by Rack James on July 20, 2011
Great shot of a Toyota Tacoma hitch bike rack and roof top kayak rack system using the Yakima SwingDaddy hitch mount bike rack. The rooftop rack system consists of a set of Yakima 42" tracks, the Yakima Control Tower System with Landing Pads #1, two sets of Yakima Mako kayak saddles, and the Yakima BoatLoader kayak lift accessory.
Here is a nicely racked up rig that I recently spotted on my way to somewhere. This Toyota Tacoma hitch bike rack and roof kayak rack system is using the Yakima SwingDaddy hitch bike rack mounted to the 2″ receiver and is ready to carry up to four bikes.
On the roof, a set of Yakima 42″ tracks has been installed and is supporting the Yakima Control Tower system which uses two sets of Landing Pads #1 to connect to the tracks.
For transporting kayaks, two sets of Yakima Mako saddles are attached to the Yakima crossbars, and the Yakima BoatLoader kayak lift assist accessory, which integrates into one of the crossbars, is ready and waiting to help with the job of loading and unloading the kayaks.
by rackdawg on July 18, 2011
Picture of the Yakima Whispbar Flush Bar roof rack system, now available from select Yakima Racks dealers across the United States and Canada.
Picture of the Yakima Whispbar Rail Bar roof rack system, now available from select Yakima Racks dealers across the United States and Canada.
Just announced by Yakima Racks is the launch of an entire new product line called Whispbar Roof Racks, a premium, up-scale line of complete multi-purpose base rack systems that features the quietest and sleekest cross bars in the industry. Though collaboration with Rolls Royce engineering laboraties and extensive wind tunnel testing, the aerofoil shaped cross bars produce no wind noise, whistling or humming that is a common headache with other roof rack models from competitors. There’s no need to spend extra money for a rack fairing to try and eliminate nose beacuse there’s no noise in the first place! Whisper quiet is how Yakima Racks describes them. The Whispbar Racks model options include the Whispbar Flush Bar system, Whispbar Through Bar system, Whispbar HD Bar system and the Whispbar Rail Bar system. All but the Rail Bar (which attaches directly to any factory side rails directly) use the patented SmartFoot in combination with any of several different Base Fitting Kits for a universal, compatible fit no matter what type of roof mounting style a specific vehicle requires. The result is a very cost effective solution when you need to transfer the car rack over to another vehicle. All you need to buy is a new Whispbar Fit Kit. Also, locks are included free with the roof racks.
PRWeb: New Yakima Racks Product Line Called Whispbar Roof Racks Now Available
PRLeap: Whispbar Racks, From the Yakima Rack Company, Released to Select Dealers
Tagged as:
car rack,
roof rack,
Whispbar Fit Kits,
Whispbar FlushBar,
Whispbar HD Bar,
Whispbar Racks,
Whispbar Rail Bar,
Whispbar roof racks,
Whispbar ThroughBar
by rackdawg on July 15, 2011
Image of the various Whispbar Roof Racks Base Fitting Kit Clips. Fit Kits are for use with patented universal Whispbar SmartFoot & Cross Bars on vehicles with bare roofs, factory installed fixed-points, side rails, roof tracks, raingutters and more. Whispbar Racks is owned by the Yakima Rack Company.
An important aspect of the Yakima owned Whispar roof rack systems is the modular component design that allows for a cost-effective way to transfer the same roof rack over to a new vehicle. In most cases all that is needed is a different set of Whispbar Fit Kit attachments that connect to the base of the patented universal SmartFoot on any of the Whispbar Racks general-purpose base rack systems (Flush Bar, Through Bar, HD Bar etc.). Using the correct specific Whispbar Base Fitting Kit with the SmartFoot will allow the system to mount to a vehicle with a roof mounting requirement that the specific Fit Kit is designed for, such as automobiles with completely bare roofs, factory installed fixed-points, factory side rails, roof tracks, raingutters, even custom permanent roof rack mount applications. There are many different models of Whispbar Fit Kits available to match virtually all specific vehicle year, make and models. Please note that the Rail Bar factory side rails car rack does not require Fit Kit attachments. It will transfer directly over to another vehicle with factory side rails.
