Reposition Protege5 Stock Roof Rack

[chevelles240]

Hey everyone,

I am new here because I recently purchased a 2002 Mazda Protege5 with 51,000 miles on it. I've gotten this car cleaned up exactly how I want it and it is running very good for its age.

The only minor problem I am experiencing with this vehicle is the roof rack. I purchased 2 Yakima Forklifts (bike rack mounts) to sit on top of the stock roof rack. The only issue is that I cannot open the trunk all of the way with the bike mounts installed in the direction they are meant to be installed.

Here are some photos to clarify on what I am talking about:
First Photo
Second Photo
Third Photo

The good news is that I can install the bike racks backwards and have enough clearance for the trunk to open all of the way, but it honestly looks awkward and somewhat tacky with the bike racks installed backwards. It looks like 2 rods pointing out into the air facing over the front of the vehicle.

What I am wanting to do is take the roof rack off and push it forwards, towards the front end of the car so I can have the bike racks installed properly, and still have enough clearance. The "Third Photo" will show you how much further forward the crossbar would need to sit in order for the trunk to still have enough clearance to open all of the way with the bike racks installed properly.

So is there anyway to push the entire roof rack forward a bit? I took the paneling off that covers where the crossbars are screwed into the side rails, and it looks like there is an empty hole where I could push the entire rack a little bit forward and tighten it back down again in the screw hole that I think is a screw hole.

Thanks to anyone that can help answer this question. I've tried looking throughout this forum for an answer and looked at the Protege5 maintenance manual, but haven't found any information that addresses this sort of thing.

 

[lowlevel]

I don't have any ideas, but I can't seem to view the pictures without signing up for some kind of live account...

 

[chevelles240]

Lowlevel,

Sorry about that mistake. I updated each photo link so you all could view them. You may need to click on each photo to expand them so the text is readable.

 

[lowlevel]

I'de prefer to modify the bike mounts instead of trying to reposition the roof rack... (assuming it's not easy to just move forward like you would like.)

Can the 'rods' be shortened by say 2 inches at the front joint by slipping them out of the mounting plastic part, cutting and slipping it back in? (Would the rear wheel of your bike still fit on there with 2 inches less length?)

Can you perhaps grind off half an inch of the rear plastic stop piece to gain there?

 

[hat1018]

You could move the roof rack forward. Remove headliner and several interior pieces, un-bolt the roof rails, drill new holes, re-attatch rails, plug old holes, re-install headliner and other parts. Daunting but do-able.

 

[chevelles240]

Lowlevel, I could look into shortening the bike racks, but that is something I'd rather avoid doing. Once I am home I will analyze the racks and see if there is any place towards the front where I could remove the mounting plastic part and cut a chunk of the rods off.

hat1018, That is a good suggestion but something I'd rather avoid as well. I would keep the bike racks on backwards before I start drilling new holes on the roof. It is from my understanding that it is already somewhat of a pain to remove the entire rack because of how it is attached from the interior side of the car.

 

[lowlevel]

Lowlevel, I could look into shortening the bike racks, but that is something I'd rather avoid doing. Once I am home I will analyze the racks and see if there is any place towards the front where I could remove the mounting plastic part and cut a chunk of the rods off.

hat1018, That is a good suggestion but something I'd rather avoid as well. I would keep the bike racks on backwards before I start drilling new holes on the roof. It is from my understanding that it is already somewhat of a pain to remove the entire rack because of how it is attached from the interior side of the car.

Yeah.. I think you've already come up with the easiest solution... (mount them backwards.)

There may be a screw or click-tabs holding them on which might make shortening them a little harder than it looks from here... but that wouldn't stop me. The rear part might be easier to shorten but the front one looks easier to hide any cosmetic flaws with your work.

Good luck!

