2017 CX-5 Aftermarket Cross Bars (and a bit of a Thule AeroBlade review)

I just removed my OEM crossbars last weekend. I am not planning to use over the winter.
You will need some cloth over the roof and use angled wrench to unscrew T30 screws. Also, I couldn't live with the wind noise especially on front crossbar as it was sitting on top of sunroof.
Btw, CX-5 looks better without the crossbar (only with chrome rails). :)
 
Thank you so much for this post, you saved me so much time !

I had Thule bars and bike rack from my previous MKC and did not want having to buy the whole set again so I followed your instructions by ordering the roof rails and the Thule 3160 kit and it just worked perfectly !

I had to order the roof rails from Med Center Mazda because they are still not available at Mazda dealers in Canada but they were cheaper even with the shipping, customs fees and exchange rate !

here are some pictures :

Nicolas

Just for reference, how long are the bars you show in the pics?
 
Just bought the factory cross bars and installed them today. Dealer price $212 + tax. Dealer wanted $67 to install, so I thought I'd tackle it myself.

If I'm interpreting the sticker on the box correctly, the Mazda bars are made by Thule.

What's in the box:

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It's fairly straightforward but the bolt installation is difficult due to the fact that you can't see the holes very well and there if very little room for a tool next to the roof. Use a towel to protect your paint. The provided tool was OK to start but I used my ratcheting screwdriver with a T30 bit to torque em down.

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Finished:

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Tested out my Thule box...no interference with the shark fin antenna.
 
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Just bought the factory cross bars and installed them today. Dealer price $212 + tax. Dealer wanted $67 to install, so I thought I'd tackle it myself.

If I'm interpreting the sticker on the box correctly, the Mazda bars are made by Thule.

What's in the box:

It's fairly straightforward but the bolt installation is difficult due to the fact that you can't see the holes very well and there if very little room for a tool next to the roof. Use a towel to protect your paint. The provided tool was OK to start but I used my ratcheting screwdriver with a T30 bit to torque em down.

Finished:

Tested out my Thule box...no interference with the shark fin antenna.


Thanks for the walk through! On the Mazda OEM crossbar manual it says "Maximum Load - 75 kg/165 lbs Evenly Distributed" Is that per crossbar for a total load of 330lbs across both bars does it mean that it's 82.5lbs each bar for a total of 165lbs?
 
Thanks for the walk through! On the Mazda OEM crossbar manual it says "Maximum Load - 75 kg/165 lbs Evenly Distributed" Is that per crossbar for a total load of 330lbs across both bars does it mean that it's 82.5lbs each bar for a total of 165lbs?

that's a popular question I've read on this forum. I don't really know the answer. If I had to guess I'd say its 165 lbs total. The "evenly distributed" makes me think they are saying the weight needs to be distributed evenly between the 2 bars.
 
that's a popular question I've read on this forum. I don't really know the answer. If I had to guess I'd say its 165 lbs total. The "evenly distributed" makes me think they are saying the weight needs to be distributed evenly between the 2 bars.
I was cruizing the Thule website last night, and they do have a crossbar version that has a 220lb capacity. The aeroblade ARB47 (as opposed to the aeroblade 7603 with the 165lb capacity). Seems to use the same 3160 KIT to install.
 
These bars.....those of you that have them, do you think it would be possible to attach a long light bar to one?

I drive a lot of time at night, out in the countryside near farm fields and woods. Lots of deer. The lights on my 2017 touring pep are good on high beam, but I want better. I don't want to clutter up the front end with a light bar. Plus the light bar will be more effective mounted up high on the roof.

Couple of questions, the factory cross bars....are they level flat or an after market brand that sits flat? And the shape, are they oval shaped? My thoughts are to find a flat mounted bar, find a combination spot and flood light bar that extends all the way across the bar and have it wired into the high beam switch/wire. I have searched the web a good bit and have not ran across anything yet. There will most likely be some drilling for the wires, not worried about that if it is done correctly and is concealed properly.

Any info, ideas for lights, or web sites appreciated.
 
Also forgot to mention...I realize that there will most likely be wind noise created by adding the lights. Turn the radio up or open up the sun roof. As long as the install looks clean and the light bar does not make the car look like something it is not, an off road vehicle, im good with it.
 
I haven't decided to get the factory cross bars or thule ones. I have Thule ones for my wife's Q7, and they're great, not noisy, and lower profile than the factories from Audi. In either case, I need roof rails, and I'm getting those installed by the dealer Tomorrow (5/18). I bought them with the car two weeks ago, and included the price of the rails with the financing.
 
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