Rhino-Rack Vortex Roof Rack for Flush Rails - Aluminum - Black - Qty 2
This item does not fit your vehicle
2018 Lexus ES 300h
These items fit your vehicle
2018 Lexus ES 300h
To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.
Whether you’re loading up kayaks, canoes, or a rooftop box for a long trip, these aluminum crossbars give you the strength and stability you need. Each bar is 49" long, offering plenty of usable space while supporting up to 165 lbs when used within your vehicle’s roof load limit. The aluminum construction feels solid and dependable for heavy trips to the water or the campsite.
Highway noise from roof racks can ruin a trip, but these aero-style bars are built to cut down on drag and wind sound. Rubberized Vortex strips fill the top channels, helping smooth out airflow so you hear more of your playlist and less of the wind. The result is a more relaxed drive even at highway speeds.
From kayaks and skis to cargo boxes and bike mounts, this setup plays well with all kinds of gear. The crossbars are compatible with most bike, watersport, snow, and cargo carriers that either slide into the top channels or clamp around the bars. You can load up for any season without swapping racks or buying special adapters.
When you’re stopping for a meal or leaving your gear overnight, built-in locks in the crossbars help deter theft of channel-mount accessories. The legs also have lockable cover plates that keep the setup secure on your roof. For even more protection, you can upgrade to all-metal locks (RRVA-LEC4 – sold separately).
The aluminum bars resist rust and wear from regular use in all kinds of weather. They’re finished in black for a clean look that holds up over time. The crossbars include a limited lifetime warranty, while the legs carry a 5-year limited warranty—giving you confidence that your setup is built to go wherever your trips take you.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi, everyone, I'm Evangeline here at etrailer. Today we're taking a look at our Rhino-Rack Roof Rack system here on our 2024 BMW X1. This specific system is the Vortex Bar configuration designed specifically for the flush rails of your X1. So if you're curious about how to get it installed, how it looks, and how to set it up to best fit your different types of cargo, stick around. Now, these are the 49-inch long Vortex Bars. So you have that aerodynamic design, and this is gonna be the length that Rhino-Rack actually recommends for the X1.
This will be a really flush, sleek-looking system. There won't be much overhang, but for some people, that's what they prefer, since they like that sleeker look. What is overhang Well, that's the distance from the tower to right before the end of the bar. I have about one inch here or maybe one inch and 1/4, depending where on the roof you have this installed. This installs onto your BMW's flush rails.
And it's a tool-free process. So I'll unlock these towers so I can flip up this lever. And this is how I loosen or tighten down the towers. So if you wanted to secure this whole thing to your car, you can do so and lock it in place. And if you wanted to attach things to your crossbars, you can get items that clamp around the bars, or you could take advantage of the channels up top for channel-mounted accessories.
With this on the roof, you also have to start thinking about clearances for height. So the first thing I like to mention is the distance from the top of the roof to the bottom of the crossbar. And I see about a little past 2 1/2 inches. The second measurement I like to pick up here is the height added to your roof now. So top of the roof to the top of the bars, I have it at around maybe 3 3/4 inches.
And that's where your cargo sits. So pretty low to the car. If you have, let's say, skis with extra tall bindings, try to get that measurement there and maybe look into ski and snowboard carriers that give you that extra height. We have those accessories available for you right here at etrailer. What I really like about this roof rack system is it's very easy to install. With the clamps that just go around, you don't need any extra tools to secure them. This is super easy to just throw onto your roof and take right back off when needed. If you have any questions at any point or maybe you're trying to figure out what type of accessories are gonna be the best to use with this, please feel free to reach out to us here at etrailer. Give us a call, send us a message, or contact me personally. I love helping people out with getting the right parts for their specific journeys. If you're curious about how I got this installed on this BMW, though, stick around. Getting your roof rack installed is very simple. Now, for the Vortex Bars, there is a little bit of initial prep required, like having to install the top rubber strips. You just push those into place up top. You are gonna have some excess, so just cut those off with a pair of scissors. And then, you're going to take the end caps off. So you'll have a blue key that will allow you to do that, if you haven't already taken the end caps off. Then get your tower. Make sure it's unlocked. You then get to open up that lever, bring your tower over, and we're gonna slide this through the channel underneath the crossbar. You're also gonna get some plastic strips that will go in here, but do that later after you've installed the tower. Once the tower is installed on both sides, you can go ahead and put those end caps right back in. And then lock them with the blue key. Lift this up onto your roof and then into your flush rails. Notice that metal plate with the rubber coating on your tower This fits almost perfectly into the divot of your flush rails. So push your tower up against that divot. Do that on both sides. And then, you can slide this crossbar back and forth. So what you want is an equal amount of length of crossbar on each side. As for where you put it on the flush rails, that is totally up to you and what you plan on carrying. I personally, as a general rule of thumb, I like to aim for around where those door seams are. That way, it's out of the way. I'm less likely to hit my head on crossbars if they are longer. But the perk as well for the X1 is the location of the sunroof. You can see here as I'm opening up the window all the way open, (sunroof whirring) it stops right where we have our crossbars. Now, I have a sunroof on my own personal vehicle, and this is what I found to be the best configuration. If you have the bars too far forward, you're definitely gonna hear it when the window's open. So having it right here means you still have all that air, but then you also have the functionality of a roof rack. Once you have it in the spot that you like, then go ahead and tighten down those levers until you feel a lotta tension on both sides. You're then going to just push those levers down. Since this in the unlocked position, it can sit flush, so we'll use the key to turn it to lock. Make sure this is locked, as well as the end cap for your crossbars, and double check that on all four corners. If you have any questions at any point or if you have a cool setup of your BMW X1 with your roof rack system, I'd love to hear all about it. My name is Evangeline here at etrailer. And you saw my look at the Rhino-Rack Vortex Roof Rack system on a 2024 BMW X1.
Ratings & Reviews
Francis
7/23/2023
No issues. Pretty simple to install and has stayed in place without requiring any adjustment. We took a trip to Florida last summer and trapped a cargo carrier to the top. It was pretty heavy but the Rhino held up great. Even through the auto car wash no issues. Would definitely recommend.
Roseanne
8/12/2015
Its still attached to my car and still doing its job. I did lose an end cap and had to order 2 as a pair . I dont remember the amount but the were expensive as replacementsespecially since i knew it would happen
Jerry
3/20/2026
Still happy. Theres a whistle, but you can fix it with a bit of foam insulation in the bottom of the rail.
Do you have a question about this Roof Rack?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Mark
8/20/2020
Still rock solid after a year. Very happy with the Rack. My daughter has used it from time to time over the past year when something wont fit in her car, and shes had no problems with it at all.