Tagged as:
car rack,
permanent roof rack,
roof rack,
Whispbar Fit Kits,
Whispbar FlushBar,
Whispbar HD Bar,
Whispbar Racks,
Whispbar roof racks,
Whispbar ThroughBar
by rackdawg on July 13, 2011
Picture of the Whispbar Rail Bar roof rack system, the Whispar Racks product offering from Yakima (Yakima Racks owns Whispbar) for mounting to cars and pickup trucks with factory side rails.
Now available at select Yakima Racks dealers in Canada and the United States is the latest product offering in the Whispbar Racks general-purpose base rack systems line-up, the Whispbar Rail Bar roof rack for factory side rails. Yakima owns Whispbar, the high-end, premium styled roof racks for all types of vehicle roof mount applications. The Rail Bar model shares many of the same features as the Whisbar Through Bar, Flush Bar and HD Bar models such as the aerofoil shaped cross bars that effectively reduce wind drag to such a minimum that no rack whistling, humming or other noises are heard from the roof rack when driving down the highway. Better fuel economy is also achieved in comparison to all other leading manufacturers with similar products for factory side rails. Most other roof racks have a tendency to produce some noise, and many owners are forced to spend extra money to buy a wind fairing to try and eliminate the noise, whistling or humming. But with Whispar roof racks this isn’t necessary. They are whisper quiet by design! The Rail Bar also includes Yakima locks and keys to lock the roofrack to the vehicle and prevent anyone from stealing it. Most roof mount gear carriers, whether from Whispbar, Yakima, Thule, Inno, SportRack, Malone, RockyMounts etc., will attach directly to the cross bars with no additional adapters necessary. Where the Rail Bar differs from the ThroughBar, FlushBar and HD Bar systems is the SmartFoot attaches directly to the side rails without the need for a Base Fit Kit. Thus the Rail Bar system costs less than the other options.
Learn about Whispbar Racks | View all Whispbar Roof Racks
Tagged as:
factory side rails racks,
roof rack,
Whispbar Racks,
Whispbar Rail Bar,
Whispbar roof racks
by rackdawg on July 12, 2011
Picture of the Whispbar Racks HD Bar combination sport-work rack, the ideal choice for any professional applications, commercial work use as well as playing and having fun. Whispbar is owned by the Yakima Rack Company.
Now available at select Yakima Racks dealers thoughout the United States and Canada is the all-new Whispbar HD Bar roof rack system, the ultimate multi-purpose base rack system for anyone seeking to combine work applications with sport and having fun. Whispbar Racks is owned by Yakima, and the product line is a premium high-end option for those seeking the ultimate blend of aesthetics, universal ease of use, durability and whisper quiet cross bars that produce no noise, whistling, humming etc. The cross bars also effectively reduce wind drag and deliver better fuel economy than any other roof rack options on the market today. The Whispbar HD Bar system uses the same SmartFoot engineering as other Whispar rack models. The Smart Foot is a proprietary Yakima innovation that allows the SmartFoot to combine with any number of different Base Fit Kit options to mount to any vehicle rooftop style. Whether you need a roof rack that mounts to a completely naked rooftop, factory side rails (both flush and raised types), fixed-points, roof tracks, raingutters or even a custom permanent rack mounting application, the Whispbar HD Bar SmartFoot and appropriate Base Fit Kit will do the job. The HD Bar roof rack differs from the other Whispbar options (FlushBar, ThroughBar and Rail Bar) because the cross bars are more heavy duty and can handle up to 220 lbs of weight while the crossbars on the Flush Bar, Through Bar and RailBar models hold up to 165 lbs of weight. The HD Bars also have a uni strut T-slot running the length of them to allow for attaching many different work rack accessories such as tie-downs, load stops, ladder holders and ladder rollers, ratcheting cargo buckles, pipe and conduit holders and more. The HD Bars also have integrated tie-down points to secure any gear load. Also has rubber stripping running down the bars to protect the gear load and the crossbars themselves. Also serves to prevent the load from shifting laterally when in transit.
