The definitive Yeti roof bar poll!

[dbg400]

I assumed as much, so wasn't going to bother getting in touch with the dealer...

- but -

...when I finally got round to fitting the bolts I took the second roof bar out of the box (sat in my garage since collection in June) to find this:

Dealer says they'll need to swap the whole package unless they're told otherwise.

[manespet]

Few months ago I bought this one:

Pros:

- longer than original Skoda bars

- custom fit distance

- very silent

- easy mount

- can be used on other cars

- price paid (95 EUR)

Cons:

- not so stylish as original Skoda bars.

[elllguapo]

Any foreseen issues or has anyone had issues with the Thule 775 foot setup and 140 wide bars (aero) instead of 127?

Cheers!

[Hanki]

OK I know this is late but I really only started looking at this subject when I decided I needed some bars. I’ve read the survey with interest . I’ve spent far too much money on these over the years and it’s about time there was some standardisation across the industry.

Having paid £110 for a set on my last car (Citroen C4 Grand Picasso), which were essential as each bar was a different length and a different height! I was shocked to find out that Skoda charged something like £160 for their roof bars. Thule was not much cheaper and I was certainly going to be a little bit more comprehensive in my search for an alternative!

I can understand that regular roof box / cycle carrier users would take the plunge and pay the exorbitant price for the genuine Skoda part – I suspect that I would have done so if I was planning to use them on a regular basis but my needs were for roof bars that would be used perhaps 6 to 10 times a year. I eventually found the following bars from Passion Auto in Great Yarmouth. http://www.passionauto.co.uk/products/135cm-heavy-duty-aluminium-anti-theft-locking-roof-bars.html They arrived very quickly (2 days) were well packages with good instructions. They were £44.95 – yes thats more than £110 less than the Skoda bars and basically do the same job. I was quite keen to get bars that were quite wide so that I could carry a roof box and a single cycle carrier at the same time. I did this successfully on a Series 1 Freelander.

The Passion Auto bars are made of aluminium with plastic caps and plastic clamps with steel inserts. The parts that contact the roof rails are well protected with rubber inserts. The bars are fitted using a long Allen key that is simply turned to allow the clamps to hold on the roof rails. I’ve tested the car at 70mph with the box on the wind noise is perfectly acceptable.

I would recommend them an alternative to Skoda or Thule.

[Rapha]

This post mentions a few whispbar owner. I was hoping to get the whispbars with the Kamei Delphin 380 roofbox, but roofbox.co.uk say they aren't compatible because the box is too wide for the bars.

I found somewhere that the clean bar length is 805mm on the Yeti with the Whispbars. 900000 was kind enough to measure the width on the bottom of his Delphin 380 at around 820mm so it looks like roof.co.uk are right. However this is tantalisingly close to fitting.

Anyway, getting to the point, has anyone got this combo to work?

[Michael G]

Can't help as I've no knowledge of the Whispbars, but by "clean bar length", you mean the useable length *inside* of the plastic lock/feet covers? If so, 805mm seems short?

The equivalent on the Skoda bars is 1100. I know that that combo is OK as 900000 has the Skoda bars and Delphin 380 on his Yeti.

[dbg400]

I have the same combo as Johann, and as mine is on lift straps in the garage (over the beer corner!) I took a photo and (very) crudely marked it up:

The distance between the red lines, where the mounting bolts go (I'm using T-bolts) is 625mm

The distance between the yellow lines, which is the ridge under the box that rests on the bars (i.e. the maximum width that is in contact with the bars) is 760mm

The distance between the green lines, the widest part of the cover above the bars is 900mm

The 820mm is the 760mm plus 30mm either side to the edge of the base of the box, but those extra 60mm aren't touching the bars. On paper the size looks too wide but in practice I think it would fit, depending on how much higher the feet on the Whispbars stick up over the bars - if it's less than 20mm (the height/depth of that ridge) you should be okay.

