What Roof Rack and Kayak Carrier do You Recommend for My Bare-Roof 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan?

Question:

I have a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan AVP that has a naked roof, no factory rails. When I bought the van last year I saw that Yakima and Thule both had products you could attach to the area where the sliding doors open and lock in place. I have seen these on other vans as well. Did they both discontinue these since they dont see to be available anymore. I would like to carry kayaks on my roof but wanted to find an add-on rack of some kind. Thanks much for you time,

asked by: Gary H

Expert Reply:

I went ahead and did some research on your 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan with sliding doors, and unfortunately those racks have been discontinued. Although it is not definite about why Thule and Yakima discontinued those racks, I did discuss with my fitguide expert that manufacturers did have fitment issues associated with the sliding doors on your Caravan.

With that being said, I have a great solution for you. For the absolute best option, I recommend the SeaSucker Monkey Bars # 298-SX6000B. The Monkey Bars come with the easiest installation and removal process out of any roof rack we carry here at etrailer. The Monkey Bars come with an impressive 150-pound maximum weight capacity which is plenty for transporting your kayaks. I went ahead and attached a video that shows the true strength of the SeaSucker vacuum cups. For theft-deterrence, I recommend using the etrailer cable lock # e98891 and the SeaSucker Cable Anchor for Cable Lock - Window Mounted # 298-BA0010. As with all roof-mounted accessories, I recommend confirming with your vehicle's owner's manual that your roof can handle the combined weight of the cargo you wish to transport.

As far as the kayak carrier, I recommend the Rhino-Rack 2 Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs - J-Style - Folding # S512-S512X. Not only does the Rhino-Rack 2 fold when not in use, it comes with all straps required to transport 2 kayaks. Most other kayak carriers require you to purchase additional straps. The carrier attaches to the 1-1/4 diameter crossbars of the Monkey Bars with no issues.

expert reply by: Bob C