Learn about Whispbar Racks
Tagged as:
camper shell roof rack,
commercial truck rack,
ladder rack,
tonneau cover rack,
truck cab roof rack,
Truck Racks,
Whispbar HD Bar,
Whispbar Racks,
Whispbar roof racks,
work rack
by Rack James on July 12, 2011
This 2010 Toyota Tacoma truck cap cargo rack and bike rack system is using the Yakima 1A Raingutter rack system and a Yakima SkyBox Pro 12 cargo/luggage box and a Rocky Mounts Pitchfork bike rack.
Even with a truck, you can always use more gear storage space. In the case of the owner of this nicely racked up Tacoma, he is moving to Montana and ran out of room, so he just simply needs more space. Now thanks to a cargo box, he doesn’t have to leave anything behind with a “Free” sign on it. This 2010 Toyota Tacoma truck cargo rack and bike rack is using the Yakima 1A Raingutter Complete roof system to work with the raingutters on his Leer cap. Attached to the crossbars is a Yakima SkyBox Pro 12 roof cargo box and a RockyMounts Pitchfork bike rack. He even has room left over on his crossbars for a rooftop kayak carrier.
by Rack James on July 11, 2011
Photo of a Honda Odyssey hitch mount bike rack using the Yakima BigHorn 4 hitch bike rack.
Here is an I Spy shot of a Honda Odyssey mini van rear hitch bike rack for 4 bikes using the Yakima BigHorn 4 hitch bike rack. Hitch bike racks are an excellent way to safely and securely carry bikes and unlike trunk mounted bike racks, the rack doesn not contact the vehicle. All you need is either a 1 1/4″ or 2″ receiver hitch.
by rackdawg on July 9, 2011
Image of the Yakima Racks owned 80050701 Whispbar ThroughBar roof rack system that universally fits all styles of vehicles including pickup truck, van and car rooftops with bare naked roofs, rain gutters, factory side rails, fixed-points, roof tracks and more.
Already reviewed and discussed in a previous post, the Whispbar FlushBar roof rack system has a closely related cousin called the Whispbar ThroughBar roof rack system. It includes the same core features as the Flush Bar model, including universal Whispbar SmartFoot technology that combines with any of the different Base Fit Kits for mounting to automobiles with all styles of rooftop configurations such as totally bare roof tops, factory side rails (both raised and flush side rail styles), fixed-points (also called fixed rack attachment points), roof tracks and more. Even serves as the ideal choice for applications that require mounting a custom, permanent roof rack. Where the Whispbar Through Bar car rack differs from the the Flush Bar model is that on the Though Bar model the cross bars are longer than on the Flush Bar version and extend further out beyond each SmartFoot. This provides more crossbar space for those users that need additional crossbar space to attach multiple gear carriers for transporting lots of gear and equipment. The design of the Whispbar cross bars are the same on the ThroughBar as on the FlushBar, totally whisper quiet and do not create any roof rack noise, whistling or humming that is commonly found on other manufacturers’ roof rack systems. Includes locks and keys. Besides Whispbar gear carriers, the Through Bar roof rack universally accepts virtually all roof mount gear carriers from other makers such as Thule, Inno, SportRack, RockyMounts, Malone and more.
learn more about Whispbar Racks
Tagged as:
car rack,
roof rack,
Whispbar Racks,
Whispbar roof racks,
Whispbar ThroughBar
by Rack James on July 7, 2011
by rackdawg on July 5, 2011
Image of the Whispbar Flush Bar multi-purpose roof rack system (owned by Yakima Racks) and universally fits vehicles with all types of rooftop mounting designs including completely bare rooftops, fixed-points (also called fixed rack attachment points), factory side rails, roof tracks, raingutters and more.
