TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:23 pm

http://www.gowesty.com/images/ec/products/thumb/thumb_01e27ac8c3cdce68abb1c401caf178ff.jpg

Can someone tell me what tower those are in the picture that Gowesty sells? I thinking of getting close to that set up but I am going to seach on ebay first to save some money... Thnaks

Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:54 pm

That stuff is all Yakima.

Scour Craigslist. You can probably find the towers pretty cheap...You will probably NOT find them attached to the longer bars we need, or the pop-top adapters (artificial rain gutters)

**edit**

Call this dude. Quickly.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/car/742754501.html

Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:06 pm

yeah thanks but what kind of tower(specific model name or item # from Yakima) are those?
I am gonna need an extra half set for three bar set up...

Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:18 pm

I think they are 1A raingutter towers. Please let me know if I am wrong.

Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:27 pm

They are the 1A Hirise towers.

Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:28 pm

Yes, they are 1A towers.
Rack shops like www.racknroad.com usually have used ones for cheap if there is a store nearby.

Chris

Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:06 pm

1A towers and the 1A Highrise towers. (consists of a 3.5" spacer and a longer bolt)

The ones in the OP's photo are not highrisers, just ordinary 1As. Using the brackets you need for the gutterless pop-top, you can get away with not using the risers.

I installed the highrisers on my '85 about 15 years ago. The stock 1As are just not tall enough, but I think the 3.5" is too tall. Someday, I will experiment with cutting down the risers, seeing how low I can go. I wish I would have known that, I would have bought two risers instead of four....
(sorry for the photo of firewood, it's just the handiest photo of the highrisers in action I had. Please only refer to the top 25% of the following image.....)

Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:57 pm

kirsplat wrote: Yes, they are 1A towers.
Rack shops like www.racknroad.com usually have used ones for cheap if there is a store nearby.

Chris

Thanks, one is very close to where I live. I am gonna check it out

Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:11 pm

I use Thule model 300 Gutter Towers
http://tinyurl.com/6j8vpp

They use square crossbars, which I like better. My van is square.

the 300 is the LoRise model. It does not stick way up and look like a grasshopper.. but, I can only open the skylight half way with a surfboard on top..

Thule also makes a HiRise tower

Thule gutters use 2 bolts per plate, Yakima uses a cheaper looking stamped sheet metal, and 4 bolts.. overkill, and uglier

Here is a Thule install. Note the gutter is not visible, its bolts are hidden by the tower foot.

By contrast here is a bent Yakima

The bolts are below the gutter, and that means the bracket shows below the gutter tower when installed.

Yakima gutters are not as strong as Thule gutters. Even though Yaki gutters require twice as many holes in the top.

just opinionating :-)
Jonathan

Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:17 pm

Just ran across this on Craigs list

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/pts/743950211.html

Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:29 pm

can you use yak artificial rain gutters with thule roof rack?

Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:00 pm

So.. I got a thule 300 foot set in my hand now and ready to install. I would like to install it so that the bars are as close as possible to the pop top but not too close to creat problems adding future accessories that might go on the roof rack. What is the magic number? I don't mind if the top vent just crack opens. I am more concerned with not able to add on what ever accessories because bar is too close to the pop top.

Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:47 am

> I would like to install it so that the bars are as close as possible to the pop top

copy the gutter install in thule install photo I posted above, put the gutters as high as possible

the 300 tower is quite short, and if you dont maximise the install height, you wont be able to put a snowboard upside down on the rack without the bindings touching the roof.

congrats on your new rack