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Honda CR-V Roof Rack Questions

gc4autogc4auto Member Posts: 34
in Honda
I think i read the specs somewhere and it says that the roof rack xbars can only take ~75lb of pressure. Is that true and if it is what exactly does that mean? We can't put more than 75lbs worth of stuff on top?

Thanks in advance
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  • yankeefan2yankeefan2 Member Posts: 53
    Honda Roof Rack (CR-V)

    Honda SKU 08L02-SWA-100
    With the Honda CR-V Roof Rack, you can haul items on top of your vehicle safely and securely. It prevents damage to your vehicle's interior and frees up more space for your passengers. Numerous attachments are available for the roof rack to accommodate all your hauling needs.
    Extruded and Die Cast aluminum means long-lasting, sturdy construction.
    165 Pound Load Capacity easily installs into existing roof presets. Do NOT EXCEED the weight capacity of your roof rack - see your dealer for details.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    I think i read the specs somewhere and it says that the roof rack xbars can only take ~75lb of pressure. Is that true and if it is what exactly does that mean? We can't put more than 75lbs worth of stuff on top?

    Thanks in advance

    the 75 lbs limitation is not the limitation of the cross bars, but the vehicle limitation. Having weights in excess of 75 lbs up that high will make your vehicle too top heavy, which will make it more prone to roll over.

    Regardless of what roof rack you use, you should not exceed the limitations placed on the rooftop cargo carrying capacity.
  • gc4autogc4auto Member Posts: 34
    i see.. good point.

    it was actually 75kgs instead of lbs.. my bad.
  • bailey13bailey13 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know of a soft cargo carrier for the roof that will fit with the narrow cross bars of the '07 CRV? Most that I have found online are 25-38" long and the cross bars only have about 20" between them. It appears those won't fit this model. Any suggestions? We are going on a road trip shortly and need the extra space.
  • jeffreynmandyjeffreynmandy Member Posts: 2
    While the subject of roof racks are up, I was wondering does anyone have a whistling noise from their roof rack. We just bought a 2002 cr-v, and a couple of days later, it was whistling very loud from the wind. I looked in to it and seems elements do it too. My wife liked the look of the rack, so we put a sunroof visor on the sunroof, and it seems to have deflected the wind, because it stopped whistling. So if anyone has that problem, that worked for me.
  • coconut3coconut3 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2007 CRV (2litres, without sunroof type) and have the same whistling noise problem at speed above 70km/hr. I believe this model cannot fix with sunroof visor. Anyone has any suggestion how to solve this problem? Thanks..
  • expatcanuckexpatcanuck Member Posts: 4
    Greetings.
    Has anyone here put on (or had put on) a roof rack (Honda or Thule or Yakima) on the CR-V LX? I know that the EX has one, but I don't want the sunroof, and the $2K+ is better spent on other things.

    My short list now includes a CR-V and a Forester.

    All help welcome.

    Thanks.

    - Richard (who often drives a '99 Forester with skis or bikes attached)
    www.oldWithoutMoney.com
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    None of the 07/08 CR-V's come with a roof rack. You have to add them as an accessory, either from the dealer, or aftermarket, like Yakima or Thule.

    The problem I have with Honda's setup, is the lack of options for bar locations. There's a fixed position for both the front and rear bar, and it's the same, regardless of whether or not your model has a sunroof.

    If you have Yakima accessories, they have both clips (Q-tower) and landing pad (control tower) options. The clips would give you a longer bar spread, but the landing pads would fit into the existing Honda mounting points, avoiding paint issues, down the road.
  • coconut3coconut3 Member Posts: 4
    The roof rack I bought has a similar design shown in this webpage.

    http://www.handa-accessories.com/crv07.html

    Unfortunately due to the loud whistling wind noise, i decided to dismantle it and keep it in the store room.
  • dewaltdakotadewaltdakota Member Posts: 364
    I don't have a whistling noise issue with my Honda OEM rack. Maybe it's because I have the mooonroof visor, and it's giving the air just enough lift to clear the bar... :confuse:
  • coconut3coconut3 Member Posts: 4
    I agree with you.
  • toledo73toledo73 Member Posts: 174
    Wife got me the OEM rack from HANDA. No whistling issues. Can't say it was real fun to install the bolts. Took a lot of torque and patience.
  • coconut3coconut3 Member Posts: 4
    Interesting to know that you do not have whistling problem. I begin to experience the whistling noise at abt 80-90 km/hr.

