Most sedans on the road these days come without factory roof racks. Here at Rack Attack that is no problem. We can install factory track systems that attach directly to the sheet metal of your roof. Both major brands can be integrated into this track to hold accessories. This customer did a lot of traveling and needed extra room for his cargo. We decided to go with a Yakima track system. We used Thule 42 inch tracks. We can attached these track to pretty much anything. We also used the Yakima control towers and Landing Pad 1′s .  Installing a track system gives you full control of your rack. You can adjust your bar spread at any time and also take your bars off at any time. The track has a clean factory appeal. After the initial set up his base rack system we discussed which box would be the most durable. We came to a conclusion, the Thule 611 Boxter. This box happens to be Thule’s most durable box on the market. It has been auto-ban tested to be waterproof, silent, and saves you the most MPG’s. It has 18 cubic feet of storage and can mount on to any vehicle with cross bars.  

Here at Rack Attack we can practically put a rack on anything. A customer came in with some old Yakima base rack Components, Control towers, Landing Pad 6 , 66inch cross bars, lock cores and a Yakima Skybox 16. We then discussed where this rack was going to go. We can mount racks directly onto the sheet metal above the cab, or we can drill through the bed. On a raised 2500 a cargo box on top of the cab will stick out quite a bit. So the customer decided the best way to go was in his bed. So this is when I got to work.  We discuss what he is going to be hauling to help me determine where I will place the rack. Cargo boxes, Skis and Snowboards, Bikes. By knowing that i determined a great spot to place his Base Rack. The Install is very simple. We attach the landing Pad 6′s straight through his truck rails. Then use Silicon to prevent water damage and rust. Next we attach the Control Towers and Cross bars. An hour later his truck is equipped with a base rack system that can hold around 165 Pounds! More than any factory base rack.

Well, I have tried both options on two different vehicles and I will tell you a Cargo Box gives you more mpg’s.

On my Maxima I was able to get 25mpg with no rack at all, when I added a Yakima Fat Cat 6, loaded with skis I got approx 20mpg, this is the lowest profile ski rack on the market, and don’t get me wrong, it is an excellent ski/board rack .  Switching to a Thule Spirit Cargo Box my mileage jumped to 22mpg’s in the Maxima, a noticeable increase from the ski rack.   To double check the fact here I also ran the test on my Grand Cherokee.  I was able to get 17mpg with the cargo box vs 11.5mpg with the Yakima Fat Cat.  A huge savings on an SUV.  The other advantages of a cargo box are that my all my gear is completely protected from the elements and I’m able to use the box for much more than just skis and boards.  I can put my camping gear in it and use it for road trips, etc.

Rack Attack, online Thule Rack and Yakima Rack specialists since 1995. Rack Attack offers a wide selection of racks for your car, truck, SUV, van, and home for all types of gear.

With 9 retail stores, over 60 full-time rack experts on staff, and one of the largest inventories in the business, Rack Attack is North America’s Premier Retailer of automotive rack systems and accessories.

Panoramic roofs are becoming more popular on more and more vehicles.  Jeep has their Liberty with the Sky Slider option.  A full canvas top that retracts to give you the ultimate sunroof.  Panoramic roofs can be tough to find aftermarket racks for.  Here at Rack Attack we have options.  On this particular Liberty we have installed a Thule track system rack that can be removed in seconds for use of the sky slider.  When installed it carries 165lbs of weight.   We added the Thule Spirit Cargo Box to the rack, this 16 cubic foot cargo box can carry anything from your ski’s to luggage, a locking container that keeps your gear out of the elements.  Generally we can get a rack on almost any vehicle.  This system or alternatives can be installed at anyone of our 8 rack attack locations.  We also can get you set up with do-it-yourself kits if our locations are too far away from you.

It has easily the highest weight capacity of anything available  300+ lbs.

It’s a lot lower on the roof vs. most popular baskets (Yak Load Warrior and Thule MOAB). The total height of the system is only 6.5 inches from the paint up.

It’s rated for off-road use.

This basket is for the serious adventurers and families alike.  There are a lot of accessories available for it such as a Jerry Can bracket, Axe/Shovel bracket, High lift jack bracket, and a Spare Tire carrier, like pictured.  It serves as a perfect platform for gear bags from Thule and Yakima.  Did I mention the weight capacity?  It’s incredibly durable.  The basket and hardware are made from heavy gauge chro-moly steel.  Also, it’s powder coated black for serious durability.  This is the best option for a strong and attractive roof-top carrying system.