Huge news from Yakima Racks headquarters, who has just launched the all-new series of Whispbar Racks, a premium product line from Yakima that completely turns the general purpose roof rack category on its head. The result of extensive engineering, wind tunnel testing, research and design, this series of roof racks delivers a host of features never before found on any product from any manufacturer. Included in the new product line is the Whispbar FlushBar roof rack, Whispbar ThroughBar rack, Whispbar HD Bar rack and Whispbar Rail Bar rack. Each system will be covered in more detail with subsequent postings, however for this post the Flush Bar system is the focus. The core of the roof rack system is the SmartFoot, an incredibly advanced development that combines with any of several different Base Fitting Kits to fit the entire range of vehicle roof styles that include totally bare roof tops, fixed-points, factory side rails, roof tracks, rain gutters, even applications that require a custom permanent install. The elegant system also makes it very cost effective to transfer the Whispbar FlushBar roof rack to any other vehicle if necessary, as all that is needed is to purchase a new Base Fitting Kit. The included crossbars insert into each SmartFoot and do not extend out further, this results in a very clean, finished and flush look (hence the name FlushBar). There are several lengths of FlushBar cross bars available to fit every vehicle rooftop. The quality of the components is unrivaled and the styling results in a sleek, aerodynamic and low-profile look. The aerofoil cross bars are the quietest in the industry so you can rest assured you won’t be annoyed by roof rack noise or humming while traveling down the highway. Better fuel efficiency is also achieved. The crossbars also allow virtually all roof mount gear carriers from any manufacturer to attach directly to the bars. Locks also included with the system. Simply put, by combining the Whispbar FlushBar SmartFoot with the appropriate Base Fitting Kit, this system will install on virtually any automobile roof rack configuration.
Tagged as:
roof rack,
Whispbar FlushBar,
Whispbar roof racks
by rackdawg on June 29, 2011
Image of the all-new Yakima Racks RailGrab Jeep Roll Bars Roof Rack Kit for mounting the roll bars on Jeep Wrangler Soft Top models.
Superb news for owners of Jeep Wrangler Soft Top models. Yakima Racks now offers a roof rack cross rails system that mounts directly to the roll bars on the Jeep Wrangler. Called the Yakima RailGrab Jeep Roll Bars Roof Rack Kit, it includes a set of four Yakima RailGrab Towers and four large-size Claws as well as a pair of 58″ crossbars with end caps. The RailGrab Towers and large Claws quickly tighten down firmly on the Jeep Wrangler Soft Top roll bars using just an allen wrench, a far superior solution compared to options that require permanently installing a roof rack to the Jeep Wrangler roll bars. The Yakima RailGrab system also removes easily when not needed. And the included 58 inch Yakima round cross bars provide plenty of room for attaching all kinds of gear carrier configurations for transporting gear and equipment on Jeep adventures. The roof rack can easily lock to the Jeep roll bars using a 4 pack of Yakima locks and keys. As an added bonus, besides the large size RailGrab Claws, the system does also include all the other sizes of Claws to allow the rack to also install on any cars with factory side rails.
Tagged as:
Jeep Wrangler Soft Top,
roof rack,
Yakima Racks,
Yakima RailGrab Jeep Roll Bars Roof Rack Kit
by Rack Magic Woman on June 16, 2011
Q: I’m interested in buying a Yakima ForkLift roof bike rack. It looks like there is a lock that
comes with the base price which I am assuming locks the bike front forks
to the rack. Is this correct?
It also suggests buying an additional lock that also locks the rack and
bike to the vehicle. Can I just buy 1 of these locks?
A: The Yakima Forklift is a super nice fork mount bike carrier, and if the Skewer is locked then the Forklift is indeed locked to the bars. If not, then it can be removed. And I’m not sure what base rack you are looking at, but all of our Yakima base racks will require purchase of locks to secure them, so plan ahead and buy as many as you’ll need to lock all components down.
If you need to buy a single lock core to match what you may already have, then that is possible.
by Rack Princess on June 7, 2011
Image of 2010 Toyota Corolla Sedan Roof Rack featuring Yakima Q Towers roof rack with q5 clips and q83 clips and Yakima 44 inch wind fairing.
This 2010 Toyota Corolla 4 door Sedan Roof rack consists of a set of 4 Yakima Q Towers, a pair of Yakima Q5 clips and a pair of Yakima Q83 clips (needed for a 2010 Toyota Corolla roof top) along with a set of 58 inch length cross bars. It also features a 44 inch wind fairing.
