Rhino-Rack Vortex Roof Rack for Raised Rails - Aluminum - Black - Qty 2
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2004 Pontiac Aztek
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2004 Pontiac Aztek
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These full-length aluminum crossbars are built to handle heavy loads like kayaks, canoes, or a packed cargo box. Each bar measures 49" long x 3-1/8" wide x 1-3/16" tall, giving you plenty of space to spread out your gear. With a 165-lb weight capacity, you can haul what you need for camping trips, paddling days, or long road adventures without stressing the setup.
Roof racks can sometimes hum or whistle on the highway. The aero-style Vortex crossbars use rubberized strips in the top channels to cut down wind drag and noise so your drive feels smoother and quieter. You don’t have to crank up the music just to drown out airflow over the bars—the design keeps things calm even at speed.
Whatever adventure comes next, these bars are ready. The top channels and rounded shape accept both channel-mount and clamp-on accessories, so you can switch between kayak carriers, ski holders, bike racks, or a rooftop box as needed. They’re compatible with most bike, watersport, snow, and cargo carriers, giving you one setup for all your favorite gear.
When you pull off for lunch or set up camp, locking features keep the rack secure. The integrated plastic locks in the crossbars help deter theft of channel-mount accessories, and lockable cover plates on the legs secure the rack to your roof rails. If you want even more protection, you can upgrade later to all-metal locks (RRVA-LEC4 - sold separately).
The strong aluminum build resists corrosion and keeps weight low while maintaining rigidity under load. It’s backed by a limited lifetime warranty on the crossbars and a 5-year limited warranty on the legs—proof that it’s made for years of hauling gear through every season.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hey everyone, I'm Evangeline right here at etrailer. Today we're taking a look at, and I'll show you how to get installed, this Rhino-Rack roof rack system on your 2024 Volkswagen Taos. If you have a Taos and you wanna carry around, let's say a large cargo basket or cargo box for more space, or you wanna carry around some kayaks like my friend did with her Taos, you may need a roof rack similar to this one or exactly like this one for those adventures. Let's go take a look. And since you have raised rails, there's a lot of different options. Rhino-Rack definitely sits there as the sporty, long lasting, lots of accessory roof rack options, but because of the curve of the Taos, it is very important to be intentional about where you put your roof rack.
'Cause you're gonna see some different measurements all throughout. So upfront you're gonna have less overhang, about two inches here, and then about four inches there. But that's because of, even though they're 49 inch long bars, they're gonna have different lengths because of your rail system. So overhang is where you attach your items if you want them on the outside to make it easier to reach. With a Taos being on the shorter side as a vehicle though, you wouldn't need as much overhang as if it we inchesre a taller SUV.
And speaking of taller, the Taos I've noticed has rails that sit a lot closer to the roof compared to other cars, which means you don't have as much space underneath your crossbars. So if I we inchesre to measure from underneath the crossbars to the roof, I have less than two inches. So my recommendation here is either only use accessories that have strap style clamps to go underneath or take advantage of the channel mounted system where you can just lift up on the vortex and then mount things through the channels. Where your cargo is gonna sit is from the roof to the top of the bar, around three inches of height. So be mindful there too.
If you have large bindings or large accessories, try to get some of our accessories here at etrailer that give you that extra height so you don't scratch up your car. If you we inchesre to go the route of a channel mounted accessory, you have locking end caps and an included tool, you turn that key, pull out that end cap, and then lift up on this vortex strip. So this is something that you'll have to remove to slide your accessories through and then cut up and then fit back into place so that you have less wind noise. There will also be a measuring strip underneath, which we don't have here today since I put this on a bunch of different cars. So that's something that will be very helpful for the Taos with its low clearance to keep things up and off of the roof.
And then when you're all done installing it, you just put the end cap back in. The perks of having a raised rail though, means that you can put your crossbars pretty much anywhere on those rails. So if you have accessories that require a shorter crossbar spread or a longer crossbar spread, you can adjust. So crossbar spread is measured center to center. I currently have ours at 29 1/4 inches just because that's a really good number to shoot for. It fits a lot of things. But if you wanted to bring it further apart, you can push this as far as 42 1/2 inches of crossbar spread. Another thing that I recommend people doing is to be mindful of where they put this, just so that if you are a taller person and you're walking around your car and getting into the seat, you're not whacking your head on a longer crossbar. With the 49 inch bars, probably not gonna be an issue, but I am also not a tall person, so I don't know. To get your roof rack set up, it is very simple. Now, the very first time you get your crossbars, you are gonna have to install the vortex strips. You do this by just pushing them into the channels of your roof rack and you may have to cut off the end to size, but there will be some extras there. And now you have your crossbars. Then you go ahead and you get your towers. So these towers, well they just slide into the bottom channel of your roof rack. It's gonna look like that. And then what I do is I actually put the end caps on, knowing fully well I'll have to take them right off right after. So that way when I go and lift the towers onto the roof, in case the towers push off towards the side, the end caps keep them in place. Now put this onto your rails. Where Well anywhere you want. I like to aim for the pillars or the spot between the two seats as a good starting point. Once you have it in the exact same spot on both sides, you can then adjust the bars so that you have an equal amount of overhang on each side, and then go ahead and take your end caps off. You have to keep this unlocked so that you can tighten down the roof rack with your included tool. With that all done, just give it a good old shake to make sure everything is in place and then go ahead and put the end caps on. Now you will have this blue Rhino-Rack key that you'll turn on the end to secure those end caps. If you we inchesre to purchase the Rhino-Rack metal lock cores, we have packs of them available here at etrailer. You could also switch out those plastic cores for those metal lock cores. Both are very secure. One just has a metal key instead of a plastic one. And once all four towers are secured with their end caps, that's it. That's the installation for your Rhino-Rack roof rack. You're now ready to load this up with all kinds of gear, hit the road and enjoy your adventures. Hopefully this video was helpful for you. You just saw this Rhino-Rack system on a 2024 Volkswagen Taos. My name is Evangeline and I hope you enjoy this journey.
