How Do You Assemble the Yakima Universal MightyMounts

Updated 09/14/2026 | Published 11/15/2016

Question:

I have a Yakima Raptor Aero that was mounted to my truck with round crossbars. I have switched vehicles to an 06 Kia Sorento with factory crossbars. According to fitment charts, these should mount to my cross bars and I can see how that works. What I cant tell in the pictures is how you tighten the carriage bolts that come down through the middle of the mounts. If you use carriage bolts that run down the bike tires mounting track or the holes in the mounting plate for frame support part, how do you access the nut? Im sure it would be instantly clear to me if I was holding one but I hate not knowing BEFORE I buy. Sorry I dont know the proper names for the bicycle rack pieces!!! and hope my question is clear enough.

asked by: Ken B

Expert Reply:

If you have the Yakima Raptor Aero Y02093 then that bike rack already comes with feet that mount to factory bars. The original Raptor only fit the round bars so if you have the original Raptor then MightyMounts # Y03590 can be used.

The MightyMounts are 2 pieces, a top and a bottom and the hardware. The nut that the bolts thread into is located inside of the top piece above the pad part that fits in the top piece. What you would do is lay the bike rack on its side, push the bolt through the bike rack and into the top piece of the MightyMount, tighten it, and put the pad in place.

Take a look at the picture I have included that shows all the individual pieces broken down. That should make it more clear. I have also included a link to the instructions.

expert reply by: Michael H

click to enlarge

Harold

2/5/2020

HiI was wondering if the universal mighty mounts can be used to mount a Yakima basket case using my factory crossbars on my 2020 Mazda CX-9?

Jason S.

2/7/2020

Universal MightyMounts for Yakima Roof Mounted Accessories # Y03590 will fit factory crossbars as long as they aren't over 4" wide or 1-1/2" tall. This was a fit for the discontinued Yakima Basketcase. The newer Yakima baskets are designed to directly fit the factory crossbars.

Howard H.

9/13/2026

Hi, I’m trying to use the Yakima universal mighty mount on aftermarket crossbars with a Yakima rocket box 16. The fitment guide explains how to use it for a variety of products, including snow, basket case, wheel forks, water bikes, and upright bikes in great detail, but does not mention anything about roof box applications like the rocket box. Your photograph above was very helpful and I have each one of the clamps assembled. What I can’t tell is whether I need a spacer to do that and if I only have one bolt that would pass into the rocket box. The older hardware from my Ford expedition with factory crossbars used two bolts in a front and back configuration. I have all the pieces and I just can’t figure out how they go together. Help! Thanks in advance for any clarity you can provide. Howard

Christopher H.

9/14/2026

@HowardH Since there isn't any information available about using the Yakima Universal MightyMounts # Y03590 specifically with cargo boxes, I reached out to Yakima directly for clarification. Unfortunately, they confirmed that the # Y03590 MightyMounts are not designed for use with Yakima cargo boxes. There have been several different versions of the Yakima RocketBox over the years, each using different mounting hardware. If you can send me a few photos showing the mounting hardware and mounting points inside your RocketBox, I'd be happy to help identify which version you have and see what options are available for mounting it to your aftermarket crossbars. Please email the photos to [email protected]. Do you still have the original mounting hardware that came with your RocketBox?