Will the Seasucker Monkey Bars # 298-SX6000B Fit on My Ridged Roof on My 2021 Toyota RAV 4?

Question:

I’m not sure if the Seasucker Monkey Bars are compatible with the roof on my 2021 RAV4 Prime XLE. Right now the roof is essentially without any functional rails, just these flimsy flush-mounted rails that run parallel along the edges of the roof, where real rails might eventually be mounted. But I’m curious if the Monkey Bars might be fitted to this car instead. However the roof is not flat, but ridged with several 3” raised channels running front to back for most of the roof. Seems that kind of surface would prevent any suction cup from finding purchase, but maybe someone at etrailer knows more about it. Thanks for any time and help you can provide.

asked by: P H

Expert Reply:

Without knowing the exact measurements of the gaps between the ridges on your vehicle, there is no way to confirm for sure whether the SeaSucker Monkey Bars # 298-SX6000B will be able to fit between the spaces. SeaSucker recommends smooth, flat surfaces in order to mount the vacuum cups, so it is not recommended to have part of the cup attached to a flat surface and part attached to the raised ridge. However, the diameter of the cups is 6 inches, so as long as you have 6 inches between the ridges, you will have enough space for the cups. Also, you will be able to attach the Monkey Bars to your sunroof (but this unfortunately prevents you from opening it while the Monkey Bars are mounted).

With that being said, a crossbar system that will definitely mount to your flush factory rails on your 2021 Toyota Rav 4 includes the following parts:

- Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars - Aluminum - Black - 49" # RRVA126B-2
- Custom RCP Fit Kit for 4 Rhino-Rack RC and RV Series Roof Rack Legs - Fixed Mounting Points # RR42SV
RCH Legs for Rhino-Rack Crossbars and Pioneer Platforms - Fixed Mounting Points # RRRCH4

With this Vortex Aero crossbar setup, you will have a 175 pound maximum weight capacity. I recommend confirming with your owner's manual to make sure your roof can hold that much weight. Apart from the aerodynamic design of the Vortex Aero crossbars, the setup also includes plastic theft-deterring locks. If you want to upgrade to metal locks, that is Rhino-Rack Locking Endcaps for Vortex Aero Crossbars # RRVA-LEC4.