These systems are available for a wide variety of vehicles.  Due to the complicated nature of the installation process, we offer these in store only.  Please call us at 303-216-2495 for more information.

Before

After

Mazda CX-7 is like no other SUV you’ve ever seen. Sleek, muscular curves meet dynamic handling and performance to give you a driving experience that’s totally unique.  But wait, do I have room for 5 people and all of their gear to get up the hill.  If not, Rack Attack has your fix.   On this CX-7 we have laid down Thule 42″ Tracks, very similar to factory tracks that many vehicles come with.  Thule TK1 mounts are then inserted into the tracks, these are adjustable forward and back, and fairly easy to remove from the track if needed.  The 430 Towers click on and off the TK1 mounts in seconds.  This is an advantage in the aspect you can pop on and off the rack in seconds for saving on your fuel economy or going through the car wash.  These base systems can be professionally installed at any of our locations, or we do sell the kits for do it your selfers.  Many body shops will also do the installation for you if you are not up for it and are too far away from one of our stores.  Once the base rack is on there, you are ready to carry boats, skis, cargo, bikes, you name it.  These systems will be rated to carry 165lbs of weight.  This particular customer decided on an enclosed cargo box to transport his gear.  This is a Atlantis 1600xt cargo box, you have an enclosed container that locks and keeps all your gear out of the elements.  Cargo boxes are an excellent solution for most.  You can have a ski container for the winter, and you get year round use with it for road trips or camping.  Plus cargo boxes generally do not cut very greatly into your fuel economy because of their aerodynamic shape.

Subaru’s are very popular vehicles, and quite a few Subaru owners are avid outdoors people, who love to kayak, bike, ski and board.  So having a roof rack almost goes hand in hand with these cars.  One downfall, most Subaru’s do not have a metal frame around the door where the glass window touches the frame of the car.  Which means with the clip into the door options, the fit has to be precise so that not to have wind noise through the door or possible damage to weather striping.  Plus the clip options are very tedious to remove and re-install.  Don’t fret Rack Attack has your solution.  What you see above is a very popular option for all subaru owners.  We install Yakima Landing Pad 7′s permanently to the roof, then we use Yakima control towers that are quick release.  With this option you avoid any contact with your windows and door seals, so no possibility of wind noise through the door or damage to the weather striping.  You can also remove the whole rack system from the car in seconds for saving on fuel economy or going through the car wash, you will just be left with 4 little mounts.

Once the base system is installed you get a carrying capacity of 100lbs, and the possibility to add accessories to carry everything from water-sport products, to bikes, to skis and boards and more.  On this particular system our customer went with a 44″ yakima fairing to reduce wind noise, and a Yakima Fat Cat 6 ski rack / 4 board. The fat cat line is yakima’s newest and best ski carrier on the market.  The 6 pair carrier has 5″ more space than any other 6 pair ski rack on the market to accommodate the newer fat skis, also in the closed position it only sits 3 3/4″ off the top of the crossbar, making it the lowest profile ski rack on the market as well.  Lower profile = Less wind resistant = Better fuel economy.  These base systems can be professionally installed at any of our locations, or we do sell the kits for do it your selfers.  Many body shops will also do the installation for you if you are not up for it and are too far away from one of our stores.

Hybrid SUV’s are fast becoming one of the most popular vehicles on the road today.  Many of these Hybrids do not come with a roof rack, this is in order to achieve the best fuel economy.   But hey, just because you want to have great fuel economy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the ability to carry some gear on top of the vehicle.  This particular Hybrid Tahoe has our custom track installation with quick-release 430 tracker II towers.  We have laid down Thule 42″ Tracks, very similar to factory tracks that many vehicles come with.  Thule TK1 mounts are then inserted into the tracks, these are adjustable forward and back, and fairly easy to remove from the track if needed.  The 430 Towers click on and off the TK1 mounts in seconds.  This is an advantage in the aspect you can pop on and off the rack very quickly for saving on your fuel economy or going through the car wash.  These base systems can be professionally installed at any of our locations, or we do sell the kits for do it your selfers.  Many body shops will also do the installation for you if you are not up for it and are too far away from one of our stores.  Once the base rack is on there, you are ready to carry boats, skis, cargo, bikes, you name it.  These systems will be rated to carry 165lbs of weight.

On this particular application we have a Thule 6 pair ski carrier/4 board rack, but again any accessory can be added to the roof rack for all your sporting needs.