Yakima or Thule Box

[bromhead]

What is the longest yakima or thule box you can put on top of a lr4 before it interferes with the rear hatch? Any preference on mounting set ups? Thule or Yakima, aeroblade/whisperbar, standard, LR OEM, etc

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[toddjb122]

I have the Yakima SkyBox 18 Roof Box on my LR3 (which only has the short rails) and it fits great. Seems to cover the entire length of the LR3/LR4 roof, that hatch can open just fine, and I have a ton of space.

I've been very happy with the build quality of the box and how easily and securely it latches when I cram it full of gear. It really is a nice design. It is also easy to get on and off the car. It's a 2 person job...but I have done it myself in a pinch.

It looks like they make a SkyBox 21, now. You'll have to compare the dimensions, but I like the look of the 18 on the car. Holds a ton, it is very wide, but it doesn't sit up real high and square like some boxes do. The 18 has sleek lines which go well with the car, IMO.

One comment is I have the black box, which I'd get again because I like the look better...but that thing gets hot in the summer. If you got the silver version or newer titanium (dark gray) you'd probably do a better job of not baking your gear. Doesn't seem to be an issue when driving and there is a lot of airflow, but may come into play if you have it parked in the summer sun for extended periods....

 

[bromhead]

cool, thanks for the response

 

[DonMitsu]

We have the 18cu ft Thule and have used it for several years. It was less expensive than the Yakima and has worked great for us

 

[bromhead]

Does anyone have any comments about the roof rack options out there?
LR OEM vs Thule v Yakima. Thanks

 

[bromhead]

oh, and do the longer boxes interfere with satnav or sat radio?

 

[goblue95]

I use an older Thule Cascade box (15 cu ft) with the LR OEM roof racks and they work great together. The only issue I've had (which would be true of any setup on this car) is that it can be difficult to get up high enough to easily access the contents of the roof box, since the LR4 is a tall vehicle and the roof racks add a few more inches to the height.

I bought a folding platform (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200419263_200419263) that I take w/ me when I use the roof box for easier access. It can still be done w/o that, but I find that easier for loading and unloading.

 

[mateored]

Find my post in another thread about my roof boxes. I won't repeat the whole thing, but I have an old Packasport fiberglass box which is heavy and sturdy, but not that big. We bought a slightly used Yakima SkyBox Pro 21 last year which exploded driving home from skiing this winter. However, it appears that this may have been due to (1) me storing it in my garage resting on its end, which can deform the shape of the box, and (2) the old latch and hinge design, which was poor. The new ones are better, and I will probably buy another one this summer (and hang it properly in my garage). I don't think the Thule and Yakima boxes are very different.

If you don't mind a heavy, smaller, more expensive box, get a Packasport!

Neither box interferes with the rear hatch or the sat/nav.

 

[toddjb122]

I do not have Sirius, but I have no issues with the GPS map and my SkyBox 18.

The new latch mechanism on the Yakimas is pretty foolproof. You can't close the latch if all the clasps don't engage, and you can't take the key out either. I tied a big red "remove before flight" banner to my key so I don't drive off and forget it there. I actually did have the older model blow up on me once...but...ummm...that's cuz I drove of with it open. Luckily REI takes EVERYTHING back!

And I never had issues accessing the box. Just stand on your rear tire! You can put a hand on your roof rack to pull you up onto the tire.

 

[mateored]

My SkyBox had the same "foolproof" latches where you can't take the key out until all of the clasps engaged. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the design of the clasps was not robust enough to withstand high air pressure inside the box that occurs at highway speeds if there is an air leak. The air leak is caused by a slight deformity in the shape of the shell. The theory is that if you store the box incorrectly for a long time, it will warp the upper half of the clamshell so that it does not form a perfect seal with the bottom half. Result = BOOM!

According to Yakima, the new latches are stronger. Even so, I would plan on wrapping a ratcheting nylon flat strap around the box (not too tight!) before taking it on the freeway. We were lucky there were no cars behind us or there could have been a serious accident.