Troubleshooting Metal Tab Preventing Malone Crossbar From Install for AirFlow2 Roof Rack

Published 08/16/2023

Question:

I am having trouble installing the MPG216 roof bars and matching towers on my 2020 toyota sienna with factory rails. My issue is that I cant get the roof bar to slide past the metal piece that sticks up next to the middle plastic part - see photo attached. This metal piece seems to block the bars from sliding along through the towers fully - is there supposed to be some mechanism to move this out of the way? Is this metal piece supposed to go under the roof bars or be in the middle of the roof bar slot? I assume the plastic part next to the metal part so middle of 3 plastic parts is supposed to go through the roof bar slot? Can you also please advise whether it is best to install the bars to the towers before securing the towers to the car roof rails or should the towers be installed first and the bars afterwards? Thanks!

asked by: Neil O

Expert Reply:

That metal tab should be lined up with the plastic piece sitting right next to it. I went out to our video studio and messed with a set of the Malone AirFlow2 Roof Rack # MPG216 and found that if I pressed up on the smaller clamping piece (see attached) it would help put everything in-line, but it did take some shifting around.

I also spoke with Evangeline on our video team and she said they've experienced that metal tab breaking by getting stick in a fixed position as well so that might be what's going on if you can't get that metal piece to budge. If this is the case then you'll unfortunately have to replace the whole roof rack.

expert reply by: Jon G