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This stylish, aerodynamic Yakima roof rack gives you the space to carry gear on your vehicle. Rubber strips in the top channels push down to load carriers or accessories - no need to trim. Installs to raised rails on your vehicle's roof.
Features:
Specs:
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Hi everyone, Aidan here with etrailer. Today we're gonna be taking a look at and later we'll be showing you how to install this Yakima JetStream Roof Rack System on our 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. This is the one with the 50 inch long crossbars, but we offer a kit here at etrailer with a 60 inch long crossbar. But the beauty of these Yakima bars is that they have a continuous channel on the underside. So in theory, you could get an even longer bar if you wanted. I don't know that I would.
I think the 60 inch long kit is gonna be more than enough and offer just a bit more crossbar overhang here if you need it. But just know that it's available. And depending on your needs, you can go with one of those two kits. You maybe would go with that crossbar overhang if you had a load assist kayak carrier that needs more clearance from the side of the vehicle. But if you don't have an accessory like that, this is the kit I would go with because it's gonna be a bit more of a clean install.
Roof racks in general, I think they're a great option to expand the functionality of your vehicle. For one, it's the best place to go for larger items like kayaks. You could always go with a trailer, but that's a whole can of worms. And if you have something like a roof box, again, the roof is a great place to go with that. You can expand your cargo space up top without adding length to your vehicle.
And I think for the Tiguan, this makes a ton of sense because you have these raised rails that's a feature that's already on your vehicle. We're just gonna utilize them to attach this roof rack, which makes a very simple install and can be quickly removed if we don't wanna leave the roof rack on there all the time. The basic way this one works is you've got this band, it's got a metal core around that rubber band that will wrap around the bar and clamp to it, giving you a really strong hold. Other brands like the option from Rhino-Rack will have a clamp that kind of goes around the bar rather than fully encapsulating it with that band. So both options work great.
Some people might like this Yakima one because it fully wraps around. Others might like the Rhino-Rack option because it sits a little bit lower to the ground or to the roof rather, and gives maybe a sleeker appearance. But personally, I think either way you go, you can't go wrong. They're both gonna be solid. The core of your system though is going to be these JetStream crossbars, thicker in the front and tapering off towards the back. It's gonna help them be a little bit more aerodynamic and not have as much wind noise. They're perfect for clamp around accessories because that flat top makes for a good stable base and it's a great size for most of those clamps to attach very securely. And if you don't want to use a clamp around accessory, maybe you've got something that can mount into a channel. They do have this track up top that you can slide those channel mounted accessories into and keep them all inside the bar making for a clean install. Now, there's a weather strip here that will help block out wind noise. Your channel mounted accessories will just compress that strip wherever they sit, so no need to trim them to length or anything like that. It makes, again, for just a cleaner install. Some measurements to think about here. Your crossbar spread can really be whatever you want it to be. You don't have fixed mounting points on your raised rails, so you can clamp these wherever works best for you and your accessories. But one thing you do need to watch out for is clearance with your roof. So I'm gonna go from the tallest point on this corrugation here. And from that tallest point to the bottom of the bar is gonna be two and a half inches, so there's not a ton of room there. Certain clamps might take up more room than others, so maybe look for low profile clamps. Particularly on Yakima's roof boxes, they've got great clamps that don't sit very tall at all and would be perfect for something like this. The thing I don't love about this system is those legs, they're a bit bulky and because they don't conform around the bar, they kind of just sit on top of the bar. It doesn't look like a very nice fit. Again, it's stable, it's not going anywhere, but especially compared to that option from Rhino-Rack, I like the look there a lot better, but I think functionally the Yakima one's gonna work a bit better with the extra roof clearance and the nicer channel up top for channel mounted accessories. Regardless of which way you go though, the install is gonna be probably the next most important part. And for this, it's gonna be really straightforward. So we'll walk you through that process right now. So the first thing is take your crossbar and flip it over. That'll reveal the channel on the underside that our legs will attach to. That block will slide