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

I had this issue with my roof rack bike trays. I trimmed the rear of them where the hatch would open all the way without hitting the trays but when the bikes are up there the hatch touches the tire instead. Doesn't matter though, the hatch can be used. The other trim I had to make was for disc caliper to clear tray up by skewer where fork mounts. Can you tell these are pretty old racks? lol. I would see about the tray moving forward enough in it's mounting to the car rack enuff to clear hatch and rear clamp to hit rr rack correctly. The rear crossbar on car can slide forward to help that happen but the front does not move. You'll have to customize something but it should be doable. I would focus on customizing the bike rack, not the car rack tho.............On 2nd look at the pics, I would call Yakima and see about getting a 2nd set of rear tray mounts as they look to slide up and down the tray for adjustability. You could use 2 of them on each tray, (1 up front by skewer mount and 1 towards back like it is now), which would effectiviely move the fork mount forward where the rr one would slide back to hit rr crossbar and the tray would now be forward enough to not have hatch hit it.

 

[chevelles240]

i12drivemyMP5, your idea is great! I got excited after reading it last night, so I stopped studying for exams to try it out. I took the rear mount off of one of the bike racks and placed it onto the second bike rack that I have. Here is what it looks like:
First Photo
Second Photo
As you can see by the photos, there is a slight issue with where the rear bike tire is resting. It is resting on top of the rear mount instead of the rear tire mount strap. This is easily fixable by pushing the rear crossbar forward because this roof rack allows you to adjust where the rear crossbar is placed.

I was afraid the bike rods would slide back and forth, but this setup actually keeps them holding firm in place. I will call Yakima sometime and see what they can quote me on for just the rear mounts if I decide to go with this set up. I probably won't be able to get this setup complete until 2 weeks from now because school and work is taking all of my free time. It's either this setup or I stick with have the bike racks installed on backwards.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Will it let you flip the crossbar mount around facing the other way where that fastener thing the tire is sitting on would be behind the tire & the strap thing in front where it would be in the right spot the secure the tire in the tray? That way the crossbar could stay put. Nice tasty carbon Fuji there too............

 

[chevelles240]

I tried that and there still isn't enough clearance for it to work properly. Not a big deal because I can push the Mazda Crossbar forward. To get two of those mounts it would cost me $36, which isn't bad at all. I will keep this method in mind when the cycling season starts up again in the spring. Thanks for the complement on my fuji- I love that bike.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Here's a shot of my performancebike Xport racks from a coupla years ago. Also have Saris bones rack that clings to hatch for those muddy rides if ever using car for that anymore. I do most all of my bike hauling with the truck now, just much easier. Yours looks to have much sturdier rear mount than mine do with just that little peg connecting tray to rear crossbar.

........and a pic of my only actual road bike out of the 13 hangin around the house, lol. Can't quit building them. Most are offroad variations. I prefer the trails and mud and stuff away from cars in the shade of the forest but it's all good..........

 

[chevelles240]

I've noticed that Yakima's Forklifts are longer other bike racks, but it's the only type of bike rack that mounts to a stock roof from Yakima. I looked into Thule for a shorter rack like yours, but I ended up getting 50% off my Yakima Forklifts and I couldn't pass that deal up.

Nice specialized bike btw. I've looked into their triathlon bikes, but I can't afford it yet because I am still worrying about college and working enough to get by. I prefer road racing over mountain biking, and I always try to find rural routes because of cars.

Here is a better image of my bike. I will eventually add some aero bars to this and push the seat a bit forward.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

pic no worky...

 

[chevelles240]

Try this link

 

[P-Funk!]

Have you thought about spacers to simply raise the bike rack portion?

 

[NemosMP5]

im using rockymounts tierods and i had to cut about 3inches off them and like previous users said the tires will still hit hatch. if all else fails you could remove the oem rack and buy a full yakima one ive seen people use those since they cant get their hands on oem ones

 

[lowlevel]

Have you thought about spacers to simply raise the bike rack portion?

Heh, that'd probably work out pretty good actually

 

[chevelles240]

Have you thought about spacers to simply raise the bike rack portion?

P-funk, could you possibly elaborate on this please? I'm not sure I know what spacers are and how raising the roof rack would change the bike racks hitting the trunk.

 

[chevelles240]

P-funk, If you are referring to something like this then it wouldn't work because I am using the OEM roof rack that came with my Mazda Protege5.