A Thule roof rack is a good place to start when looking for a way to carry your gear for your active life. With roof boxes and different types of carriers, you can carry everything from bikes to skis to kayaks.
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What Can I Use A Thule Cargo Box For?
You need a roof rack if you want to carry things on your car roof. There are many different types of roof racks available, but Thule offers the safest and easiest solutions for most cars.
Enter your car brand, model, and year on the website and you will be shown the right roof rack for your vehicle. A roof rack is used by people who need extra space for things such as bikes, kayaks, surfboards, etc.
Roof racks are compatible with:
- Roof boxes – More space for your stuff
- Bike carriers – Mount bikes quickly for easy transportation
- Water sport racks – Kayaks, surfboards, SUP boards
- Winter sport racks – skis and snowboards
How To Choose A Good Roof Rack
Roof racks should be compact, lightweight, and easy to install. A sleek design is important for maximizing cargo space. A roof rack helps keep your luggage safe by preventing it from falling off the vehicle.
The best choice in a roof rack is one that looks good with the rest of the car and doesn’t detract too much from the style of the vehicle. If you are unsure about which rack would work best with your car, consider asking someone in store to help you choose the perfect roof rack.
A roof rack is also an excellent option for vehicles with short hoods or tight spaces. You want something sturdy here; don’t pick up a cheap rack because it might not fit well.
Can I Mount My Bike Directly Onto The Roof Rack?
Yes! Most roof attachments have loops designed specifically for attaching a bicycle carrier to them. Some roof racks use a separate bar clamp that attaches to the top tube of the frame of the bike.
Others make use of existing factory bracket holes in the handlebars. These brackets simply connect to the bars and then hook onto the roof rack attachment loop.
Why Buy A Thule Cargo Box Rather Than Just Carrying It Directly Inside The Trunk?
- Roof racks tend to be more secure than mounting your gear into the trunk or hatchback. When you load items into the back seat, they often slide around and are hard to grab. This leads to dropped bags, broken straps, and other hazards.
- It’s easier to remove your bike from your car roof than it is to pull it out through the rear window. That makes climbing into the car and walking away significantly easier.
- Roof racks tend to carry better than trunks and even hatchbacks, while still being light enough to move between vehicles easily.
- When parking near loading docks, the only place for you to park your car would be at the front door. If there isn’t room for your bike in the cargo area, this means having to lift the entire thing up to drive away. By contrast, removing your bike from the roof is fast and simple.
- When shopping for accessories like lights or fenders, you’ll find it easier to try the item on your new roof rack first instead of unboxing the accessory and trying to find somewhere to put it before putting your new bike together.
If you’re ready to take advantage of all these benefits and you want a durable and stylish solution, go for it! However, remember that no matter how high quality your rooftop system may be, you can never be 100% sure of its safety.
Always check your owner’s manual (or ask the person checking you out in the dealership) for any manufacturer-specific installation instructions, and always wear proper protective equipment when connecting or disconnecting the parts.
And lastly, if you are concerned about safety, we recommend using our “Thule Safety First” policy against any potentially unsafe designs.
How To Install A Thule Cargo Box
After picking up a new roof rack, you need to prepare your vehicle for installation. Be sure you have working tail lights, turn signals, brake lights, hazard flashers, horn, and windshield wipers installed properly. Also test your car battery and ensure everything works as expected.
Make sure the vehicle has been driven recently enough so that the chassis will fit securely in the rack, but not so much that the body flexes. Remove all objects from the passenger compartment, such as packages, purses, hats, etc.
After moving around the vehicle to get a feel for how heavy the load is going to be, adjust the height of the roof rack to find the position that allows you to comfortably reach over and open the door handles without straining.
Most important, read and follow the instructions that came with your roof rack. The easiest way to make sure this happens is to write down the exact date and location where you got your roof rack.
If you need to also know the maximum speed you can go while having a Thule cargo box attached to your car you can check it here.
Remember, things can get lost, damaged, stolen, or misplaced—so if something goes wrong, please take good notes.
Step 1: Locate The Mount
The first step in installing a roof rack involves locating the mount that will hold the roof rack itself. You’ll notice two mounting points located at each end of the crossbars.
These mounts feature threaded holes which accept an adjustable clamp or locking pin.
Some examples of typical locations include:
- Front passenger side: Underneath dash by center console
- Rear passenger: Inside rear quarter panel
- Front driver: At floor level of storage box
Step 2: Determine The Ideal Location
If you decided to install your roof rack on your rear passenger side, for example, you should decide whether you plan to use the extra space to store items such as bags or other smaller items.
Once you’ve determined what you’d like to store, mark the location on the side of the vehicle for easy reference later.
Step 3: Attach The Crossbar Clamps
Once you’ve marked the ideal location for your roof rack, remove unnecessary items from inside the vehicle, and use the included clamps to connect the crossbars to the mounts.
Depending on the specific model, some roof racks require you to loosen one end of the bar, flip it upside down, and tighten the opposite end. Others offer a self-tightening design.
Step 4: Install The Roof Rack
After completing the last connection between crossbars and mounts, the final thing to do is put the whole thing together. To do this, simply line up the crossbars and make sure they’re perpendicular to one another and parallel to the ground.
Next, lower the roof rack into place and make sure it stays snug against the vehicle. If you ever need to adjust the height of the roof rack, it will be easiest to do so while your car is parked.
Installing a roof rack takes patience because you want to ensure everything lines up perfectly before driving away. But once you get everything attached correctly, you can move on to the next step of tying your roof rack down securely.
Fortunately, there are many different ways in which you can do so, ranging from simple tie-downs to custom brackets that double as extra cargo space.
Conclusion
Thule cargo boxes provide an easy and versatile solution for transporting your items around.
There are dozens upon dozens of different roof rack options out there today, but Thule promises to deliver a high level of performance without the hassle of having to buy multiple pieces of equipment.
Having said that, with all these features someone might ask if Thule cargo boxes are universal.
Anyways, always read the instructions carefully when installing any type of roof rack so you can get the best use out of your new product.
