Question for wagon owners re: Yakima

For those of you with a Wagon/Outback with the giant sunroof and a Yakima rack.

 

What do you do for wind noise? I had my rack on my XT for the 30 mile drive from the dealership to my house, and had to take it off. It sounded like a freakin banshee was on the roof. I had a fairing, but it blocked the roof from opening.

 

Any other solutions?

 

I only have two SprocketRocket attachments on the rack right now.

 

Thanks!

Mine is loudest with just the bars. When I put the box on it isn't as bad. Still loud and you know its there but it serves a purpose. I just don't leave it on all the time.

a hitch was my solution. couldn't stand the noise so I put the bikes on the a hitch rack now. I'm refurbishing an old set of cross bars now though to put on top when I need to carry stuff that won't fit in the car.

Hmm. Alright.

 

My current solution is to install the rack as needed, but that adds time when we just wanna drive 20 minutes to a trailhead.

 

I'll keep looking for solutions. A hitch rack is a good idea. I am currently waiting on info about the AUS 2" receiver. I think I'll be the first in the USA to have one.

Hmm, I actually don't get wind noise with mine. I have 3 Steelhead bike trays on it.

 

You can put one of those airfoils on it. Or you can attach a string in a spiral around the bars.

what about some type of fairing? I don't know if a stock yakima one would work, you may have to make your own? I have some wind noise with my yakima, but it is not unbearable.

I got the fairing, but it prevents me from using the sunroof, one of my favorite features in the summer!

I got the fairing, but it prevents me from using the sunroof, one of my favorite features in the summer!

 

My sunroof works fine w the fairing... Just make sure the fairing is behind the portion of the SR that flips up (it kind of acts like a fairing its self). Think wind noise is unavoidable with something on top of our cars..

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/dankdawson25/IMG_0526.jpghttp://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/dankdawson25/IMG_0519.jpg

^

Nice wagon!

 

I get some wind noise w/ my Yakimas w/ two Steelheads mounted outboard of the towers, but it's far from intolerable. I think you can reduce the noise by mounting the racks inboard of the towers, but it's not as easy to load. I also have an old school Sportworks tail rack, which I use for my bikes that have 20mm front axles or bolt on front hubs.

 

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v374/101/16/536748931/n536748931_1159187_2869.jpg

^Nice ride! mmm...ellsworth. I don't know what you do for work, but you have some NICE toys...

 

I use a Thule- same issue. I looked at the fairing, but was afraid it would scratch the SR glass.

 

Most of the fairings mount with a fixed bracket- it shouldnt take much to bend that a couple of times to get the bottom of the fairing off the roof, but still effective. You might also be able to trim the fairing a bit.

With the fairing on, does the big glass slide back OK? I wouldn't think it would...

 

I also don't know if my fairing would hit there. I have my rack spaced so that the feet of the towers grab in the fore and aft holes on the stock roof rails.

^Nice ride! mmm...ellsworth. I don't know what you do for work, but you have some NICE toys.

Thanks. I actually have three Ellsworths: an Epiphany, a Moment (pictured), and a Rogue.

I've always wanted an ID. Maybe I'll get one one day, or keep my eye open for a frame and swap all the stuff from my Rocky Mountain over.

 

I just picked up a road bike, so I'd like to figure out my rack situation so I can travel for rides more easily.

sactojesse- thx for the complement. im diggin the moment as well, def sweet bikes! Ellsworth bikes

 

shagginwagon- yakima fairing has lil padded feet that touch the SR glass, not plastic so scratching is no problemo

 

BAC.5- the big glass area slides just fine. when u hit the SR toggle to go wide open, the big SR glass drops down slightly before sliding back. Check out SR movement up close next time your in your wagon. When it closes, everythings in reverse order and the lil pads of the yakima fairing rest on the SR glass when it moves up and secures. The last thing I wanted was issues w my SR, but everything looks ok and have had no issues.

 

If you must have the front bar completely forward then the fairing probably wont work. My front tower is approx at where the door frame is, but could still go frwd slightly and fairing would still clear the front flip up SR.

 

I am 6'6'', so snowboard bindings are spaced pretty wide. In order for the bindings to fit between the fatcat attachments my bars must be spread almost the whole length of the roof rails.

Like others said, mine is the loudest w/ only the crossbars. With my ski racks on, it is almost silent. Wierd.