Thule ski rack riser blocks?

[zoltan]

I have the Thule ski/snowboard rack which can carry up to four snowboards. For max capacity, two of the boards are loaded with the bindings facing the roof of the car. With mine, there's not enough room between the rack and the roof for the bindings. Does anyone make riser blocks to lift the carrier higher off the roof rack? I thought Thule made some themselves, but I couldn't find anything on their website. I'd prefer to buy something before I make something.

[Blue Bird]

I thought this would be adjusted for by using taller towers

[zoltan]

I can't with my system. I have Thule load bars mounted to factory side rails.

[tex1230]

Just pull the bindings? It's only 8 bolts....

[dano]

I had some of those thule ski/board holders and it stunk for 4 boards. They'd wiggle around and scuff the base and get rusted/stuck at the end of the season. Overpriced junk.

I've had the Thule snowboard uprights, but they like to freeze up and the cables parts get lost. They also cost too much.

If you can't get a box, the most cost effective/ space effective board carriers I've found are these Barrecrafters. I found some at MVP sports for 19 bucks a pair. They work on factory aero, thule and yakima bars. I bring them on trips and use them on rentals.

Sell those thules on ebay to some twit and use the money to get 2 pair of these for 4 boards. ( they don't lock but just use a cable lock )

[Blue Bird]

I can't with my system. I have Thule load bars mounted to factory side rails.

if you do as Dano says, letme know, I'm a twit who needs a roof rack. one caveat, will the towers work on a 2nd generation toyota rack system (4 runner)

[Guest GQuentin]

Also check out Yakima's Fat Cat 4 & 6. I just bought the 6 and I love it. Holds 4 snowboards and even if you don't have the high rise tower they have a tilt option. Works great.

[anewell]

I've got the same Thule carriers, and had the same issue. I'm planning to DIY a fix. The local hardware store has cylindrical Delrin spacers that'll prolly work. The spacers are maybe 0.75" diameter, 0.5" long, axial bore. I'm going to need longer carriage bolts & wingnuts to fit the new bolt threads too. Should be about $5 in parts and 30 minutes to put it all together.

If you're committed to buying something, I could sell you a set for maybe half of the 1000% markup Thule would charge (j/k)

[zoltan]

I had some of those thule ski/board holders and it stunk for 4 boards. They'd wiggle around and scuff the base and get rusted/stuck at the end of the season. Overpriced junk.

I've had the Thule snowboard uprights, but they like to freeze up and the cables parts get lost. They also cost too much.

If you can't get a box, the most cost effective/ space effective board carriers I've found are these Barrecrafters. I found some at MVP sports for 19 bucks a pair. They work on factory aero, thule and yakima bars. I bring them on trips and use them on rentals.

Sell those thules on ebay to some twit and use the money to get 2 pair of these for 4 boards. ( they don't lock but just use a cable lock )

User error on your part. These carriers work great, but you don't just throw a naked snowboard in them - make sure are least one board in each pairing is in a bag or sleeve. Really though, if you're carrying boards on top of the car, every board should be in a cover of some kind to protect it.

Upright snowboards carriers are a pain since virtually every last one whistles at speed.

Carrying a cable lock or taking the bindings off ruins the simplicity and easy of use of the system. I don't want to bother with either at dawn or the end of the day when I'm freezing my ass off.

The FatCats might be worth looking into...

[dano]

User error on your part. These carriers work great, but you don't just throw a naked snowboard in them - make sure are least one board in each pairing is in a bag or sleeve. Really though, if you're carrying boards on top of the car, every board should be in a cover of some kind to protect it.

Upright snowboards carriers are a pain since virtually every last one whistles at speed.

Carrying a cable lock or taking the bindings off ruins the simplicity and easy of use of the system. I don't want to bother with either at dawn or the end of the day when I'm freezing my ass off.

The FatCats might be worth looking into...

I always just use board bags in a roof box. I'll bring along the Barrecrafters for extra passengers or on ski trips for rental vehicles. I don't think it whistles (?) and if it did I wouldn't care. It also detaches in seconds.

I carry a pocket dakine cable lock to most resorts and it's pretty easy to use...even if it's cold.

Back when I did have the thule "ski" carrier it was only carrying 4 boards if I had buds along and they never had board bags or sleeves. I put my own 2 boards in naked because I didn't want to wreck my nice travel board bag with salty muddy snow and road grime. I would just rinse the board off when I got home or to the ski house.

For simplicity, I don't know how any rider with multiple boards could stand not having a roof box or internal storage for boards. Even the board sleeves must get pretty nastified to bring inside.

Though some people use the ski racks to try and look cool.

[zoltan]

I always just use board bags in a roof box. I'll bring along the Barrecrafters for extra passengers or on ski trips for rental vehicles. I don't think it whistles (?) and if it did I wouldn't care. It also detaches in seconds.

I carry a pocket dakine cable lock to most resorts and it's pretty easy to use...even if it's cold.

Back when I did have the thule "ski" carrier it was only carrying 4 boards if I had buds along and they never had board bags or sleeves. I put my own 2 boards in naked because I didn't want to wreck my nice travel board bag with salty muddy snow and road grime. I would just rinse the board off when I got home or to the ski house.

For simplicity, I don't know how any rider with multiple boards could stand not having a roof box or internal storage for boards. Even the board sleeves must get pretty nastified to bring inside.

Though some people use the ski racks to try and look cool.

I can't go with a box because my garage at work has very little clearance. Very little.

So you subject your boards to the muddy snow and road grime so you don't subject your bags to it? That logic doesn't really follow for me. Also, my board sleeves are cordura and rinse of easily. As for friends, it's my car they're hitching a ride in, so they just need to deal with it.

The carriers I have right now are the best solution to my imperfect situation and I'll figure out how to lift them shortly. But by all means, continue telling me how much they suck. :rolleyes:

[dano]

Sorry to hear about the low profile career.

I don't mean to annoy..just to share what ultimately worked for me way back when I had one of these suckers.

The thule ski carriers don't suck, they just don't do what you want: to rack 4 jibber boards with bindings on them. I never had any clearance problems with plate binding boards face down on the bottom...

BUT, If I was going to make "lifts" I would cut a spare thule load bar in halves and drill/bolt them to the existing load bars at an angle with a trimmed/drilled hockey puck on the high side as a spacer. Then clamp the ski carriers to the new "SLOPED MINI BAR".

Your board sleeves sound like a great solution to road smegma. Back in the 90's when I had no roof box and no money, it was just cheaper to keep taking the boards inside and rinsing. I'm sure board condoms aren't cheap.