You are here: PriusChat Forums


Go Back   PriusChat Forums > Gen II (2004-2009) Toyota Prius Forums > Gen II Prius Main Forum
Connect with Facebook

This is a discussion on yakima rack within the Gen II Prius Main Forum forums, part of the Gen II (2004-2009) Toyota Prius Forums category; I'm considering a new prius and would need to install a Yakima roof rack. Is anyone using a Yakima Platinum ...


yakima rack

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 08-09-2006, 09:38 PM   #1
findlj
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 28
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

I'm considering a new prius and would need to install a Yakima roof rack. Is anyone using a Yakima Platinum or Blacktop cargo box on their Prius and, if so, could they fill me in on their experience. My main questions are...
1) How much weight is safe on the roof?
2) How does the car handle it loaded down, power wise?
3) How much is the gas mileage affected?
Thanks for your time.

findlj is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2006, 11:22 PM   #2
ivfarmboy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 107
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

If I can add - "What type Bike Racks do you use?" Any to stay away from?

Hope you don't mind me adding to your post. Thanks
ivfarmboy is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 12:23 AM   #3
joelparks
 
joelparks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Bedford, MA
Posts: 82
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(findlj @ Aug 9 2006, 09:38 PM) [snapback]300542[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
I'm considering a new prius and would need to install a Yakima roof rack. Is anyone using a Yakima Platinum or Blacktop cargo box on their Prius and, if so, could they fill me in on their experience. My main questions are...
1) How much weight is safe on the roof?
2) How does the car handle it loaded down, power wise?
3) How much is the gas mileage affected?
Thanks for your time.
[/b]
I guess Darell still has pictures here: http://www.darelldd.com/ev/prius_mods.htm

He was using a Yakima box first over Yakima racks and then he changed to Saris racks. But it looks like Saris is getting out of the rack business.

UPDATE: now Darell is using Yakima Landing Pads! Yup, he drilled the roof. I'm dying to do that to my car, anyone want to buy my Saris racks and kayak saddles? See http://www.darelldd.com/ev/prius_rack_pads.htm

The weight limit is advised by the box and rack mfgr. Any more than that and you're on your own, and do consider that if there's an "event" that causes failure, other people might be injured by loads coming loose off your roof.

Mileage hit will be noticeable at hiway spds but think how much better it still is than a regular car!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenFarmBoy @ Aug 9 2006, 11:22 PM) [snapback]300606[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
If I can add - "What type Bike Racks do you use?" Any to stay away from?

Hope you don't mind me adding to your post. Thanks
[/b]
I use a Yakima receiver hitch-mount in a Curt trailer hitch. The Saris racks I use for the Kayak, not bikes
__________________
... putting an American Flag on an SUV is like wearing a Budweiser hat to a MADD meeting ...
joelparks is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 12:38 AM   #4
joelparks
 
joelparks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Bedford, MA
Posts: 82
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

Oh yeah found this thread too:
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=14943
Darell and Bob talking about landing pads and rocket boxes and bikes and surfboards....
joelparks is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 09:58 AM   #5
eagle33199
Platinum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 4,283
My Car: 2006 Prius
Model:
Package: #7
Thanks: 35
Thanked 70 Times in 40 Posts
Friends: 3
Default

As a point of reference, i've put two 70 lb kayaks on my saris racks without a problem. I also took a fairly recent highway trip with one kayak on top (and the car loaded full of other stuff), and averaged in the upper 30's for the entire trip. At lower speeds, you don't notice much, if any, of a hit because air resistance isn't really that big of a deal.
eagle33199 is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 12:40 PM   #6
tochatihu
Senior Member
 
tochatihu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Kunming Yunnan China
Posts: 2,404
My Car: 2001 Prius
Model:
Package: Pioneer #1
Thanks: 1
Thanked 38 Times in 38 Posts
Friends: 14
Default

The Yakima rack based on their 'Q-towers' has a load rating of 200 lbs. When I put a bicycle atop that, the mpg reduction varies from undetectable below 40 mph to at least -15% at 60 mph. Go any faster and it gets worse even more steeply. I figure it costs me a couple of cents per mile to carry a bike this way.