And a pic of the box fitted: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/uploads/gallery/album_568/gallery_80615_568_163736.jpg

Edited 4 May, 2013 by dbg400

[Chubbs]

Having read the recommendations re the VAG OEM roof bars I took the plunge last week in preparation for the trip to Devon. Nice looking bars from the local dealer at a cost of around £140.

Slight problem.........got them out of the box today to make sure everything fitted together only to find the bars are too wide so the square sectioned U bolts that marry the bars to the box won't fit around! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Back they go! They U bolts are a specific width to fit the drill holes in the bottom of the roof box, so I can't even buy new bolts!!

[Rapha]

805mm does seem small for the useable width on the whispbars, but based on the very helpful marked up photo, I am now pretty confident that the width won't be a problem. However, my new concern (which I should have spotted sooner) is that the low whispbars will mean that the box will clash with the sharky bit of the aerial. My Yeti has a 3 inch tall shark fin into which the aerial screws - I guess this is for DAB or sat nav. Anyway, I'm now worried that this will clash with a roof box on the particularly low whispbars since the top of the fin stands about an inch proud of the top profile of the roof rails.

I might just stop messing around and get the Skoda bars to go with the Delphin! Anyway, thanks to Michael G, dbg400 and Johann for helping me though the all too painful decision making process.

[Michael G]

Having read the recommendations re the VAG OEM roof bars I took the plunge last week in preparation for the trip to Devon. Nice looking bars from the local dealer at a cost of around £140.

Slight problem.........got them out of the box today to make sure everything fitted together only to find the bars are too wide so the square sectioned U bolts that marry the bars to the box won't fit around! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Back they go! They U bolts are a specific width to fit the drill holes in the bottom of the roof box, so I can't even buy new bolts!!

Would the T slot adapters not have worked?

[ParaYeti]

Is it me or are some bars fitted differently?

I bought the Exodus foot pack and square bars. Exodus being made by Thule but badged for Halfords.

Instructions showed to slide the feet into bars then lower vertically onto rails and clamp up. But the foot clamp wouldn't open wide enough.

So I mounted the feet on the rails first, having to offer them up at an angle and rotate them over the rail to get the clamp in place. But then the slot in the square bar wasn't long enough to slide it onto one foot and then slide it back over the other foot!!

I took the kit back to Halfords and the assistant saw the problem and tried a Thule foot (775) but that had the same opening width and also had to be angled up to get it onto the rail.

Are the aluminium bars different to the square ones? Does the mounting slot run along the whole length of the bar. Do Thule owners mount the bars and feet together or separately?

I did consider machining the slot longer but decided a £100 kit should already fit.

Halfords did kindly give me a full refund :-)

[900000]

Pleasure to have helped. My box is not as nearly on show as that hence I said to you the 825 was approximately!

As to touching the aerial: mine doesn't but then I don't have a sat nav aerial sorry. And I don't have good pictures to show how far away it sits from the box either.

This is outside Merlinman's house in 2010 (save the pic and adjust the contrast to see the aerial! Sorry):

As clear as I have alas. Below another 2010 pic with the old long aerial.

I'd say there is about an inch or two between the box and aerial from memory.

And since the sat nav aerial sits at the back of the fin I'd say you'd be fine:

[Rapha]

Thanks for the further pics and advice. After all that I've just ordered the Kamei Delphin 380 box with the Skoda bars (and a Atera Strada DL3 bike tow bar rack). After undoubtedly too much consideration I decided against the Whispbar aero-X, even though I really like the lower height. I think the access to remove the cover on the top of the Whispbars (that provides access to the allen key bolt that fastens them in place), would perhaps be a bit limited with the slightly overhanging Delphin. It looks like you need to get you fingers to the inboard edge of the foot cover and pull outboard to remove. Anyway, I'd normally go for this sort of challenge to get what I fancy, but not this time. Besides, I think the box will be getting a fair bit of use and so the ease of installation mentioned in the thread for the skoda bars appeals.

Once I've got the bars I hope to contribute to this poll rather than hi-jacking for advise!

Thanks again.

[Chubbs]

900000 - I have the same Kamei roof box as you and the same bars, so how come you managed to fit it and I can't get the U bolts past the width of the bars? Help please before I have to order more!