into this channel. So just take out your end cap and slide that leg in, making sure that it kind of tapers out to the outside edge. If you're having trouble getting this in, just take your tool and maybe loosen up that T block a little bit. Chances are it's just a bit too tight. Once you have both installed, there's gonna be a small line on the underside of those legs and we just wanna measure between those two lines and make sure that it matches up with the same measurement as we can take between the two raised rails on our Tiguan. That just lets us know how far apart these legs need to be. For us today, I'm shooting for 42 and a half inches between those two lines, and I just need to scoot it out a little bit more and just know that wherever you plan on installing these, that measurement could be completely different for you because the roof of our vehicle is gonna be a bit wider in front and taper off towards the rear. So for our rear crossbar that's already installed over there, actually had a measurement of 40 inches between the two. So almost a two inch difference here and that's just something to consider. When you have the positioning where you like it though, take that included the Yakima tool and tighten down those T bolts with those T blocks completely. There's another bolt tucked in the leg back there, and it's gonna control the side to side movement of our leg. Make sure you tighten that up too. If your vehicle had more of a taper, I'd say, then try to adjust that angle. But on our Tiguan, we can just keep it straight like this and it'll be fine. Once the tool clicks, we know it's properly torqued down and that's gonna be true for every single bolt on the whole roof rack here. So just keep that in mind too. We'll take this up to the roof. If you have an extra set of hands to feed the other side through, you can, but you can do it on your own too. Just get that set in place loosely and then feed the band under the bar on both sides, making sure that that line we saw earlier is the part that's resting on top of your raised rail. You can take that band and hook it into that little cleat right there. And before we start tightening things down, maybe a good time is now to take some measurements. You can go from a fixed point on your raised rail to the center of the bar on both sides to make sure that this is running perfectly straight side to side. And then for your second crossbar, you can take a measurement from one to the other to make sure that your crossbar spread is exactly where you want it to be. That's important to know for whatever accessory you plan on attaching and just making sure the bars run parallel to one another. But when you're done, you can take your included tool and tighten it down using that outermost screw. Now as you're tightening this, it might feel like it's not going to click and it takes a lot longer than you think it should, but it's just because the band underneath is a bit stretchy and it has that metal core. So keep turning until you hear the click and you can pop your caps back on once all sides have been tightened, And at the end, I always like to give a good shake test to make sure that nothing I installed feels loose. And particularly on that band here, that there's no front to back movement and that it's tight enough. But once I've done that, we're done. The installation process here is really straightforward, and you're left with a pretty solid roof rack system that utilizes those raised rails on your 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. Thanks for watching.
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars (1 Customer Reviews)
This stylish, aerodynamic Yakima roof rack gives you the space to carry gear on your vehicle. Rubber strips in the top channels push down to load carriers or accessories - no need to trim. Installs to raised rails on your vehicle's roof.Yakima Baseline with Yakima CBX 18 Cargo Box fitted on my 2012 Toyota Corolla S Sedan 2012.
Instructions were clear and roof rack was easily installed.
Really Easy to Install! Solid and Strong amount to Roof Rack.
The 50” jetstream cross bars were perfect for my 2019 Ford Ranger with my ARE cap. They are paired with the Yakima Skyline towers and appropriate landing pads (protip: call etrailer when you order to ensure you have the correct setup;)
These cross bars are SILENT on my cap. Zero wind noise. My daughter and I installed them on a Friday (I do recommend watching etrailer’s installation video in addition to the paper instructions) and left for a 700 mile weekend road trip the next day to pick up a kayak, paddle with friends downstate then drop her off at summer camp.
Even with empty Yakima Jaylows on top, no wind noise. Even with a boat in the Jaylows, no wind noise.
These are the sweetest rack’s I’ve had. With the Skyline towers and landing pads, they are also easy to take off and put on. Click click done.
They look good, too;)
etrailer customer service for the win, too. When I originally ordered, I did not order all the items I needed for installation. When I realized this, I called and they got me squared away.
The instructions are good but it helped to watch a videos. Did not have any clicks for tightness.as in the video.
