Input on cross bar mounting

[davis31052]

I'm gonna use these 1"x3" bars to span the factory roof rails on my 2015 Subaru Forester. These will hold my roof box as well as a mountain bike on each side. This is a per trip basis install and I will remove them after each trip.





At present, the only way I can see to mount them, without drilling and and using a blind riv-nut, is to use these unsightly u-bolts. Anybody got tips on a better looking install? Yeah, black paint would help a lot ;-)

 

[geekyadam]

Do the factory bars have any kind of track on the top or inside edge? Maybe you build use a tslot nut there to mount to them rather than ubolts.

 

[geekyadam]

Or just turn the ubolts upside down. That would look slightly better.

 

[davis31052]

The Subaru roof rails not have a slot in the back for a plate with a welded nut. I did that on my 4Runner and it worked great.
I also tried the u-bolts facing downward but the roof rail is a good bit narrower than the bars. Resulting in the plates bending due to a lack of support underneath. I suppose I could double up on the plates.

 

[trfkcop]

On a per trip basis and not permanent install, I don't think it will look as bad with everything loaded, paint them black if it really bothers you... You could drill through the tubing and run 1 "U" bolt up from the bottom, through your tubing with the nuts on top.