Roof Rack: Yakima 'Landing Pad' Anyone try this?

[brendodb]

Hello all... I am new here and have spent about 4 hours reading all the posts and threads on roof racks...
I have a P5 2003 (i think its a 2003.5 as it didnt come w/ the factory rack)

I would like to put a rack on the car but don't want to scratch the paint or damage the rails with the Q-Towers.
So I am wondering if anyone has adapted the Yakima 'Landing Pad' towers to fit where the Mazda factory racks would go?

Thanks...

 

[MP5_509]

What do you mean damage the rails with the q-towers? I have a yakima rack on right now and it fits perfectly. No damage what-so-ever! You might wanna PM Poseur, he has a rack on his P5 all year round, uses it for boarding and mountain biking.

 

[Poseur]

Indeed I do run Q towers year round on my 03.5 (yes, you DO have an 03.5 if it's rackless) And I haven't had problems, hell I had the rack on my honda forlike 6years prior to owning this car, took it off maybe twice a year, and never had any paint problems (well except that it didn't peel under the towers like it did elsewhere)
Someone did adapt a set of Thule tower to mount with the factory setup, but the results are not what I'd consider desireable. Looks kinda goofy, and well if you odn't have a factory rack, you'll have to drill holes in your roof to attach one with (my g/f just swapped her 02's rack out with a canadian car's strips to make hers bare, and there were screwholes left now that had to be caulked in)

If you really just want a cleaner look, and intend to keep the car for ahwile, I'd just go all out and track it. I'd have tracked my civic if I kept it. it's the ultimate in easy clean multipurpose adapatable setup, but yes holes right through the roof. Railriders are the lowest profile smoothest towers you can run, Plus, you can pull 'em off and there's nothing but very low profile stips left. It all comes down to priorities.

Here's my setup for what it's worth. IMHO Q towers are realistically the easiest, least painful way to do it. Any possible paint damage can be remedied with a simple buffing and wax. and that only comes from grime settling under the pads (it DOES happen) but it'll take quite some time to do so which is why I remove my rack a couple times a year. Generally I find nothing underneath, but on occasion (after alot of winter highway driving say) you will get some grit, I've yet to have it do any damage. The clips do no damage whatsoever to your doorsills if installed right. just be very precise on the measurements they list and follow the instructions properly, or have someone who knows do it, you'll be fine.
http://www.msprotege.com/vbb225/showthread.php?t=82968&highlight=yakima

Feel free to ask me any yakima Q's I'm a certified Yakima RackDawg and have been installing them for 10years now.

 

[Mad Hatter]

And I'm selling my rack if your looking for one.

 

[eting_pro5]

Q Towers won't damage anything (unless you try to drive into your garage with a bike on the roof...but only a small dent, no paint damage)

Additionally, the Q Towers allow the rack to come on and off in seconds. Very very nice feature.

 

[glitch32]

im trading/selling mine also for anyone else thats interested... pm me

 

[vaMP5er]

Q Towers won't damage anything (unless you try to drive into your garage with a bike on the roof...but only a small dent, no paint damage)

Additionally, the Q Towers allow the rack to come on and off in seconds. Very very nice feature.

(rofl) , I did the exact same thing in my old Subaru. It's good to know I'm not alone.

 

[ottawaP5]

Don't know if you can retrofit a Canadian setup, but this rack (made by Thule) bolts right into the roof rails and works great. I have 2 Yakima bike trays attached. This does not scratch the car whatsoever.

 

[jonlong]

I'm also using the q-tower setup and I take off the rack pretty frequently (several times a month) and I do not have any damage from the pads. Just make sure you clean them before you put them on and wax the part of the car that they come in contact with.

 

[JasonDoubleU]

I have been looking at the Landing Pads also.

I don't see why the landing pads wouldn't work, but you may have to but another set of what Yakima calls "nut plates" as they require 2 for each mount, where the factory rack only has one. If you do try it out, I'd like to hear about it. If I do it I'll post back here too.

For those who have mentioned the Q-towers, the Landing Pads are a different product that mount in the existing rack mounting rails and will completely replace the factory cross bars. It seems like a great idea, and doesn't touch the paint like the Q-tower setup. Granted the Q-towers, if kept clean won't do any damage, but the Landig Pads looks like a more integrated factory rack setup. Removal would require more work, the same as removing the factory rack.

Jason

 

[austexP5]

i'm interested in your rack

im trading/selling mine also for anyone else thats interested... pm me

you have the yakima q-towers? or the mazda factory rack?

 

[Silver Bullet]

Are you sure it is a Thule because all I can find on their web site is
Rack with this adaptor

It look like it as clamp that goes in between the door and the roof, not just in the rain gutter!

Don't know if you can retrofit a Canadian setup, but this rack (made by Thule) bolts right into the roof rails and works great. I have 2 Yakima bike trays attached. This does not scratch the car whatsoever.

 

[ottawaP5]

Actually Thule doesn't make it anymore under their name, you have to get it from your dealer. (It says Mazda on the rack but it's made by Thule)

 

[eting_pro5]

Fortunately it wasn't my bike.

(rofl) , I did the exact same thing in my old Subaru. It's good to know I'm not alone.

 

[Silver Bullet]

Do you know the part number or is there somebody with a bill that could take a look at it? I tried to ask for it at the dealer, but they dont know nothing. (screwy) I just need your help (group)

Thanks

Actually Thule doesn't make it anymore under their name, you have to get it from your dealer. (It says Mazda on the rack but it's made by Thule)

 

[ottawaP5]

Here's the # I got from the installation guide...

BJ3D-V4-701

 

[Silver Bullet]

Here's the # I got from the installation guide...

BJ3D-V4-701

Thank You!!!