DANGER- If you have a Yakima Rack Read this!!

[skyisblue]

I had a Yakima roof rack on my 2005 Prius, using footpads Q50 and 124, and it FLEW OFF MY ROOF while traveling at freeway speeds this weekend on Hwy 101!!

I am writing today to warn others who may have the same set up as I am virtually certain that this is a design failure. I am also asking others who have had similar experiences to contact me.

The short version of my story:

I bought a Yakima rack in 2007, when Yakima was still recommending the Q50 pads for both front and back, I did the install myself numerous times and kept on having the racks slide back when carrying multiple surfboards (and even when just carrying one). I wrote about this experience in detail here: http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-ma...-yakima-2.html

As described, I eventually took it back to REI where they found out that Yakima was now recommending different pads. I paid for professional installation and hadn't had any problems since.

This weekend I went on a surf trip with 4 friends. We packed 5 surfboards onto my rack, strapped them down carefully, and double checked the security of the rack before leaving (these boards are our babies). While traveling in Labor Day weekend traffic, at fast highway speeds, the entire rack and all 5 boards launched into the air. By some incredible luck the cars behind me managed to swerve and miss the flying boards and did not hit each other. This was amazing skill by the other drivers as the road was packed and traffic was moving fast.

The damage to the boards was not nearly as bad as we had feared, but there are still some dings and scrapes and one board is badly damaged. The roof of my car is dented where the racks grab on and the paint is badly scraped now. Mostly, we are just lucky no one was hurt.

Because I had been through this before, had the rack professionally installed, and because I have read a few posts of others having a similar problem, I am concerned that this is a design defect and may happen to others. Nowhere in the material that came with the rack or in the information on the web have I found something that suggests that this is not an appropriate use of the rack.

I am working through the claims process with Yakima now, it looks like it will be slow and painful (to start they want me to ship my entire rack to them, which will be neither cheap to do or easy to pack).

If you have had similar experience please let me know. I want to convince Yakima to take the appropriate protective action so that no one gets hurt if this is happening to others (and no more surfboards, bikes, or kayaks meet an early death either). If it is just me then I will move on.

[tochatihu]

If you have any photos of the attachment points, it would be helpful.

I used Yakima on 2001 Prius (apparently quite a different setup) and it always seemed secure.

[darelldd]

Bummer.

Yet another advantage of bolting the things to the roof! Honestly, I'll never clamp a roof rack on again. Several reasons not to!

[john1701a]

There are TIE-DOWNS available for securing loads to the roof. I hadn't realized it would be necessary to provides photos for them. They'll be in the User-Guide fairly soon. Stay tuned.

FRONT in the back corner of the hood, where the hinge connects to the frame of the car itself, you'll see a hole. That's actually an eyelet you can use which is outside of the waterseal... very convenient for attaching a rope as a safety catch, just in case the rack slips.

BACK at the top of the hatch, where the hinge connects to the frame of the car itself and outside the waterseal. The hinge itself can be used to attach a rope for additional securing. This is also very handy if you are carrying bikes on back.

.

[john1701a]

This link provides a temporary copy of the draft currently being worked on. Feedback is appreciated...

There are 6 new photos illustrating how to include a safety-catch to prevent the unfortunate event described in the first post of this thread.

User-Guide is where the final version of the 2 new pages will be available.

.

[Rokeby]

Originally Posted by john1701a

This link provides a temporary copy of the draft currently being worked
on. Feedback is appreciated...

john1701a,

Thank you for this information and the clear pictures. From time to time I
will be carrying one or more solo canoes on a rack and your info answers
my questions on independant tie downs.

Have been doing so fo more than 20 yrs with no problems and have always
used tie downs in addition to the rack, the only way to go.

[CMonster]

Originally Posted by john1701a

This link provides a temporary copy of the draft currently being worked on. Feedback is appreciated...
.

Excellent photos and great idea. We use the tow eyelet in the front to tie down the fronts of the kayaks, but that does interrupt the driver's field of vision.

To the OP, I have Q124s front and back and no problems (so far) with two kayaks at up to 70 mph. I remember reading your original post and I've been extra cautious with tie-downs since.

[kayak_hauler]

I have had the back bar on my Yakima slide back ~2", but I was loaded up as in my avatar with 4 boats - kind of a lot of weight and wind resistance... Hard to imagine all 4 clamps giving up.... That sucks!

[whodat]

Wow. Good to know. I am able to fit two surf boards (9 and 8 foot boards) inside my 06 Prius. I was considering racks before I read your posting.

Thanks
Dave

[bsd43]

Originally Posted by skyisblue

I had a Yakima roof rack on my 2005 Prius, using footpads Q50 and 124, and it FLEW OFF MY ROOF while traveling at freeway speeds this weekend on Hwy 101!!

You sure you had the right clips? Yakima's recommendations a couple of years ago were for Q124s front and back; now it's Q5 front Q124 rear. (Not Q50.)

Mine have been rock solid, though I only use them for skis, not kayaks.