rmb2485 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Looking to add a roof rack to my 98 Legacy GT sedan to carry skis and bikes, but I'm not about to waste $500 on a Thule or Yakima rack. Has anyone ever put a rack from a Legacy wagon on a sedan? I realize I'll need to drill holes, but are the size and contours right for the roof on my sedan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 No way. Not a good idea at all. Size is a concern, as is contour, etc. It would need serious modification to fit and be useable. Search around some of the forums and ebay.. pick up a used rack and move on. Thats just my $.02... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmb2485 Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 No way. Not a good idea at all. Size is a concern, as is contour, etc. It would need serious modification to fit and be useable. Search around some of the forums and ebay.. pick up a used rack and move on. Thats just my $.02... So, have you actually put a wagon's roof rack up to a sedan? What exactly are the serious modifications that would need to be made? Any suggestions on a different car to steal a rack from? I'm not interested in spending a bunch of money on an aftermarket rack (new or used) when I'm sure there is something sitting in the junk yard that I can make fit and be in it for maybe $50. All the junk yards arounnd here are still buried in snow, but once that clears up I'll take my tape measure and see what I can find. For now, if someone with a wagon could measure the rack length and width to the edges of the mounting feet, I'd appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I have a '99 wagon, i'll measure it. No, I've never done it, I just know its way too different. I had a 96 sedan as well as my wagon up until a month ago... Does your car have a sunroof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmb2485 Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 I do have a sunroof, but of all the possible fitment issues I don't see how that will be one of them. Any chance you could snap a couple pictures of the rack on your wagon as well as get the measurements? Maybe shots from the front and side and one with the camera sitting on the roof to show the contour of the mounting foot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Yea I can do that. The weather here is crappy, raining and supposed to snow tonight, so it may be tmw before I can get pics up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Wouldn't it be way too long? I mean it's a wagon vs sedan... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Wouldn't it be way too long? I mean it's a wagon vs sedan... uhmmmmm.... yup! But then again, Im all about watching people fab and mod stuff, so if he can do it more power to him. Im seriously not optimistic though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WESTcoast Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I would just check around on craigslist, my friend picked up a yamhania rack for 100 bucks used of an sti, I would just really look around man, becasue there are deals out there waiting to be swallowed up. my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmb2485 Posted February 25, 2010 Author Share Posted February 25, 2010 You guys don't get it. I don't want to spend much money on this little project, and building / modifying something is way more fun than bolting something on. This Subie is just my commuter car and I'm only into it for about $2,500 total so far, so I'm not about to dump a bunch of money into a roof rack for it. Yes, the rack off of a wagon will be too long. That's why they make cutoff wheels. The side rails are probably hollow and the feet just slid in, meaning you can hack some length off the end and the feet will slide right back on. If not, things get a bit more interesting and I'll need to take some length out of the middle and then weld it back together. That's the easy part though. What I'm really concerned with is the contour on the feet. I'm hoping they are close enough to fitting the roof on a sedan that a rubber 'gasket' will fill any gap and make it all look finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Well I guess the Legacy Wagon would be doable, but the Outback is definitely out of the question. The roofline has all kinds of bulges and curves that you don't have so it'd be a real bitch-and-a-half to make it fit as you'd have to trim all the mounting points. Plus mine mounts in SIX locations (four corners and two just forward of the middle) and I'm guessing that the sedan only mounts in four, so you'd have to shave that off too I guess (not REALLY that hard.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Ok... So, I havent gotten any pics, or measurements yet, because MY F*%NG CAR IS BROKE DOWN! Whilst it's in the shop, I've been doing some sketching and thinking, and while it is going to be some work, This is more than likely very doable! Now, looks wise? ehhhhhhh... not for everyone. But I'm actually intrigued now. Hope to be able to get some pics and numbers up today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fwa2500 Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 the standard BK rails are 4ft 2in long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmb2485 Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 So this project got completely derailed when I found a used Thule rack on craigslist for next to nothing. I still think its possible though, with a little work! Here's the Thule rack... http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x265/rmb2485/Legacy%20GT/002df58c.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vascoobiedude Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 You chose wisely, grasshoper... lol. looks good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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