Do Clamp-On Roof Racks Cause Problems With Water Seeping Through The Clamp Area?

Published 06/13/2025

Products Featured in This Question

Rhino-Rack Vortex Roof Rack for Naked Roofs - Aluminum - Black - Qty 2

(335625)

$629.96

Yakima BaseLine Roof Rack for Naked Roofs - JetStream Crossbars - Aluminum - Silver - Qty 2

(85927)

$694.80

Question:

Roof rack question for you: Regarding 2025 honda accord,with naked roof. Have there been any issues with the roof racks you sell, as far as water seeping in through the clamp area, on rain days? I can see a gap in the weatherstripping in your installed pics, around the clamp area..

asked by: David S

Expert Reply:

Hello David, great question. Water leaking into the vehicle with these type of clamp-on roof racks is not something we see happening. I have been with etrailer since 2019 and I deal with roof racks on a daily basis, and I have heard of this happening only one time. Even then it was on an older car with weird seals that attached only to the door and not to the body of the vehicle. Also we did not physically see this vehicle at our shop, so we could not verify it was installed properly in the first place...

Definitely not a normal issue at all so there should be no concern of water intrusion when putting a roof rack on your 2025 Accord.

Keep in mind the clamps for these roof racks are custom fitted for your vehicle. They are designed to fit the contours of your roof and manufacturers do test these to make sure things will fit without any interference. Any case of water trickling in would almost definitely be due to the roof rack being out of position or otherwise incorrectly installed.

That said, my recommendation for the 2025 Honda Accord naked roof is the Yakima BaseLine Roof Rack for Naked Roofs # Y23UB. I really like the overall quality of the Yakima compared to the Rhino Rack # RR89VE you were looking at. It is going to be easier to assemble and deal with, and I feel like they just fit better than other brands. The Yakima also includes locks and keys, while the Rhino Rack does not.

What are you planning to use the roof rack for?

expert reply by: Jesse M

Yakima BaseLine Roof Rack for Naked Roofs Y23UB
(click to enlarge)

Dave S.

6/13/2025

Thank you for the well-stated reply. It covered what I needed to know. My 2025 accord hybrid sport has a sunroof,if that means anything. My intent for the rack is to haul a (1)kayak around, It is not needed for anything else.since I already use the receiver I purchased through etrailer.com ,to haul my bicycles on. I appreciate that you informed me of a certain brand and model that works, it saves me from having to ask you that! So now that you know my intent (kayak), what else will I need , in addition to the Y23ub? Thanks again! Dave

Jesse M.

6/13/2025

@DaveS Yes so you do want to be careful with the sunroof. I suggest you retract the sunroof and measure the maximum height before installing the roof rack. Then make 100% sure the roof glass will not contact the bottom of the crossbar. Also keep in mind that certain accessories (like some kayak carrier) have hardware that installs below the crossbar, so this can additionally reduce that clearance. Also with a roof rack and kayak up there you will be generating some road noise. So you really might not want to open the sunroof anyway. Just to play it safe. That said, what kind of kayak do you have? My favorite kayak carrier is the LockRack Series-X Universal Watersport Carrier # LR88FR. It mounts to the top channel on the crossbars, so you don't get that clearance reduction like I mentioned above. The LockRack is a super durable, lightweight aluminum carrier. It can be adjusted to accommodate virtually any kayak weighing up to 175 lbs. Also, you do not need to strap the kayak to the carrier, just install your bow and stern tie downs and you will be good to go. Loading and unloading is simple, and as the name suggests, the carrier is fully lockable. Definitely what I recommend