    Cheers for your successful installation!
  • tedh1tedh1 Member Posts: 1
    Here is a fix for earlier year models but makes sense that it may help with the 07's too. Obviously, the part numbers listed may not be valid for an 07 and up. Click on the link to see the illustration that is in the article.

    From the January, 2006 Honda Service News:

    Jan 2006 Honda Service Newslink title

    Wind Noise From the Roof Rack

    NOTE: This article applies to ’02–04 CR-Vs, ’03–04
    Elements, ’99–04 Odysseys, and ’03–04 Pilots.

    If you’re installing an accessory bike rack or ski
    rack, you’ve got to remove the rubber inserts
    (strips) in the roof rack crossbars in order to install
    the rack mountings. But without those inserts, the
    open spaces left in the crossbars can make a
    rather nasty noise while driving. (It’s like blowing
    across the opening of a bottle or a flute.)
    To keep the roof rack quiet—and your service
    customer happy—cut the rubber inserts you
    removed into appropriate length pieces to fill in
    those open spaces. Give the pieces that would go
    under the rack mountings to your customer just in
    case he or she decides to remove the mountings
    later.
    If you need more rubber inserts, use this ordering
    info:
    Front Rubber Strip: P/N 75255-S3V-A01
    H/C 6866123
    Rear Rubber Strip: P/N 75265-S3V-A00
    H/C 6412530
  • bjgw66bjgw66 Member Posts: 16
    sounds like we have it figured out. the roof racks do make noise, they try to minimalize the wind resistance but there will always be some. the only other suggestion that I might make other than getting good at taking them off and putting them on; or getting a roof visor if you have an ex/ex-l/(se before 07). You could do what I did, go to the local "off road shop" or I think you may have luck at like a Gander MNT/Cabela's/Bass Proshop etc... they make metal racks that you can attach to a trailer hitch behind the CR-V works very well, hangs in the garage when not in use, and here is the real kicker!!!!! (you dont have to load any thing ON THE TOP of your CR-V.) the down side is that they dont hold as much, and they are kinda spendy.

    I know not everyone here will be happy to hear that I am an outdoorsman who happens to hunt and be fairly successful at it, but; the rack makes it very easy to take home you taken game. weather it is large game like deer, or a cooler full of smaller game like duck, phesant, grouse. The usefull ness of these such racks in the upper Mid-West is a huge advantage. you even see elderly folk with them on the back of Park Aves w/ wheel chairs strapped on them!
  • hockeyfoolhockeyfool Member Posts: 30
    Just installed a Yakima rack (Control towers with No. 10 pads) to the factory brackets on my CRV. Thought I would share what I've learned:

    I went with the Yakima instead of the factory rack because I already have several Yakima attachments (bike rack, ski rack, snow board rack) so it only made sense. Also, by using the Control Towers you can very easily remove and reinstall the cross bars and towers which clip into a base that stays on the roof. Also, you can buy the Yakima at www.orsracks.com for less than the factory rack - do a quick search and you can also find 10% off coupon codes for orsracks.

    The Yakima fit guide recommends 48" cross bars. I used 58" bars since I already had them. I am glad that I did. It allows me to install a bike rack to the outboard side of the towers and leaves plenty of room for other attachments on top/centered on the roof. The ends of the 58" bars don't extend out past the edge of the vehicle, so aren't in my way entering/exiting or walking by. Of coarse I'm only 5'7". If you are 6', you may have a different opinion on this.

    Install - Relatively easy to install, but takes some time - about an hour + on a cold morning. The hardest part is threading on nuts to factory bolts (Hidden under the plastic trim that runs along the edges of the roof) - need to thread the bolts on then off, on then off over and over to remove the paint covering the threads.

    Rack looks very sharp - looks better than oem in my opinion.

