Roof Rack Whistle Noise

[flysurfer]

My LR3 has Land Rover roof rack but it makes whistle noise, which gets louder when I go faster.

Is it just mine or others hear the same noise from roof rack?

- Brian from DE

 

[davez26]

Air rushing noise is normal, but I had a whistle type sound @ one point. I found that the fiberglass fairing covers or whatever about half way back were loose and rattling. I suppose that somehow air would get behind them and whistle. I put a dab of silicone behind them and clamped until dry. The rack is a little quieter now.
Check for sharp edges anywhere along the airstreram as well. You can eliminate stuff by putting tape over a likely suspect and drive it. If it goes away, take it off, if it comes back, smooth the edge into a contour.

After a couple answers from others, I realized the gentleman has cross bars. Oh well, the above will work for Expedition Racks and I will keep it here for future searches.

 

[JackMac]

Here is a fix for the roof rail noise: http://www.landroverworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3554&highlight=velcro

 

[flysurfer]

Oh, man! It's amazing that little thing like Velcro can fix the noise that bothered the heck out of me. It totally worked! Thanks a lot. - Brian from DE

 

[toddjb122]

My LR3 has Land Rover roof rack but it makes whistle noise, which gets louder when I go faster.

Is it just mine or others hear the same noise from roof rack?

- Brian from DE

So here's a question, does anyone NOT get the whistle noise?

I don't get any whistling, but, since I installed the factory roof racks the day I picked up my vehicle, I have never driven w/o them. There is definitely no whistle. I wasn't sure if the velcro would help get rid of any other noise I may have gotten used to. ?

I'm asking because I'm getting ready to buy one of those cargo boxes for the roof and wondered if the velcro would help with any extra noise created by that thing. Don't know why it would, but....

 

[AlpharettaRK]

No whistle here, but I've only ever had my cross bars in place with a snowboard carrier attached, so I can't say that's a good test

 

[flysurfer]

You guys are lucky not to have that whistle noise. When I had a Thule box up there, it was making whistle + wind noise, which drove me crazy. Now, with Velcro, it's gone (I heard it one time but that was it.) - Brian from DE

 

[toddjb122]

I wonder if it has something to do with where you have the bars mounted. (you can slide them around a bit). Same car, same bars...seems that everyone should either have it or not have it....unless slight manufacturing variances in the bars cause this. ?

Either way, that velcro fix is easy and ingenious and may make it easier to slide boats on and off the roof. (That rubber center strip grabs a little too much for my taste, but I know that's why its there...)

 

[GTL408]

Mounting location should make a difference. For those folks not having the whistle issue, perhaps they can chime in to tell us at which position they have their bars mounted? I had the whistle problem and ended up taking off the bars to put in storage until they're need, but definitely would like to just leave them on the car.

I wonder if it has something to do with where you have the bars mounted. (you can slide them around a bit). Same car, same bars...seems that everyone should either have it or not have it....unless slight manufacturing variances in the bars cause this. ?

Either way, that velcro fix is easy and ingenious and may make it easier to slide boats on and off the roof. (That rubber center strip grabs a little too much for my taste, but I know that's why its there...)