2007 Hyundai Sonata roofrack and ski rack setup using the Yakima Q Tower roof rack system (with Yakima Q5 clips and Q99 clips) and the Yakima Buttondown ski-snowboard rack.

A superb example of how to carry your skis safely, securely and stylishly. This customer install picture highlights a 2007 Hyundai Sonata car rack and ski-snowboard rack system. The base rack system components used include the Yakima Q Tower roof rack (using the Yakima Q5 clips and Yakima Q99 clips plus the 58 inch crossbars, necessary for the 2007 Hyundai Sonata roof top).  The Yakima Buttondown ski-snowboard rack is then mounted directly to the cross bars. Also a six pack of yakima locks with keys is also used to lock the skis to the ski rack and the Q Towers to the Hyundai Sonata roof top.

2007 Hyundai Sonata car rack ski carrier install details

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Thule 916XT T2 Review by ‘Neil’

by rackdawg on March 9, 2010

Thule 916XT T2 review by 'Neil'. He is using it as a 2007 Chevy Avalanche hitch bike rack.

Thule 916XT T2 review by 'Neil'. He is using it as a 2007 Chevy Avalanche hitch bike rack.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

“I purchased the Thule 916XT T2 platform bike rack in January and have been completely satisfied. The lcoks for locking the bikes to the T2 are sweet, and also the lock for the hitch is great for making sure your T2 bike rack is secure at all times. I have several different size and types of bicycles and the Thule T2 handles them all easily and with no modifications. You can’t go wrong with this rack.”

all Thule 916XT T2 platform bike rack reviews

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

 

Thule 916XT T2 review by 'Dennis'. He is using it as a 2008 Lexus RX400h hitchbike rack.

Thule 916XT T2 review by 'Dennis'. He is using it as a 2008 Lexus RX400h hitch bike rack.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

“Spent about a week reading reviews between the Thule 916XT T2 and the Yakima Holdup since they are the popular 2 that does not touch any painted part of the bike. I then decided to stay with Thule because of the convenience of the locking mechanism and the availability of smaller parts (like locks or accessories) at local retail shops. The 916XT T2 rack has a very solid feel and is very stable. The bikes can be mounted and locked with 10 seconds and have enough space between them so that no parts are touching each other. With the addition of the Thule Snug-Tite hitch lock, the bike rack does not sway side to side (although it bounce once in a while). The assembly is pretty simple and real easy as well. Lastly, I had to decide where to order the rack. ORS seems to have their act together and have good customer service so I went ahead and placed the order with them.”

all Thule 916XT T2 platform bike rack reviews

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Thule 916XT T2 / 917XT T2 Hitch Bike Racks

by rackdawg on March 7, 2010

Image of the Thule 916XT T2 platform hitch bike rack for 2 inch trailer hitches. Also available is the Thule 917XT T2 bike hitch rack for 1.25 inch hitches.

Image of the Thule 916XT T2 platform hitch bike rack for 2 inch trailer hitches. Also available is the Thule 917XT T2 bike hitch rack for 1.25 inch hitches.

Great news from the good folks at Thule Racks. They’ve just taken the most popular platform style hitch mount bike rack on the planet and made it even better! Now available are the Thule 916XT T2 platform hitch rack (fits 2″ trailer hitches) and the Thule 917XT T2 platform bike rack (fits 1-1/4″ receiver hitches), which replace the discontinued Thule 916 T2 and Thule 917 T2 models. All the fabulous features of the previous models are still included on the brand new 916XT T2 and 917XT T2, except now they also ship with a 2 pack of Thule locks, to lock the bikes to the bike carrier, and the Thule STL2 Snug-Tite lock for locking the T2 to the trailer hitch. No more having to fork over extra dinero just to keep crummy thieves from stealing your bicycles or the T2 itself. The SecureHook has also been redesigned to fit even more bike styles and sizes, from small bmx bikes and kid bikes with 20″ wheels on up to road bikes with skinny tires, any mountain bikes and even 29 inch 29er bike wheels and super-fat 3 inch tires found on freeride-downhill mountain bikes. If you want the fastest, easist loading hitch mount platform bike rack in the solar system, and now with all lock included, check out the new T2 models. Also available is the Thule 918XT T2 2 bike add-on for carrying an additional two bicycles on the 916XT T2 model.