For complete info on 2010 Toyota Corolla Sedan Roof Rack….
by rackdawg on June 2, 2011
Picture of the Yakima Racks 8007173 FarOut Pro roof bag, a car rooftop soft-sided cargo luggage storage bag. Besides being a waterproof roof bag, the Yakima Far Out Pro fits all vehicle roof top configurations - those with factory rack crossbars from Yakima, Whispbar, Inno, Thule etc, even cars with totally bare roof tops -- as opposed to the barely covered bottom on the model in the photo 
Yakima Racks has you totally covered (as opposed to the barely covered model in the picture above) when it comes to gearing up to hit the road for all your summer vacation destinations. Besides offering hard plastic cargo roof boxes and cargo roof baskets, they now offer a line of premium waterproof roof bags. Headlining the series is the all-new 8007173 Yakima FarOut Pro roof bag, which features a host unique innovations such as a 9 cu/ft cargo storage capacity that optionally expands to 12 cu/ft when you need to bring luggage, camping equipment and other cargo gear for the entire family. The Yakima FarOut Pro bag also attaches to cars with totally bare roof tops, a unique feature not offered on other competitors’ models. Of course it also works on factory racks, with or without cross bars, and any roof racks from Yakima, Whispbar, Thule, Inno and more. It is a great alternative to much more expensive and more difficult to install and store hard-shell cargo roof boxes. The Yakima Far Out Pro roof bag folds up for easy, convenient storage.
see all Yakima car rooftop soft-sided cargo luggage storage bags
Tagged as:
cargo carrier,
factory rack carrier,
luggage bag,
luggage rack,
roof bag,
Yakima FarOut Pro
by Rack James on June 1, 2011
by Rack Magic Woman on May 26, 2011
Q: I’m a bit confused as to what to buy for my 2011 VW GTI 2 Door. In the summer, I need to hold two bikes. In the winter, I need it to hold a snowboard/ski’s (not sure if this is a separate part). I also would like a wind fairing deflector. Are there other parts necessary to prevent paint scratching and door leaks?
A: Unfortunately your particular vehicle (2011 VW GTI 2 door) is prone to leakage when using some top of car racks. Due to this, we highly recommend you use the Yakima Q Tower System with two Copperhead bike carriers on the new GTI, as the thinner Yakima Q clips have less deformation to your rubber door gasket than other vendors systems. In the winter, just add a Yakima ski carrier (see Big Powderhound) and you have a system for all your needs. As for a Fairing you will need the 44” size.
by Rack James on May 26, 2011
Jeep Wrangler spare tire bike rack using the Yakima SpareTime spare tire mount bike rack for 2 bikes.
This Jeep Wrangler spare wheel bike rack is using the Yakima SpareTime spare tire mounted bike rack for two bikes. The Yakima SpareTime bike rack mounts to most spare wheels and can carry up to two bikes. Includes locking cable!
A spare tire rack is a great solution for carrying bikes on a Jeep Wrangler because the spare tire interferes with hitch mounted bike carriers.
More info on Jeep Wrangler SpareTime bike rack install page.
by Rack James on May 17, 2011
Catalogue worthy shot of a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI bike rack system for factory rack using the Yakima FrontLoader upright mounted bike rack.
Very nice photo of a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI factory bar mounted bike rack using the Yakima FrontLoader bike rack. Right out of the box, the Yakima FrontLoader upright bike rack mounts directly to virtually any factory crossbars, as well as Yakima, Thule, Inno, and Malone crossbars. The Yakima FrontLoader upright mount bike rack is SKS compatible, and has two locking components–one to lock the bike into the rack and one to lock the rack onto the crossbars– An SKS 2 lock pack will do the job nicely!
More info and installation information on the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI bike rack install page.
by Rack Magic Woman on May 16, 2011
Q: I’m looking for a base rack system for my 2010 Audi Q7 which has factory side rails. What do you suggest? I also would like a cargo box for my Audi Q7 and would like to know which is the largest roof box available.