Ratings & Reviews
Indeed they were the wrong parts in the box marked demo on them.
The new parts came and I was able to
Put it on my car with no problem!!
Thank you for listening to me and helping me problem solve. It looks great on my car and I'm ready to load the kayaks now!!
Kalie is a gal that sent me some return labels so I'm going to put that on the box and send it back to you guys!
Very pleased with the product. Everything fit easily, and Installation was easy. I also appreciate Katie M's help in making sure I received the right product for my 2016 Ford Focus. It will be perfect for transporting my bikes and kayaks.
I purchased the Rhino Rack roof rack as an alternative to the factory installed products and the more popular Thule and Yakima brands. The Rhino Rack is solid and sleek and is largely silent while driving (if I have the roof open you can hear a soft whistle). Not only does the rack look fantastic, but the non-slip top and the strong bars make carrying things on top a real pleasure.
The crossbars came together with all mounting hardware, platforms and legs. Evertyhing arrived together in short time and was raasonably easy to assemble. The quality is good and solid, and all at a good price. A year later, they still look great and perform well. I highly recommend purchasing from etrailer.
Great product. Great quality. Fast shipping. Easy to install on my 2011 chevy cruze. Low wind noise, nothing annoying so definitely doing the aerodynamic job. Happy so far
The quality is very good. Ordering was easy and installation using the video made the process so simple. Glad I order them from here instead of somewhere else.
Delivery was a little slower then I would have liked, but otherwise it was perfect. Great customer service when I called to ask about them. Make sure you read the instructions when you install (I didn't and wasted an hour fooling around with the wrong parts) other then that, the install was smooth as silk.
The bars look and feel great. They have such a tough presence while still being aerodynamic. I love the look of the rubber grip strip on top and I like how the rubber strip on the bottom ends have graduations so you can easily match the overhang with the other side. They feel incredible strong, no bend in the them at all. If the platforms were a bit more robust this thing would outshine all the competition. However, it competes with every other system at a much lower price point so that gets 5 stars in my book.
I spent a week reading reviews and forums to find the right one for my 2019 Jeep Cherokee that I just bought a few weeks ago. I just have to overthink everything but it paid off. I just received them this morning and installed them myself! First time for everything! It was really easy. The only part that was frustrating was the very first part... sliding the rubber pieces into the crossbars. They would not slide very well so I ended up using a bit of oil to make them slide better. Other than that, installation was easy and quick. I LOVE the looks of them. Very gorgeous!!! Thank you so much!! Very happy with the end result!!
Installed the bars on my 2017 VW Tiguan, happy with the Purchase from etrailer. I had one screw that was stripped out during installation and etrailer was able to get a replacement sent out.
Thanks!
Made really nice. Instructions were easy to follow. At first I read all of the reviews for this model of rack. The only complaint was the whistle you get after the install. I experienced the exact same thing, however I did use the the "cross under bar strip" after my initial test. Took it back out, and there is no wind noise at all. This rack is awesome, and well worth the price.
Easy to read instructions, easy to install. Watched the install video a few times just to be sure! They do whistle a bit at highway speeds, but certainly not unbearable. In fact, I was surprised as to how quiet they are. It's to be expected, especially when paired with kayak j-racks. So happy with this purchase and I would definitely recommend them!
Love these aero bars. Perfect for on my 2018 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. Run fairly quiet and perform as expected. As always the customer service from etrailer was top notch.
Received the roof rack on the date promised, it was well packaged and all parts required were included. Everything fit together very well and the instructions were easy to follow. The rack looks good on the car. Once the rack is installed and the included decals in place it only takes a few minutes to remove it and reinstall. This is important for me because we will only use the racks to transport our kayaks the rest of the time they will be removed and stored.
