To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
These heavy-duty, aluminum crossbars work with Rhino-Rack legs to create a sturdy roof rack. The square bars have top channels for mounting Rhino-Rack contractor-grade accessories. Installs on your vehicle's naked roof.
Features:
Specs:
Alternate Instructions
California residents: click here
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Speaker 1: Today on our 2018 Ford Escape we're going to be test-fitting the Rhino Rack Vortex Aero Roof Rack System, consisting of part numbers RRVA137B-2, these area the vortex aero cross bars 54 inches long. We have the block ones on right now, but these also come in silver as part number RRVA137S-2. We'll also be using part number RRRLKVA, these are the 2500 series legs specifically for the vortex aero cross bars. Finally, part number DK375, and this is going to be the fit kit that clamps around your existing door frame.Now, these roof rack systems are great for carrying a wide variety of accessories such as bike racks, cargo baskets, or cargo boxes, and this can free up space inside your Escape for when you travel. The bars themselves have this nice elliptical shape to it, and that's actually going to cut down wind noise and drag while you drive, that and the vortex aero strip up at the top. This does come with a lock already on it, so once you install this onto your roof it's going to be secure to your roof.
It's a very simple and easy install. It simply clamps around your existing door frame, as you can see here, and it gives you all the necessary measurements and tools to do so.We already have the front one installed here. Let's now go ahead and show you how the rear one goes on our vehicle. We have it partially assembled on our table here, so our next step is we're going to take our 2500 series leg and attach it to the other end of our bar. To make things a little bit easier on us we're going to flip it upside down, just so you can see a little bit better.
We'll start by putting the metal bracket on the top of our leg here. I'm going to slide that into the slot on the bottom.Now, normally there's going to be a plastic strip that comes with this that you put into place here to measure it out to the proper length, and then you cut that strip to length, put it in place, and you're good to go. For demonstration purposes, we're going to go ahead and use our handy measuring tape here or our flat tape. Make sure it's even on both sides. All right, then we'll take our included tightening tool and we'll tighten that screw down in the center here, and that's going to tighten our leg to the bar.All right, then we can take our end cap here, pop that back into place, have our little plastic tool here to put our plastic lock into the locked position so this won't be removed.
Then we can start installing our fit kit. We'll start with our rubber pad here, you want to make sure that the number and the arrow is facing the proper direction. This just kind of pushes into place. There we go. Then we can take our clamp, and we'll remove the screw in the center here all the way, which can be a little bit.
Line up our clamp and loosely install the screw back into place, just so it'll stay while we put it in play.All right, with that done, now we're ready to install it onto our roof. We'll start by opening up our rear doors, which is really helpful at this point because you're attaching it to the door frame. Then we'll set our bar in place, like so. Now, it's by no means finished installed yet because we still have to kind of shift it back and forth and make sure it sits evenly on the roof. Then our next step, and you'll find this in your instructions as well, is a measurement from center on center of the bars to make sure those are even on both sides, also. It looks like we need to come this way. There we go. Just kind of eyeball it back and forth here. Okay, we'll do our measurement here real quick. All right, repeat this on the other side. One thing to keep in mind is this is a process, and it does take just a little bit of time. Remember, you're only going to be doing this once.All right, then taking our handy tightening tool, we'll get it snug up against the door frame on both sides. Then we'll go back and forth tightening down evenly about five or six turns until it's ready to go. When tightening these down, you're going to see that the tool is actually curved here. As you tighten this down and once you get it to its proper torque, that's going to straighten out as you tighten it down, so you know you're not going to over-tighten it, like that. See how it's straight now Was curved, now straight. All right, now our final step is to put our end caps into place. Those just slide in like so. Sometimes the keys can be a little bit of a pill. All right, and now we're ready to hit the road.One thing I would like to mention is, it is padded where it makes contact with your vehicle, so you're not going to have to worry about scratches or abrasions once it's being installed. Before we hit the road though, I would like to give you a couple quick measurements. Starting at the center of the roof to the bottom of the bar is going to be about 3 inches between. From the center to the top of the bar is going to be about 4-1/2 inches. That's more than enough space in between the bars to wrap around those accessories that you're going to be using for your trip. Also it sits pretty high off the roof, so when you have your bike racks or your cargo baskets installed and fully loaded, just keep that in mind when you're pulling into your garage.These do have a carrying capacity of 165 pounds once they're installed, but you always want to double check with your vehicle's manual to make sure your roof can take those weights and take the smaller of the two numbers. There you have it for the Rhino Rack Vortex Aero Roof Rack System on our 2018 Ford Escape.
Great product , Etrailer did a great job for me especially Kevin!
Thanks !
Quality product and great customer serv ice!
Really good customer service!! Very thorough and prompt! Thanks!!
Everything worked out well... but we wish we had bought a canoe instead of a kayak.
great help from Steve enabling me to get the right parts . and delivered in 3 days. I will use etrailer again
Item shipped quickly from etrailer and was easy to install.
2014 prius naked roof carrying two kayaks. No issues.
service was great. Only 3 out of 4 pads came obviously manufacture error. But would like to have the 4th pad
Excellent product. Easy to install. Fits perfect. Sturdy. Looks great. 100% satisfied.
On time delivery, quality product, very sturdy, fit my CR-V as described
Instructions confusing, easier to figure it out by looking at parts
easy installation
Great on everything all around well handled by the whole team
A bit of a challenge to get it installed just right, but once in place it's rock solid. Very pleased with the rack, especially for the price.
I love the rack. It looks good on the car. Customer service was amazing and the item shipped quickly.
Following the directions the roof rack went on without any issues. About an hour to put on. The rack is well made and sturdy.
Worked perfectly with the Rhino Rack DS 126B.
Are you kidding me? First I get the box with missing hardware (pic attached). I call up, tell them I don't even care for a discount, just expedite the right parts. They didnt expedite them as promised, a week later the parts come in and they are WRONG (pic attached)!! So after calling in and spending more of my precious time on the phone again, I looked up the correct part numbers from Rhinos website and provided them to the rep. Again I was assured they would be expedited.... The (2nd) phone call about missing parts was on Mon Feb 21st 2022. They didn't prepare the items for shipping until Fri the 25th. As of today Sun the 27th, USPS is STILL awaiting my items. After being assured they would expedite my stuff, here I am still waiting. Btw, my original order date was Jan 23rd. What a terrible experience, I should have paid the little bit extra and just went through Rhino themselves. Would not advise dealing with this company. Now I'm waiting on my parts to ship again, which means I probably won't see these until March 4th if I'm lucky, which is 1.5 months after my original order date! Hopefully they are the right parts this time.
Solid pieces, just wish the didn't have a huge gap and contoured to the roof better. 2014 Tundra
Product was deliveried quickly, and complete. Instructions where helpful and measurements where correct
Awesome service and speedy delivery!! Thanks, etrailer!
Worked over the front doors of a 2011 gmc crew cab
Great customer service. Product was easy to install. Met all my expectations.
Customer service via phone excellent. Speed of delivery excellent (2days). Packaging minus 5 (yes…four products dumped in an oversized box with such a poor tape job that it was open on one end). I didn’t know if all that I had ordered was actually in the box and either had fallen out or damaged until I took each part out of their individual boxes. I installed the roof rack yesterday. Overall pleased. Not etrailer’s fault but the key bolts on the Rhino-Tak plates that secure the bars to the car (M8 50mm) are much too short. Going to the hardware store today to replace them with 60mm.
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