Roof bar compatibility

[mrmo12]

Evening,

 

I've just picked up a 18 plate 1.0 SE Technology Octavia Hatchback; absolutely loving it!

 

I'd like to fit the roof bars I have from a previous car - Thule 118cm wingbars with a Thule 754 footpack. My first concern was that the 118cm would be too narrow for the Octavia, but I see that roofbox.co.uk state that the CRUZ option is 118cm but Thule is 127cm - what gives?

 

Another question I have is will the 754 footback work for the Octavia? Again using roofbox.co.uk, it looks like I can as long as I buy the Thule 1726 fitting kit.

 

Could anyone confirm these thoughts with me?

Thanks,

M

 

[mrmo12]

On further research of the fitting kit instructions, I don't think I can get away with the shorter 118cm bars.

 

SO I'm either going to go with the recommended 127cm bars or try and go with the longer ones at 135 cm (reason being, I'd like future proof the bars for the next car in a few years time. 

 

What bars are being using for their hatchback with 'normal roof'?

 

Thanks,

M

[DEZMONDE]

I would be interested to see how far the 135cm would hang over, the extra 4cm either side is quite a bit. But like you said, future proofed.

 

Watching for further info

[mrmo12]

1 hour ago, DEZMONDE said:

I would be interested to see how far the 135cm would hang over, the extra 4cm either side is quite a bit. But like you said, future proofed.

 

Watching for further info

 

After a bit of reading around the internet, I've found the only law on the matter is that it must be within the width of the wing mirrors which is 1814mm on my Octavia. So I should be ok?

Will find out by the end of the week anyway!

[dan245]

Watch your head. I had overhanging bars on my old Golf and the amount of times I whacked my head on them when retrieving something from the back seats....shudder.

I went with the rounded thule ones for the Octy.

[mrmo12]

Oh dear! Thanks for the info. I will intact be retrieving some toddlers from the back seats white regularly. Hopefully the over hang isn't as bad! 

[Cakemonster]

Don't know if the hatch is the same as the estate, but the overhang is more on the rear bars, the roof narrows. I've got 118cm Cruz Airo bars.

[mrmo12]

Yes you're correct. The Thule fitting kit instructions show that the roof narrows at the rear. The scale measurements (for the underside of the Thule bars) are 3 different between front and rear. 

 

Hopefully it's not bad in reality. 

[Kental]

Thule have updated their fitting kits and footpacks.  I recently did an upgrade on mine (fortunately I had 127 wingbars even though my last car needed  118 as I already had them from the car before that!!).

 

They have also updated the bars so the black strip stays in place when using the T Tracks, but the footpack fitted my old bars so I stuck with them.

 

I think the 135 bars will stick out a long way and bumping of head will be likely on a low car like the Octavia.  Re futureproofing, what car do you think would need a 135 bar? A Kodiaq uses the 118 bar.

[mrmo12]

It'll more than likely be a car which has 3 seats abreast.

If it sticks out too much then I'll just send it back and swap for the 127cm as per the guide.

 

[Kental]

Most three abreast would be an SUV so roof rails so probably shorter than the Octavia.  One reason for longer ones is fitting twin long roofboxes on or long box & 2/3 bikes.

[mrmo12]

Yeah I do intend to have a couple of bikes and a roof box one for when we are going away on trips etc. 

The bars should arrive today, the fitting kit by the end of the week. I'll be able to do a rough mock up tonight but it'll be dark. 

[Kental]

1 minute ago, mrmo12 said:

Yeah I do intend to have a couple of bikes and a roof box one for when we are going away on trips etc. 

The bars should arrive today, the fitting kit by the end of the week. I'll be able to do a rough mock up tonight but it'll be dark. 

 

That lot should the 1.0 engine a bit of a workout!!!!

[mrmo12]

Ha, that's true. Sure she can't handle it!

[mrmo12]

I got worried and I've asked the wife to refuse delivery of the bars! 

I'm going to reorder the 127cm ones. 

I checked the courier costs if the 135cm turned out to be a 'headache' and I wasn't willing to risk the £15-20 charge. 

 

Sorry to those that were keen on finding out what 135cm bars looked like. 

[Kental]

My car with 127 aero bars.

[mrmo12]

5 hours ago, Kental said:

My car with 127 aero bars.

 

Looks great mate. 

I'm having to wait for the 7105 feet to come in to a supplier I'm buying the kit from. £131 for bars and feet is pretty decent I'd say!

 

I see what you mean about the rear sticking out. Oh well, hopefully the next car uses the same 127cm bars !

Edited 19 January, 2020 by mrmo12

[Alex-W]

I'm guessing from this that the 118 bars (Thule 961) are too short then?

Looks like they fit wider cars so seems strange.

 

I already have a set for my Mazda so was hoping to just buy another foot pack and swap feet when I swap cars.

Edited 20 January, 2020 by Alex-W

[mrmo12]

9 minutes ago, Alex-W said:

I'm guessing from this that the 118 bars (Thule 961) are too short then?

Looks like they fit wider cars so seems strange.

 

I already have a set for my Mazda so was hoping to just buy another foot pack and swap feet when I swap cars.

 

Yes, the 118cm bars are physically too short to enable you to set the feet at the correct width for the front. 

[Stoops]

On 19/01/2020 at 14:25, Kental said:

My car with 127 aero bars.

Which fittings did you use? That’s the only bit I can’t be quite certain on - I think when I was researching it I ended up looking at the 7104s?

[mrmo12]

7105 footpack with 5011 fitting kit.

Or if you already have the 'old' 754 footpack, you can buy the 'old' 1726 fitting kit.

[Kental]

6 hours ago, Stoops said:

Which fittings did you use? That’s the only bit I can’t be quite certain on - I think when I was researching it I ended up looking at the 7104s?

 

Mine are 7105 footpack & 145011 fitting kit, the bars I already had, the place I got my footpack & fitting kit gave me a trade in on my old footpack