Bare Roof Car Roof Racks

Bare Roof Car Roof Racks

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Detail diagram or how a roof rack attaches to a bare car roof. The rack stay or foot, rubber base pad, fit hook, car roof and door opening.
Inno's diagram of the SU base rack system with the various components labeled.
Bare Roof Rack - specifies the method of attachment of a roof rack to the roof of a car. It is SO NAMED because it is the method of attachment of racks for cars with no other attachment points, typically the rack rests on the roof and clamps to the door openings, BUT cars with other attachment points (e.g. rails of fixed points) are often racked with bare roof racks, either for convenience or necessity. Recent Example.In 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees came with a bare roof or flush roof rails. The bare roof rack would fit either configuration, and racks of both mounting schemes were generally available. In 2013 the Grand Cherokees also became available with a third choice, they had a pre-rack on the roof, it looks like rails it just isn't, mediorce pictures: Pre-Rack, Flush roof rails. A lot of folks did not realize that the pre-rack was not actually roof rails and purchased rail mount racks for the pre-rack equiped Cherokee. As a consequence, a number of manufacturers discontinued the rail mount rack and only offered bare roof racks for the Grand Cherokee, since the bare roof rack installs in all three roof configurations, although, many prefer the rail mount racks.
Detail diagram or how a roof rack attaches to a bare car roof. The rack stay or foot, rubber base pad, fit hook, car roof and door opening.
Thule Traverse 480R foot detail installed on car.
The bare roof rack typically consists of 3 components: cross-bars, rack feet (also called stays, tower and corners), and a kit of rubber pads and hooks that may be specific to the car. Some racks come with all of the components assembled, but most are unassembled, you receive the 3 components in separate packages. Of considerable importance is the degree to which the rack (kit) is customized to your car. The rubber pads install to the bottom of the rack foot and sit on the roof of the car. The hooks, typically rubber coated, install into the feet and hook around the door opening of the car. The extent to which these items are customized to a specific car is of considerable importance. At CargoGear the range begins with the SportRack Frontier rack, the pads are flat rubber and there only a few different hooks, best described as semi-custom and ends with the Thule Traverse rack, the kit, of the hundreds of kits, fits just a few cars, many fit only one car make and model for one generation of years. The other important issue is the shape and material of the cross-bars.
Bare roof car roof rack whole systemBare Roof rack
Car roof rack cross bars highlightedRoof rack cross-bar
Car roof rack feet, also called stays or towers shown with rack systemRoof rack feet also called stays or towers
Car roof rack diagram showing fit kit consisting of pads and hooks.Roof rack fit kit, consisting of hooks and pads
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