A: There are a couple of base rack options for your 2010 Audi Q7 with side rails. Yakima recommends the RailGrab Complete System . However, your vehicle uses a pin adapter attachment with this system, which is included at no extra charge (at the time of this posting it is backordered from Yakima until July, so there would be a significant delay on this system).
As an alternate choice, you could also use the Thule 460 Podium Complete System. Any new Yakima cargo box will still fit on the Thule bars.
The largest cargo box available would be either the Yakima SkyBox 21 or SkyBox Pro 21 (you can see the Yakima cargo boxes here). The only difference is the finish on the box, with the Pro series coming in different color options and being glossy. One thing to be aware of with large boxes like this is they may interfere with the ability to open the rear hatch completely when the box is on the vehicle, though this doesn’t affect the performance of the box itself at all and the hatch can still be partially opened.
by Rack Magic Woman on May 13, 2011
Q: What are some recommendations for a rack to carry surfboards on my 2000 Honda Accord EX 2 Door Coupe?
A: The Yakima Q-Tower Complete System with Q Stretch Kit will provide a base rack system for your vehicle. Onto this you can attach a surf rack—a couple of good options are the new Yakima Wavehog or the Inno INA444.
by Rack James on May 10, 2011
Nice shot of a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a cargo basket and ski rack mounted to factory roof racks using the Yakima Megawarrior cargo basket and the Yakima Big Powderhound ski/snowboard rack.
This 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee cargo basket and ski/snowbard rack system features the Yakima MegaWarrior cargo basket attached directly to the Jeep factory crossbars. Mounted on top of the MegaWarrior basket is the Yakima Big Powderhound ski and snowboard rack, which doubles as a fine fishing rod rack. The Yakima basket locks are included to lock the basket to the vehicle, while the Big Powderhound comes with locks.
Complete installation details and more info for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee cargo basket rack and ski/snowboard rack.
by Rack James on May 8, 2011
by Rack James on May 6, 2011
by Rack Princess on May 2, 2011
Image of 2001 Infiniti QX4 roof mounted kayak racks on factory rack crossbars. Consists of 2 sets of Yakima HullRaiser Aero (yakima 8004038) kayak rack j-cradle kayak racks.
Carry 2 kayaks on your 2001 Infiniti QX4 with 2 sets of 8004038 Yakima HullRaiser Aero kayak racks. These j-cradle style kayak racks attach right to the factory rack crossbars of the Infiniti QX4 and are compatible with most kayak shapes and sizes. These 2001 Infiniti QX4 kayak racks can also be used on Yakima, Thule and Inno cross bars.
Complete info on Kayak Rack for 2001 Infiniti QX4…
by Rack Princess on April 27, 2011
by Rack James on April 27, 2011
by Rack Princess on April 18, 2011
Image of ski and snowboard roof box for 2011 Subaru Outback - mounts directly to Subaru Outback factory crossbars.
This 2011 Subaru Outback Roof Box consists of the Yakima Skybox LoPro cargo roof box and mounts directly to the factory rack crossbars of a 2011 Subaru Outback. The Yakima LowPro holds up to 6 snowboards or 8 pairs of skis and also works well for carrying summer gear like tents and camping gear. The Yakima locks & keys that come with it help eliminate security concerns.
For complete 2011 Subaru Outback Ski Snowboard roof box info…
by Rack James on April 5, 2011
by Rack James on March 30, 2011
by Rack James on March 28, 2011
Image of a Subaru Impreza WRX roof rack cargo box system using the Yakima Control Tower System with #11 Landing Pads and the Yakima SkyBox Pro 16 cargo box/luggage container.
Here is a great example of how a roof mounted cargo box can up your storage space for your vehicle. This Subaru Impreza WRX cargo box rack system is using the Yakima Control Tower base system (attaches directly to Subaru Impreza’s fixed mounting points) with 2 sets of Yakima Landing Pads #11, and 48″ roundbars. The owner has also installed the Yakima SKS 4 Lockpack. Mounted on the crossbars is the Yakima Skybox 16 Pro cargo box, which comes with locks/keys.