    Noise: All racks make some noise, its the nature of the beast. I've had several racks on several different vehicles and this installation is the quietest so far. I've taken it on the highway a couple times and am very pleased with how quiet it is - I honestly can't tell a difference. To be fair though, I did install two of the miniature teardrop type fairings (don't remember name) that clip right to the cross bar ($16 each). This helps prevent the "whistling" noise that is common with Yak racks.

    Ease of use: Like all SUVs, its a reach to put items on top - not as bad as my old trooper where I had to stand on the tires to use, but not as easy as my old civic or corrolla. Still, while standing on the door sill, its not too bad.

    Problems: One problem I found is that since the factory attachment points are relatively close together AND towards the back of the vehicle, it limits your ability to put long items on top without blocking access to the rear hatch. I have an 8' surfboard that I put on top and no way can I open the hatch with out hitting the surfboard. I also noticed that the bike rack works fine, but there is only about 2" from the end of the rail to to the open hatch - could be a problem for those with longer bikes. Granted, all this can be overcome by either not using the rear hatch when loaded, or removing items before opening.

    Also, I have a sears Xcargo roof box that we use and I'm concerned that it may not fit correctly - it requires the cross rails to be a certain distance apart and with fixed cross bar locations I may be out of luck. Will find out the next time we go camping.

    Plenty of room for skis/bindings in between cross bars.

    I religiously track my mpg which has been averaging about 24mpg in mixed driving. Will let you know how much impact there is with the rack on.

    I know this is long and not very organized, but thought would be helpful for anyone looking to purchase/install a rack.
  • kyle1624kyle1624 Member Posts: 1
    I had a similar case wherein the noise sounded like panpipes. I tried removing most of the black rubber strip to minimize the annoying sound since the vehicle have a wide attachments to the front load bar. Now the roof rack on my SUV serves its intended purpose.
  • stevegiostevegio Member Posts: 11
    the cr-v has higher stance then a forrester lets say
    a roof rack raises the center of gravity and makes it (more) prone to tipping
    i would not do it
  • pinibopinibo Member Posts: 14
    "...and makes it (more) prone to tipping
    i would not do it"

    You are kidding, right?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    You are kidding, right?

    Actually, it's true. A roofrack with load will indeed raise the center of gravity and make the vehicle more prone to tipping. But the real question is "by how much?" A typical load of about 160 lbs will raise the center of gravity by about 1.5 inches which means that instead of rolling over at a tilt of 40° you'll roll at 39.85°. Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • stevegiostevegio Member Posts: 11
    no, i am not kidding. the higher ground clearance (than a subaru lets say) and shorter / narrower wheelbase (as opposed to a bigger suv or van) makes it more prone to rollover - albeit as was pointed out you would have to take a turn pretty fast to rollover but it is possible on these cars.
  • stevegiostevegio Member Posts: 11
    funny - they warn against it in my owners manual
  • pinibopinibo Member Posts: 14
    "A roofrack with load will indeed raise the center of gravity and make the vehicle more prone to tipping."

    If the roof rack is loaded to the point of having the cross bars bending, I might buy this, but that "...a roof rack raises the center of gravity and makes it (more) prone to tipping... ", I kind of doubt it very much and dealers would not install. My .02¢ ;)
  • pinibopinibo Member Posts: 14
    stevegio, are you saying that they warn against installing a roof rack?

    Some people install or have it installed by he dealer for the looks alone. I love the look of it and would personally never carry anything on it. And it is an available accessory by Honda. ;))
  • stevegiostevegio Member Posts: 11
    the warning is "when using the roof rack you are more prone to tipping"
    can get you the page # if you want.
  • pinibopinibo Member Posts: 14
    "when using the roof rack..."

