Motoring Discussion > Roof bars question Accessories and Parts
Thread Author: Hard Cheese Replies: 12
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 11:15 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

Hi All,

Can / should I use "U" bolts to fit a roof box to aluminium roof bars, I know I can with steel bars though I am concerned about damaging the aluminium bars?

Thanks.
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 11:33 
 Roof bars question - Old Navy
I would think that if you tighten them enough to be safe the bars will be crush damaged unless the clamps are wide.

You may need something like this:-

tinyurl.com/33mw9ch
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 14 Jul 10 at 11:35
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 11:47 
 Roof bars question - FotheringtonTomas
He could use two nuts tightened together on the "U" bolts - 4 nuts per "U" bolt, and not crimp the bars. OTOH there's probably something "proper" available.
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 11:56 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

Thanks.

I have done a lot of Googling and searching on Halfords and relevant roof bar / box manufacturers sites and I cannot find anything that says not to use U bolts with aluminium bars.

The issue is that the Thule steel bars I have for one car are too short for the other car and I would like to get the aluminium bars this time around.


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New Wed 14 Jul 10 12:24 
 Roof bars question - Zero
Dont the makers of the bars - thule? - make a recomendation or provide a solution?

why the choice of aluminium bars anyway?
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 12:30 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

I need different "Fixpoints" and a fitting kit for the Focus than the Mondeo, I was hoping to use the same bars though they are too short so I actually need a whole new set.

Aluminium ones look better, are lighter and apparently produce less road noise when no box is fitted.



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New Wed 14 Jul 10 13:10 
 Roof bars question - henry k
>>The issue is that the Thule steel bars I have for one car are too short for the other car and I would like to get the aluminium bars this time around.

>>I need different "Fixpoints" and a fitting kit for the Focus than the Mondeo, I was hoping to use the same bars though they are too short so I actually need a whole new set.

When I recently researched Thule bars I found that there were about 4/5 different length
bars only.
I bought my Thule bars on Fleabay for Five pounds.
IMO worth looking as the potential savings are very large.

>>>>why the choice of aluminium bars anyway?
>>Aluminium ones look better, are lighter and apparently produce less road noise when no box is fitted.
IIRC there are also locks available for them.

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New Wed 14 Jul 10 12:51 
 Roof bars question - Old Navy
>> Dont the makers of the bars - thule? - make a recomendation or provide a
>> solution?

Yes they do, it is a fitting that slides into a slot along the top of the bar.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 14 Jul 10 at 12:51
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New Wed 14 Jul 10 13:14 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

>>
>> Yes they do, it is a fitting that slides into a slot along the top
>> of the bar.
>>

That depends on the design of the roof box:


I have found this quote:

"You can use the U bolts on aerobars but they'll be scratched"
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New Thu 15 Jul 10 22:35 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

Bought some, Atera, German, rather than being modular like Thule they are designed to fit the car so easier to fit and I can keep my Thule ones made up to fit the Mondeo.

The aluminium bars are very solid, there is no way that they will be crushed by the U bolts.

And the complete set cost less than a new set of feet and a fitting kit for my existing Thule steel bars.

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New Thu 15 Jul 10 22:40 
 Roof bars question - Baz
I have found that foam pipe insulation protects them well, or if not, wrapping the fixing area with thick insulating tape.
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New Sat 21 Aug 10 09:25 
 Roof bars question - Hard Cheese

Just removed the roof bars after the summer hols etc which remined me to say that I can highly recommend the Atera roof bars, well made and fairly quiet, also very solid so no way that the roof box clamps can squash the bars as I feared.

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New Tue 7 Sep 10 16:16 
 Roof bars question - NeilS
Cheddar, thanks for this, I was contemplating buying the adaptors for my Thule aero bars rather than use my old U clamps but having you confirm no problem I went ahead and stuck with them.

Just got back from 10 days, 1000 miles and no damage to the bars. The bottom of each clamp has a very slight curve to it that wasn't there before due no doubt to over tightening on my part.
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