One might hope that a smooth box near the roof would be more aero than a bicycle standing up, but I don't recall seeing any comparative data.
tochatihu is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 01:12 PM   #7
john1701a
Senior Member
 
john1701a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,372
My Car: 2010 Prius
Model: IV
Package: Solar Roof
Thanks: 9
Thanked 145 Times in 70 Posts
Friends: 12
Default

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tochatihu @ Aug 10 2006, 11:40 AM) [snapback]300877[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
The Yakima rack based on their 'Q-towers' has a load rating of 200 lbs. When I put a bicycle atop that, the mpg reduction varies from undetectable below 40 mph to at least -15% at 60 mph. Go any faster and it gets worse even more steeply. I figure it costs me a couple of cents per mile to carry a bike this way.
[/b]
Good timing! Details about that rack have been added to the USER-GUIDE just yesterday.

As for the bike MPG hit, I hope that's not true. Dragging the bikes against the wind (like a parachute) on back using a strap-on rack doesn't even cause a 15% hit.

Carrying a kayak is minimal. The hydrodynamic shape translates to aerodynamics surprisingly well, even at 70 MPH. A carrier should be minimal too.

john1701a is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 01:39 PM   #8
findlj
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 28
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

Greenfarmboy:
i've been using yakima products for about 13 years with no failures. I think they are great. Thule is also good, I have friends who're happy with their rack. Other friends have used Saris and Xsport with less favorable results
findlj is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 02:55 PM   #9
steved
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 15
My Car: 2006 Prius
Model:
Package: #4
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenFarmBoy @ Aug 9 2006, 09:22 PM) [snapback]300606[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
If I can add - "What type Bike Racks do you use?" Any to stay away from?

Hope you don't mind me adding to your post. Thanks
[/b]
Here is a post that I did earlier this summer about my experience and some tradeoff's between roof bike racks and receiver hitch bike racks: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...10&#entry277610

By the way, I have to admit that I did have the Yakima front cross bar slide back on the roof about 10" and then 1 side came off while driving to Moab in a strong headwind with 2 bikes on the roof. We were very fortunate that the rack and bikes never came off of the car, but it was scary. I had followed the installation measurements carefully and verified everything, but it still happened. After calling Yakima customer support they said that the width of the Prius roofline varies up to 1" between cars and so their installation measurements need to be adjusted for each car. I figured I would let some experts make the adjustments so I took the car to RackAttack and they tweaked the positions and I haven't had any problems since then.
__________________
2006 Classic Silver with Package 4
Yakima roof rack and Coastal 2" receiver hitch (best of both worlds!)
Denver, CO
steved is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2006, 04:54 PM   #10
ken_sturrock
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 13
My Car:
Model:
Package:
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Friends: 0
Default

We use the Yakima Q towers and rack system (see the avatar) to carry our tandem bicycle and our canoe. We haven't noticed any problems with carrying either one, but we also don't drive very far with them and try to drive less "aggressively".

A Prius hauling bicycles is a thing of beauty.

-Ken

ken_sturrock is offline  
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Reply
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Yakima rack problems findlj Gen II Prius Main Forum 0 08-28-2007 08:23 AM
Yakima roof rack question Bohous Gen II Prius Main Forum 17 08-23-2007 03:12 AM
Yakima Hitch Ski Rack jimmyrose Gen II Prius Main Forum 0 02-05-2007 09:15 PM
yakima roof rack findlj Gen II Prius Main Forum 2 08-21-2006 10:33 AM
Yakima Roof Rack marinjim Gen II Prius Modifications 5 04-05-2004 11:08 AM


Bookmarks

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:05 PM.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.3.1