How Much Crossbar Spread Is Needed For Kayak Carrier And Bike Carriers On Camper Shell Roof Rack

Updated 07/28/2015 | Published 07/27/2015

Question:

Im drilling into the snugtop camper shell attached to my Chevy truck,and was wondering if theres a recommended distance apart the bars should be spaced. Theres no recommendation in the Yakima literature, except for a minimum of 24. My concern is I dont want the bars too far apart so my kayaks, when on edge, touch the roof, or too far apart for other accessories like bike trays etc. Thank you.

asked by: Greg

Helpful Expert Reply:

The crossbar spread will vary depending on the accessory you want to put on the roof rack.

The Yakima FrontLoader Wheel Mount Bike Carrier, part # Y02103 will work with a crossbar spread between 16 and 48 inches, so you can see it will work with most roof racks.

Most kayak carriers, like part # TH834 require at least 24 inches crossbar spread. I recommend making sure you have at least the 24 inches for a spread but I would probably place them about 28 inches apart. Again, I recommend selecting any accessories you want to place on the roof rack and try to find a bar spread that works for all of them.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L