There are two small items that can be improved. First the legs are different lengths yet nowhere in the instructions does it tell you where each size goes. Second I own 10 tape measure and not one of them is in meters and I do not care how good your eyesight is you are not going to be able to measure to 53/64". If the measurements are critical you should ensure customers in the US have measurements they can use or include a MM tape measure.
Overall this is a very good product that I would purchase again and recommend to friends.
I ordered the complete Rhino-Rack with legs for my 2009 Subaru Forester. I watch a couple of videos prior to installation. Followed instructions and installation was completed without any issues. Product was delivered promptly and Natalie helped me with my order and she followed up to inform me of the status of my order. Thanks for the help and thanks for a product.
Rhino-Rack installed on my 2022 Jeep Cherokee. There was wind noise (whistling) when all the rubber spacers were not installed, now it’s very quiet. I also installed the Yakima fishing rod//Ski holder. I wound up deviating from the directions and using the third lot, so the clamps would close on the bar. So far so good, without the fishing rod holder it’s low profile enough to get into garages, etc. Fast delivery on the products.
My Rhino-Rack Aero 2500 roof racks fit solidly on my 2007 Honda Civic EX. I was really impressed with the construction and strength of the rack system. Also the versatility of the 'legs' with a swivel pad allow them to fit any roof pitch perfectly. The clamps are so solid, nothing could knock these racks off. I added a paddleboard attachment and went surfing today. The black racks also look great with the black trim on my silver Honda. Great product at a much better price than Yakima or Thule.
Easy to install. The pins on the legs clamp perfectly into the fixed points on the car's flush rails. This is a nice low profile set up. The top of the crossbar is about 4" above the roof glass and does not interfere with opening the sunroof. This is a very sturdy setup for our Thule Motion XT XL. etrailer shipped extremely fast. Very pleased with my purchase.
My inital thought of these crossbars were that they were going to be too small. Two of the other big makers call for 53" min and 60" recommended. However after installing, 49" is a perfect fit for the Cayenne I feel. The rack is extremely quiet (make sure you use the channel rubber on top and bottom) The Cayenne is fairly quiet car inside and it was one of my big concerns but I only hear what sounds like a slight rush of air, no buzzing or whistling at all.
The downside to this rack is I think the black paint is too thin. Just laying it on the pavement while setting up caused scratches to appear. Silver would be the way to go if your getting these, or spray them plastic.
I bought this rack for my son who is a rower so he could take his single shell and oars to regattas using his new Chevy Cruz. First trip from Wyandotte, Michigan to Boston, Massachusetts and back was great. A learning curve to get in the right spot on roof but very sturdy & strong. He is looking forward to many regattas with this car and roof rack. Very Satisfied with etrailer and the rack itself and thank you for the quick shipping.
These crossbars were easy to install, are sturdy when installed and look great on my factory side rails when installed with the SX Series legs. The standard end caps are an all-plastic affair and use a little key to engage a cam lock. That plus the distance from the end of the crossbar to the nut that tightens the foot onto the rail keeps things relatively secure. Most people probably want to opt for proper locking end caps, though.
The rubber vortex strips look nice and give items something grippy to rest on. I haven't tried a load test yet but did drive around in moderate wind on the highway in multiple directions. Other than a slight whistle at 70 mph, you'd never know they were there. Overall, real happy with the product and looking forward to hauling some stuff around with them.
You have to order the cross bars and connector hardware separately. I also ordered the end cap locks.
I consider myself a pretty good DYI person and it took longer than I expected according to other reviews on here to get everything installed and overlapping the same on both sides.
Once installed the crossbars are very solid. I do get noticeable wind noise at say 70+MPH.
I installed these on a 2020 Jeep GC Overland and they look and function great! Was a bit concerned about the sun roof retraction with the bars, but there is plenty of clearance. No issue.
I for sure recommend the Rhino Rail crossbars. Etrailer is a great site to get the bars. Given the COVID issues and supply chain breakdowns retailers are facing, they still had everything I ordered to me in a very reasonable time frame.
Great sturdy rack. I put it together myself and have already started using it. I was concerned that it would cause leaks in the door the way it has to mount..but its Florida and its rainfall in the past few days and no leak! The weak link would be the end caps..two do not lock on and im concerned the will fly off at some point.
Purchase for a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, black rails. Perfect fit.
etrailer.com's videos and additional customer support made the purchase of a Rhino Rack system from them for our 2010 Malibu a no brainer. The rack fit the car perfectly, and with the videos and clear instructions that came with the kit, I got it installed on the car with only one misstep. The instructions came the the measurements in centimeters and inches. I didn't have a metric tape measure, and ended up messing up converting fractions to decimal.
My Daughter is going to college 500 miles away and is moving into an unfurnished apartment and needed to pick up some small furniture that wouldn't fit in her Malibu. She purchased several items from Facebook Marketplace and was able to transport a twin bed and mattress, a medium sized desk and some dining room chairs (in several trips) with no problems.
The only thing I can think of to improve the installation would be to have the Inches measurements in decimal or to include an inexpensive metric tape.
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