Yakima - Q Tower for Roof Rack Systems, 4 Pack

They're expensive, but I have an older truck (2004 Tacoma) and the newer naked roof systems are not compatible. I was able to get the clips on ebay and the rest of the parts here on Amazon and saved a decent amount from the manufacturer cost. I got the 78" bars and cut them down to 76" so they don't extend past the rear view mirrors. I can haul two canoes or one canoe and two kayaks with ease. Very stable and wasn't too hard to install, but did take a little time and patience. Only real complaint is that the locks really should be included with these. Real price grab to make those an option, and an expensive one at that.

My new car doesn't have a roofrack, so I didn't have a lot of options. I was concerned that these towers wouldn't be sturdy enough to safely transport my 100lb boat, but they worked great. They were really easy to install (it is helpful to have someone help you put them together for the first time) and didn't require a lot of strength. I only had them on my car for a short trip, but there was absolutely no damage to my car's paint job.

my wife bought her first set about 10 years ago. I found it interesting that Yakima now recommends removing the rack system in between uses. I know we had to repaint my wife's truck because water got under the pads and caused the roof to start rusting. maybe her call to Yakima had more impact than just getting free upgraded replacements for the pads. One thing about installation of the entire rack system; follow the directions to the letter or it won't seat correctly and you run the risk of the rack coming off the car while moving.

My biggest fear in using an after-market roof rack was that it wouldn't be as sturdy as an OEM roof rack. I was wrong. We used the Q-Towers on a 1999 Toyota Rav4 (4-door) along with the Yakima 48' bars, Q32 clips, and two Yakima Raptor bike racks. We drove 250 miles each way on a camping trip including driving on dirt and gravel roads. Not once did we fear the bikes falling off using the yakima system. Pro's: -Very versatile - most likely we will buy a cargo box to mount on the rack. -Very strong - Having the roof rack on actually tightened the steering of our car. I assume this is because having the roof rack on stiffened the overall chassis of the car. -Out of sight out of mind. Having the bikes on the roof made it a much better driving experience in comparison to our old bike rack. With our old trailer hitch bike rack it partially blocked our view while driving and it was very distracting as it jiggled and wobbled while we drove. Moreover, there is no fear of getting pulled over because our bikes are blocking your tail lights and/or your license plate (which has happened to us). Con's: -Price, once you tally the clips, q-towers, and bars the cost is just under $300 retail on amazon. That doesn't even include buying the bike racks or locks with keys. In total you can rack up bill of over $600 that's a lot more in comparison to a $200 hitch mounted bike rack. -Without the locks and keys (which are sold separately) you can literately flip the clip open. I was afraid that during driving these clips would accidentally flip up when hitting a pot hole. So what I did for this trip was use zip ties to keep the clips in place and locked in. It work perfectly. However, going forward I'm purchasing the locks and keys. -When fully loaded (specially with bikes). The rack system acts like sail. It's not so bad on straight aways. However, you find yourself slowing down a bit around bends on the highway. I'm giving this product 4 stars because of the price associated with buying all the difference components. Yakima could at least package the locks with the q-towers. However, the product itself was 5 stars all the way.

Exact fit for my broken Q Tower