    So, I assume it is safe to add a roof rack and not use it, right? ;))

    All in good jest, stevegio. No disrespect meant.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "A typical load of about 160 lbs will raise the center of gravity by about 1.5 inches which means that instead of rolling over at a tilt of 40° you'll roll at 39.85°. Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned. "

    What is the weight limit for the Gen 3? I seem to recall that Honda allowed only around 75 lbs on the roof rack for the Gen 2.
  • droy224droy224 Member Posts: 3
    I purchased an aftermarket roof rack online (eBay, I think) made for the CR-V. It was about $135, and you can get a Honda one at hondapartsdeals.com for about $205. It was VERY easy to install. I have the Yakima kayak attachments for it. You have to also buy the Yakima universal mounts/clips to make any of their parts work, though.
  • libertybell75libertybell75 Member Posts: 1
    We just installed a Honda roof rack on our CRV for a trip to Florida. How do you use this thing. No side rails. Cross rails do not move and how do you tie things without them sliding off the sides? It looks like they make it so you must buy the basket for $700.. Talked to the dealer - no help they don't know either. Thanks
  • markk1markk1 Member Posts: 30
    I am purchasing a new CRV and would like a roof rack, probably the Honda one. Is it easy to install or do I need the dealer to install it? I plan on using it for skis only. Will it be easy to uninstall and reinstall each year? I read something about needing to remove the paint covering the threads. is that a one time activity?
  • mkimelmkimel Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 Honda CR-V. I have the dealer installed roof rack. I am having trouble with the cross rails...are they adjustable? I took the the thing apart and unless I'm missing something the cross rails appear to be fixed. This doesn't help me because my car top carrier doesn't fit where the cross rails are.

    Can someone help? Are the cross rails adjustable and if so, can you tell me how I adjust them?

    Thanks in advance.
  • wallementwallement Member Posts: 17
    Cross rails are not adjustable on my 2010. I assume the 2009 is the same way. Kinda goofy, I think, but thats the way it works.
  • motoguy128motoguy128 Member Posts: 146
    I think there may be some aftermarket cross bars that may be adjustable.

    although, normally I think the better car top carriers are usually adjustable or corss bar position.
  • baydrivebaydrive Member Posts: 48
    I have read all the posts in this forum and I am still confused about the roof rack. I am buying a 2010 CR-V LX. I was originally going to have the dealership install the crossbars. When I found out that the crossbars only support 75 pounds, I decided to not have the Honda crossbars and to look at Thule. The Thule crossbars (for the CR-V) will hold 150 pounds. Since I use a rooftop carrier a few times a year, I need this accessory.

    I have a few questions. I know that the Honda rails can only hold 75 pounds, can the roof itself support about 150 pounds? I am a bit handy, would I be able to install the Thule crossbars myself or should I have a professional do it? Does the radio antenna on the roof of the 2010 (third generation CR-V) unscrew? My rooftop carrier is a hard shell and I believe it would extend into the antenna space.

    Any feedback would be appreciated.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    The main reason Honda advises 75 lbs capacity is the way weight this high up changes the dynamics of the vehicle. Being that this is a sue happy sciciety and people are not willing to accept consequences of their own actions, any roll over resulting from the changed vehicle dynamics will most likely land Honda in court. Which they don't want to happen.

    I believe the actual roof weight limit is about 5000 lbs, which exceeds the total vehicle capacity, but is required by the DOT for roll over protection.

    So, if you load up more than 75 lbs on the roof, and roll over, don't expect neither Honda, nor your insurance to pay up, since you have exceeded the recommended capacity.

    Good luck.
  • rocket12rocket12 Member Posts: 5
    Just installed a Yakima system (Control Tower and Landing Pad #10 only to find that our snowboards do not fit due to the short distance between the bars (front to back). I have all the Yakima attachments from other car set ups. Does anyone know whether there is an alternative to the Control Tower? I can't tell from their site whether the QTower system will work, which would allow me to spread the distance further apart. With the Control Tower system it is obvious that the BOA bike rack won't work, and strapping my 16' canoe or 18' sea kayak will be sketchy. Any comments and suggestions welcome.
  • rocket12rocket12 Member Posts: 5
    Would you have considered the QTowers with QClips for door mount? This set up appears to give the flexibility to spread out the bar distance to accomodate longer items, including snowboards.
  • offroadjoffroadj Member Posts: 2
    "I went with the Yakima instead of the factory rack because I already have several Yakima attachments (bike rack, ski rack, snow board rack) so it only made sense."

