Will Two Thule Hullavators Fit on Roof of 2016 Ford Explorer

Updated 02/20/2026 | Published 02/14/2026

Question:

Will 2 of these fit on the roof of a 2016 Ford Explorer? And will my roof support 2 of them if my jayaks weigh 40lbs each? Thank you!

asked by: Melinda

Expert Reply:

Hey Melinda, it is possible to fit two of the Thule Hullavator kayak carriers # TH898 on the roof of your 2016 Ford Explorer but you will need to install and aftermarket roof rack with slightly longer crossbars like the Rhino Rack part # RR98VE. Your roof would easily be able to handle the weight of two of these racks plus two 40 lb kayaks as well.

What kind of kayaks do you have?

expert reply by: Jameson C

Hullavator
(click to enlarge)

Melinda

2/19/2026

Hi Jameson, I have an Eddyline Sandpiper and and Eddyline Rio. Do you have any other options for carrying these two kayaks on top of my roof that would still be easy to load but be less expensive? Thank you for your assistance! Melinda

Jameson C.

2/19/2026

@Melinda I wish there was a less expensive option but the assisted style of carriers have a lot going on with them so there isn't really any option that's easier to load that costs less.

Steve

2/20/2026

@Melinda It works very well. My wife can get her smaller kayak of the camper shell of our 4x4 truck without help. The bigger one she needs some help as it is heavier, but the Hallavator still helps with the loading and unloading. It is the weight of the kayak and hight were she has the problem. If it was on a SUV i don't think it would be a problem.

Ginny H.

2/20/2026

I have put 2 carriers on a minivan and a Highlander. I had added the after market racks as he described. They have always traveled very securely.

Ron K.

2/20/2026

I have used 2 sets of these for many years. I used them on my Jeep Cherokee which came with factory installed roof racks. Our kayaks are heavy and traveled well from northeast to Florida. They are a bit expensive but we feel they are well worth the expense.

Conrad

2/20/2026

The answer is fairly simple. You can look up or contact Ford regarding the maximum weight your factory rack can carry. I have a 23' Tacoma with a roof rack and I switched to a bed mounted system because my factory rack was not rated for close to 200lbs that two sets of 40lb Hullavators, two 40lb kayaks and two cross bars would approach. Be careful not relying on antidotal experiences while making your decision. Just check the facts regarding your vehicle. Hopefully your experience will be better than mine. Oh ya, the Hullavator is a game changer, I really like mine

Gerry S.

2/20/2026

We have two sets of Hullivators we carry on a Thule Track Rack on our 2022 F150 pickup. It's the best thing we ever did to carry our Hurricane 12' boats. The Hullivators are very heavy. As I recall I think 30 lbs per pair. You need long rack bars to carry two boats. It makes loading and unloading a breeze .