Many thanks

Chubbs

[Michael G]

Perhaps because he used the T track adapters shown above?

[Chubbs]

Michael G

I read your earlier post re these and didn't get it then and still don't get it now!!!

I'm not ignoring your suggestion, I've no doubt it works but please excuse my ignorance and darn stupidity - I'm afraid I need it spelling out as I can't for the love of god see how they work - I know......it can't be that difficult!

Regards

Chubbs

[Llanigraham]

The bars have a slot in them, covered by a removeable plastic insert. You take that out and slide the T Studs in, then do the nuts up inside the roof box.

[dbg400]

You mean using the T-track bolts? If not then ignore the following

I bought the T bolts from roofbox.co.uk along with the Kamei. There are two sorts that they sell - I'll edit this later with the part # [edit: - Michael G beat me to it! ]

There is a rubber strip down the centre of the top of each bar. This lifts out to reveal a channel that's the shape of an inverted 'T'. The bolts slide into this from the outside edge.

When I did mine I drilled two holes in the rubber strip, each 325mm from the centre of the bar, putting them 650mm apart. I lifted the strip from the outside edge to just beyond the hole and slid the bolt up to it. Then pushed the strip back down with the bolt poking up through the hole. That way it stays in place when you lower the roof box onto the bar - if the measurements are right it should just slot over the bolts.

I dont need the bars for anything else so leave them attached to the box as in the photo. Tightening the nuts (easy Bobdog) bolts on the side nearest the box hinges, once the bars are on the car is quite tricky - particularly if you are a short @rse like me

Edited 9 May, 2013 by dbg400

[Michael G]

Sorry Chubbs, I'd made an assumption. Always a mistake. It's as Llanigraham says. If you got your box from the roofbox.co.uk they offer the T adapters as an option. They are part number KM52003 listed at the bottom of this page:

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/kamei_delphin_380_roof_box_left_side_opening_no_km351_08135107_/Qx%40w%2C6M42VAwp3%40Rb%7B~cC4ure%60Qbow

[Michael G]

Good tip Martin, thanks. Notes made for when we order our Delphin 380

[dbg400]

Good tip Martin, thanks. Notes made for when we order our Delphin 380

I don't know if others do the same or cut the strip into three so the outer lengths can fit back in either side of the bolts - or remove it altogether. I though just popping the bolts through the holes was the best way to keep them in place.

The T-bolts are a much neater solution than the U bolts (and more so if the U bolts won't fit!) - definitely worth the extra tenner.

The Delphin swallows a terrific volume of stuff. I was a little sceptical of how much useable space there would be inside but it has worked out extremely well so far. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.

[900000]

900000 - I have the same Kamei roof box as you and the same bars, so how come you managed to fit it and I can't get the U bolts past the width of the bars? Help please before I have to order more!

Many thanks

Chubbs

Yes my Kamei came standard with the T bolts as per this post (or perhaps that was how I ordered it? I can't remember!):

http://www.briskoda....l/#entry2738062

Just remember you need to TAKE OUT the rubber strips in the roof bars to fit these into the U-shaped groove.

The T-bolts are by a country mile the easiest way to fit a box to your roofbars as you just slide it on, tighten the bolts from inside the box and off you go. Job done.

[Chubbs]

........and all becomes clear! Hurrah! Many thanks for the lesson! Tried to order some T bolts form Roofbox.co.uk today and they stated they came in 20mm and 25mm fitting, does anyone know which sized to get off the top of your head - will have to have a rummage in the garage.

Thanks again

Chubbs

[900000]

........and all becomes clear! Hurrah! Many thanks for the lesson! Tried to order some T bolts form Roofbox.co.uk today and they stated they came in 20mm and 25mm fitting, does anyone know which sized to get off the top of your head - will have to have a rummage in the garage.

Thanks again

Chubbs

I just measured mine and they are 20mm wide.

[Michael G]

The ones I linked earlier (the KM52003's) say Skoda on them, and have 20mm square base.