Recommend Parts to Carry 2 Kayaks Side-by-Side on a 2010 Jeep Liberty

Question:

Hi, I want to carry 2-14foot kayaks on my 2010 Jeep Liberty. It has the factory raised rails, and the kayaks are 65 and 55 lbs, with a width of 23.5inch and 22. Too heavy for me to lift and mount from the side by myself, and my partner is too short to help much. Standing on a stool just does not feel very safe. I was thinking to use the Yakima Timberline towers with the whisper bars and two sets of SweetRoll carriers. I hope to mount them on the tiedown loopsinch on each end of the factory side rails, rather than the aluminum center section to get the supports further apart and the rear support as far back as possible to allow a better rear load angle without damaging the Jeep roof. Will the Timberline attachments fit through those loops? If that option is a good idea, can I mount the SweetRolls all inside the factory rails and use a 50inch crossbar, or do I need a longer bar and mount one side of the SweetRoll outside the factory rails - and how long? Seems really close to me.

asked by: Willy F

Expert Reply:

There are a few things to consider when trying to mount two kayaks on your 2010 Jeep Liberty. Those are space, weight capacity, and ease of use.

Because the weight capacity of any TimberLine Tower combination will be 149 pounds on your vehicle, I don't recommend using them as that will be cutting the capacities too close. Instead, I recommend using the Malone AirFlow2 Roof Rack, part # MPG216. These have a weight capacity of 165 pounds and have the added bonus of giving you 58" of usable crossbar space. I've linked to a video review of this below.

Of course, that will allow you to set your kayaks side-by-side, which a 50" crossbar would also cut too close.

As for using the Yakima SweetRolls, part # Y04074, this could be used, but I have a better solution. It's the Malone SeaWing, part # MPG107MD. This is also a saddle-style carrier, but has the benefit of being able to be placed so that one side can hang over the tower of your roof rack. This allows you to maximize your space.

Another benefit of using the SeaWing is that you have the option of adding the Stinger Load Assist, part # MPG350. This makes loading your kayaks a breeze and even protects your vehicle from getting scratched. I've linked to a video review of this as well.