    i'm actually looking for a good rack for our snowboards. was gonna go with rei's till I found your link to orsracksdirect. we're trying to decide between thule (the 91726 universal pull top) or yakima for our boards (w/ the bindings). also regarding the talk about tipping over from the center of gravity changing, that's the first i ever heard of that before. i would think you'd have to be driving somewhat recklessly with a lot of weight up top for that matter.
  • richard127richard127 Member Posts: 3
    When adding Yakima towers and landing pads to CRV, do the pads fill in the void in the roof caused by removing the plastic trim strips? If not, do the voids fill with rain water, etc?
  • richard127richard127 Member Posts: 3
    Once roof trim is removed to install the landing pads, does the Yakima base fill the void in the roof left after removing the trim? The factory rack does cover the opening.
  • rocket12rocket12 Member Posts: 5
    Installing Yakima mounts (assume so with Thule as well) into the CRV mounting units, the Yakima system has a gasket or boot that covers the void where the mounting bolts are located. It is really slick and no water should get in there. PS- I ended up not installing the Yakima towers on the CRV mounts because the distance between the bars was too short for hauling boats, etc. By using the QTowers, I have gained 5 inches spread. Good luck.
  • killgoretroutkillgoretrout Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2010
    I have a Yakima system on my 2003 CR-V. Will the Control Towers fit on a 2010 CR-V?
  • richard127richard127 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks. Do you have any problems with rack deforming rubber window seals or scratching roof.
  • rocket12rocket12 Member Posts: 5
    To date, I have not experienced any problems with the rubber seals. I take extra care with installing the rack each time to minimize the chance of scratches. The Yakima mounting clips come with some protective tape which protects the vehicle paint. I will say that I only put the rack unit on the vehicle when needed. This eliminates the road noise when not in use for everyday driving. Good luck.
  • basspro76basspro76 Member Posts: 1
    Just installed a roof rack on a 2005 CRV for my canoe, which of course is jjjjjuuustt a hair to wide. It overhangs the edge of the rack by about a half of an inch. My question is are their are options for me to extend the roof rack? If not, do you guys think that if I use two ratcheting straps over the top of the canoe and also use a ratcheting tie down that connects from the front bumper to the back, will that be enough to hold it on a long trip?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    First off, I tie my canoes down front and rear (and side to side). Think rear-ending someone and having the canoe fly forward.

    I wouldn't try to haul the boat with your current set-up. I'd kludge up a wider rack somehow. I have 1x4's attached to the round bars on my Yakima rack for example, because I like a flat surface to rest the gunwales on.

    I think you'd want an inch or so on either side of the gunwale since the straps or ropes may stretch as you cruise down the road, and it's no fun when a canoe slips over the edge and bangs the side of the car (happened to me decades ago when a cheap rack failed).
  • rocket12rocket12 Member Posts: 5
    I totally agree with Steve. You should invest in wider bars indeed, and I'll bet you can sell you short bars pretty easily. I use the round Yakima bars and have not experienced problems at all with straps from side to side and front and back. I have used the trick of using the foam canoe blocks as padding when loading on my Yakima. This allows me to tie down the canoe with some force, and it also eliminates any shifting at high speeds. It works for me. Good luck.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    My Yakima bars are 78" wide. That lets me tote one canoe over the passenger side of the car and increases the visibility for the driver. And you can carry two canoes side by side (handy for running shuttle).

    But those long bars are dangerous when you forget they are up there and you get out of the car (I'm not that tall and I just miss them on my minivan but on a shorter car, ouch!).

    Even well tied down, it's a good idea to check your ropes and straps every hour or so and readjust as needed.
  • greenmmgreenmm Member Posts: 1
    I noticed that all the roof racks for the 2010 CRV are two bars that go across the roof. Is there any rack available which also includes side rails that run post to post? My SX4 has raised side rails and cross bars allowing for 4 points of attachment. I'd like to replicate this with my 2010 CRV. Any kits out there? Thanks for any advice.
  • lch77lch77 Member Posts: 53
    1. There has been a bit of confusion in this thread regarding the weight capacity of the OEM Crossbars. There might have been a typo somewhere, but Honda's literature says 75 kg max. which converts to about 165 lb.

    2. Would someone be kind enough to advise the thickness of the Crossbar for the 2007 through 2011 CR-V? I have an INNO INA940 rack that will accomodate a thickness from 0.6" to 1.2" or if I use their extended Screws, 1" to 2."
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