Thank You for the prompt delivery, I just need the Landing pads to do the installation. It looks like they may be coming on Monday which would be awesome.
Thank You
They do the job. I can't say that they look like they were custom-made for my new vehicle, but I trust them to stay on and keep my boat on the car. They hold securely.
Great product - very good quality. I liked the fact that I could keep the risers mounted on my car, but could remove the cross bars. It took me awhile to install - but I'm not very mechanically inclined.
I’m using these towers in conjunction with the JetStream cross bars. Assembly and setup was easy, all the tools you need are provided, except perhaps a tape measure for mounting. Looks and feels solid and well made. This is my second set of Yakima towers and cross bars. I plan to use this setup for an old roof top hard shell case and for my mountain bike to get to the trail head.
After completing the installation I took it out for a spin to check for wind noise at highway speeds. No discernible noise, I’m very happy about that as I really don’t want to remove these when not needed. For reference these are mounted on a 2019 Subaru Forester Touring with factory raised rails. Plenty of clearance for attaching equipment and gear.
Side note: the gentleman that assisted me on the phone while ordering was very pleasant and helpful, got me the right products very quickly as I was in a time crunch. Two thumbs up!
Good condition quality. Good and detailed instructions but aittle tedious install.
I have a Buick Envision and it seemed as if it would be difficult to get the correct rack, but it turned out to be easy. I entered my vehicle info and was directed to the Yakima Skyline with flush rails. It was easy to install and they look great. I will be able to take my canoe out with no problem! Joe
snug and sturdy
Because of the 'rona-induced supply chain interruptions, I was unable to purchase all of my Yakima components from etrailer, but I did get these, and they are typically excellent Yakima components. Well-made, easy to install, good directions, no problems.
Easy to install. No noticeable noise from the bars. Seem to be very sturdy.
etrailer installation videos were very helpful in selecting the product and first installation, although in practice, minor adjustments to method were required. Now after more than a dozen set ups, mounting the crossbars takes 15 minutes, and taking them off, 10. The system is well made, and when mounted, precise, strong, and reliable. Expensive perhaps compared to alternatives, but well worth the money. Used to carry a 50# sailboard 40 miles to the beach on weekends. ('11 Honda Fit)
One minor shortcoming: rubber sheet glued to base clips where they touch the car body have torn and moved sideways 1/16", but expect will be easily replaced with readily available 1/16" sheet rubber (e.g., shower pan liner) when the time comes.
Used in rain at least once, (sustained 60mph), with no leaks.
You guys provide great products and excellent customer service.
Thanks
Great product. Great service.
I needed crossbars for my new 2018 Mazda CX5, which came with flush side rails. The Yakima crossbars, along with the RidgeLine Towers and the the vehicle specific kit worked great. The installation (10-15 min) is super easy. They look cool, and performed great (I strapped 160-lbs rooftop tent on them!). Removing them is also super easy (10 min tops). Highly recommend.
Yakima Jetstream cross bars.. nice bars worth the extra money. can be adjusted for pitch/angle of attack to "tune" the air profile.. mine have absolutely no high speed wind noise or whistling.. rubber weather strip underneath further smoothes the bar profile.. quietest roof rack system I have ever owned..
SIMPLE & EASY!
I chose the Yakima roof rack, because It spanned 50 inches, rather than the leading competitor's 47 inches, making it better for tying down 4 ft x 8 ft sheets of building material. It also seemed to be about half the price. It took me about 2 hours to put it all together and mount it on my car. The instructions were all visual and there was one little pic I didn't understand, but the equipment seemed to go together correctly anyway. Now that it's adjusted, it should be fairly easy to remove and replace next time. I did need to put on super tacky gloves to get the covers off. Although it seemed unnecessarily complicated, I would still choose this product again.
An Excellent Roof Rack!
I purchased the Baseline towers with base clip fit kit and jetstream crossbars. They were great quality and the instruction materials included for assembly and installation were great. I was able to assemble and install on my Lexus CT 200 in about an hour. It looks nice too!
The crossbars are light and very strong. They fit perfectly and installed easily.
Worked great
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