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Honda Pilot Roof Rack for Skis and Bike

March 5, 2010

Lucky us for a recent visit from Mr. Reeder, Yakima Racks Sales Rep. A great day was had by all at ORS Racks Direct, as we spent the day discussing all things concerning Yakima Racks… exciting new products are now available for 2010, including the Yakima FrontLoader bike rack, Yakima SpareTime spare tire mount bike rack, Yakima [...]

Read the full article →

Mr. LeRose and his stylin’ Toyota Tacoma truck rack

March 5, 2010

An admittedly poor quality photo of Mr. LeRose standing next to his good lookin’ Toyota Tacoma truck rack setup that includes the Yakima Frontloader bike rack and Yakima Mako Saddles – HullyRoller kayak rack combination.

ORS Racks Direct enjoyed a great day hanging out with Mr. LeRose, Yakima Racks Eastern Regional Sales Director, going over the [...]

Read the full article →

Saris Thelma Hitch Bike Racks

March 4, 2010

Saris Racks has recently updated their premium line of Saris Thelma platform bike tray hitch mount bike racks. All models now fit both 1.25″ and 2″ receiver hitches, no extra adapters needed. The new improved bike tray wheel cradles also hold more styles and sizes of bike wheels than ever before, from skinny road bike [...]

Read the full article →

Malone Canoe Kayak Trailer Packages

February 27, 2010

Malone Auto Racks now offers several kayak trailer and canoe trailer complete packages. Each package includes the base model Malone MicroSport tow trailer and trailer spare tire kit. Where the packages differ is in the various kayak carrier and canoe carrier options bundled with each specific package. Whether you plan to transport 4 kayaks on [...]

Read the full article →

Malone Seawing Stinger Combo Kayak Rack

February 25, 2010

Cool news from the good folks at Malone Auto Racks, located just next door to us in Maine. Just in time for the 2010 kayak season is the MPG113MD Malone Seawing Stinger Combo kayak carrier, a complete kayak rack package that includes both the Malone Seawing kayak saddles and the Malone Stinger kayak lift assist. [...]

Read the full article →

Malone Katahdin Car Roof Basket MPG311

February 17, 2010

Brand new for 2010 and now available is the Malone MPG311 Katahdin car roof rack basket for transporting all kinds of gear such as luggage, tents, sleeping bags and other camping equipment, coolers, beach supplies, golf clubs and so much more. Includes universal mounting clamps to attach the luggage basket directly to factory racks and [...]

Read the full article →

Malone Universal Cross Rail Roof Rack

February 15, 2010

Now available from Malone Car Rack Systems is the  unbelievably low priced Malone Universal Cross Rail car rack system. A complete package for installing onto vehicles with factory raised side rails, providing the essential crossbars needed when connecting gear carriers to transport kayaks, canoes, surfboards, stand up paddle boards, skis, snowboards, bikes, cargo luggage, ladders and much [...]

Read the full article →

Fleetwood Pop Up Camper Rack

February 14, 2010

An excellent ORS Racks Direct customer install featuring the a Fleetwood Tonka pop up camper rack that is configured with the Thule 430 Tracker II Foot Pack, Thule TK1 Tracker Kit and Thule LB96 96 inch load bars. This rack installs on the Fleetwood camper top tracks. If your particular camper does not already have tracks on [...]

Read the full article →

Yakima Racks 86 Inch Crossbars for Pop Up Camper Trailers etc.

February 14, 2010

Yakima Racks is now offering an  extra long pair of round bars as an option for use on specific applications such as installing a rack system on a Coleman Fleetwood pop up camper or towable kayak and canoe trailers etc. The 8000420 Yakima 86″ cross bars are the crossbars component to choose when configuring a [...]

Read the full article →

Thule 9003 Raceway Platform Trunk Bike Rack

February 12, 2010

As if Thule Racks hasn’t pushed the trunk mount bike rack category envelope enough with the all-new 9001 / 9002 Raceway trunk racks… they just announced another even more technologically advanced trunk bike rack offering to be available Spring 2010. Dubbed the Thule 9003 Raceway Platform trunk bike rack, this carrier includes two integrated bike [...]

Read the full article →