September 3, 2009
Rack Attack Team
We're always amazed when the Volkwagen Eurovans come in to Rack Attack without a roof rack or hitch mount. How can you have any fun at all without all your toys in haul? Well keep reading and if you happen to be one of the unfortunate souls with no way to carry all your toys on your Eurovan this should help get you started in the right direction...
The Yakima Control Towers or Thule 430 Towers are the most common application on the Westfalia Pop Tops and non pop tops. It's a bolt through application on the pop tops and a blind fastener application on the metal roof (you CANNOT use blind fasteners in the fiberglass - FYI)
You can attach as few as 2 bars using the fixed Yakima Landing Pad #6 Bases (or the comparable Thule TK 14 Base) usuall centered over the sliding door (so you can stand in the door and access your load) but you can also utilize all the real estate up there on that long flat roof and mount as many as 3 or 4 crossbars.
The 3rd bar in the rear of the van is a popular option for folks carrying their kayaks as it gives them a perch to load and unload from without damaging their van by sliding boats on and off. * Remember - just 2 crossbars weigh approx 22lbs - and even what seems to be a small amount of weight, it will affect how the gas struts behave when loaded. About 1% of our Eurovan customers request the crossbars be mounted back over the rear hinge (not over the sliding door) so they can pop the top easier when loaded up. * Remember - this also moves your load back. ie: long kayaks will now be hanging off the back instead of being centered over the van. Think your placement through before you drill your holes.
If your carrying a variety of accessories that require some adjustment of the bars - definitely consider the Yakima or Thule Tracks. The bars are still quickly detached but also easily adjusted front to rear. Typically 60" max length (it gets mounted between the hinge and strut brackets)
The hardware lengths that come with the Yakima or Thule Tracks or Landing Pad or TK Kits will need to be changed to approx 2" to make it through the double layer in the Westfalia Pop Top (Yakima and Thule both provide hardware lengths that are appropriate for canopies which are not as thick.)
Here's a hard top V Dub with the Thule TK 14 Brackets and 430R Aero Style Bars installed. Much better that the original fitment (see below) of the 400 Aero that could be popped off with a butter knife - " hey, where did all my stuff go?"
And of course installing a Curt Hitch # 13217 Class III Hitch is the best option for the back of your van (the dealer can will only install a Class II 1.25" - and we've taken a lot of those off because you cannot install the swing away bike racks on anything smaller than 2" safely.)
The Yakima Swingdaddy or the Thule Revolver (pictured) are the most popular hitch racks we sell once we've installed the hitch. For obvious reasons - see below.
Common Thule Eurovan Pop Up Parts -
- 430 Tracker Towers
- Tracker Kit #13 (bolt through fixed mounts) - remember you will need to source your own longer metric bolts
- Load Bar 58" or longer
- Thule Lock Cores or if you want it adjustable bars - add parts below instead of TK 13
- Tracker Kit #1 (mounts in tracks)
- Thule 60" Bolt Through Tracks (you will need to source longer metric bolts)
Comparable parts for Yakima below-
- Yakima Control Towers
- Yakima Landing Pad #6's (non adjustable fixed mount) You will need longer bolts than provided.
- Yakima 58" Crossbars (or longer)
- Yakima Lock Cores or for adjustable crossbars, exchange the parts below for the LP #6's
- Yakima Landing Pad #1's
- Yakima 60" Tracks w/Bolts (you will need longer hardware than provided)
And if you happen to have the Eurovan Winnabago Camper - none of the stuff above applies. See list of proper parts below
Despite what people have said in other forums and blogs we believe the Yakima Sideloader Brackets (made by Kwikrail) to be the best possible way to load this Winnabago Camper roof (yes, even better that what Volkswagen installs - if you've actually felt the soft plastic top - it's not load bearing at all. Put the load on the corners where it should be). Do you believe the person that's installed them for the first and only time (defying conventional wisdom) VS. the Experts that have installed hundreds of the them, and have seen and heard the horror stories of what happens when things are not installed as they should be.
You can use Thule 300 Raingutter Towers on Yakima Sideloader Brackets if you grind about 1/8" off each of the feet corners (DO NOT bend the tabs on the brackets, they are there for a reason). Or better yet just purchase the Kwikrail Thule Bracket that's identical to the Sideloader bracket from Yakima - just about 1/2" wider). The 542 Thule Brackets, Yakima Widebody Brackets DO NOT work on the Winnabago Camper Top.
For more Expert Rack Tips from the Rack Attack folks who do this everyday, all day long. Call 1 888 399 7225 or email us
