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Aftermarket Rack Cross Bars

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Meli’sRav4

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2021 Hybrid RAV4 XLE
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have the 2021 XLE premium model with the flush bars. What crossbars will fit this set up? I’m looking at these

www.rackoutfitters.com

Thule 7600B - BLACK AeroBlade EDGE Complete Roof Rack - Set of 2

Fast, FREE Shipping on EVERYTHING, no tax outside Texas, Top-Rated Dealer Since 2002
www.rackoutfitters.com www.rackoutfitters.com
but I have no idea if this is the correct set up, when I look at my flush rails I see 4 little caps that can be taken off, I’m assuming for the cross bar installation. Does this mean I should get the fixed rail location set up?
I welcome any help. As I am very green at any of this.
161344
 
#2 ·
There are plenty of “OE style” crossbars available. Search Amazon or eBay for 2019 RAV4 Crossbars, they’re almost all the same and based on the Factory design. The knock offs run from $59 to $130.

The factory crossbars from Toyota are about $180.

If there’s a specific purpose you need the actual cross bars from another brand (compatibility with a certain accessory, or weight requirements, etc), then you could look at the bars you posted, but those are pretty expensive. For $749 you can buy the Prinsu design full flat top rack system (only $100 more than the bars you posted.) I will say that the instructions for the Prinsu make it look like a pain to install though.

Also yes, the little caps come off to expose mounting points, you can lift them off with something plastic if you’re curious.

I have a Yakima rack that I have installed on the knockoff bars and it works fine, so assuming you could find accessories that work with the factory bars for whatever you need (bicycle, kayak, rack/carrier, etc)

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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Thanks! I appreciate the detailed info!! I’m going to start looking into the Toyota brand ones. I’m looking for something that will be versatile, so I can mount bikes or snow boards and rooftop cargo. That prinsu design roof rack looks amazing, but I don’t have the tools to install :(.
 
#4 ·
The so-called flush rails are purely decorative and the mounting points are at odd angles on three axes on the front and two on the back. I have a Packasport fibreglass ski box that needs flat bars. Also having a 3D printer I was able to make what are actually spacers so that I could drill through a pair of old Thule bars and bolt them directly into the mounting points. I used 90 mm long M8 x 1.25 button head bolts so that the box would be high enough that opening the sun roof wouldn't interfere with the bottom of the box.
OEM and virtually all of the aftermarket bars have such a curve in them that I didn't want to risk bending the fibreglass over them.
161384
 
#6 · (Edited)
Scubanero said:
The so-called flush rails are purely decorative and the mounting points are at odd angles on three axes on the front and two on the back. I have a Packasport fibreglass ski box that needs flat bars. Also having a 3D printer I was able to make what are actually spacers so that I could drill through a pair of old Thule bars and bolt them directly into the mounting points. I used 90 mm long M8 x 1.25 button head bolts so that the box would be high enough that opening the sun roof wouldn't interfere with the bottom of the box.
OEM and virtually all of the aftermarket bars have such a curve in them that I didn't want to risk bending the fibreglass over them.
View attachment 161384
Click to expand...
Hope you didn’t you print the spacers out of PLA, if they deform in the flush bars, they’ll become impossible to remove. If you manage to go through the summer with PLA printed spacers, they could further deform to the point where the bolt holes might close up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#9 ·
Meli’sRav4 said:
I have the 2021 XLE premium model with the flush bars. What crossbars will fit this set up? I’m looking at these

www.rackoutfitters.com

Thule 7600B - BLACK AeroBlade EDGE Complete Roof Rack - Set of 2

Fast, FREE Shipping on EVERYTHING, no tax outside Texas, Top-Rated Dealer Since 2002
www.rackoutfitters.com www.rackoutfitters.com
but I have no idea if this is the correct set up, when I look at my flush rails I see 4 little caps that can be taken off, I’m assuming for the cross bar installation. Does this mean I should get the fixed rail location set up?
I welcome any help. As I am very green at any of this. View attachment 161344
Click to expand...
Wind noise from bars kinda sucks. Also mounting bikes is kinda a pain on the roof. Scratched my car taking down my mountain bike once i was on uneven ground making it akward. Idk just my experience but ya snowboards of course gotta go up there. I would rather have a tow hitch with the bike rack on the back.
 
#11 ·
rys said:
Hope you didn’t you print the spacers out of PLA, if they deform in the flush bars, they’ll become impossible to remove. If you manage to go through the summer with PLA printed spacers, they could further deform to the point where the bolt holes might close up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
PETG
 
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#12 ·
Scubanero said:
The so-called flush rails are purely decorative and the mounting points are at odd angles on three axes on the front and two on the back. I have a Packasport fibreglass ski box that needs flat bars. Also having a 3D printer I was able to make what are actually spacers so that I could drill through a pair of old Thule bars and bolt them directly into the mounting points. I used 90 mm long M8 x 1.25 button head bolts so that the box would be high enough that opening the sun roof wouldn't interfere with the bottom of the box.
OEM and virtually all of the aftermarket bars have such a curve in them that I didn't want to risk bending the fibreglass over them.
View attachment 161384
Click to expand...
Nice work! I made a custom rack simple by cutting off the factory bar feet as flat as I could. It looks pretty ghetto compared to yours up close, but functions :p.

Love the signature line, BTW :p.
 
#13 ·
I installed these crossbars from Amazon. They are pretty good; I'm not fond of the quarter-sized hole in the outsides of the pillars and wish they have provided a plug to fill them. Also, the instructions were not clear that if the bars need to be adjusted for length, that's what the included Allen wrench is for. But otherwise they are fine and a lot cheaper than some.

 
#14 ·
RetiredGamer said:
Wind noise from bars kinda sucks. Also mounting bikes is kinda a pain on the roof. Scratched my car taking down my mountain bike once i was on uneven ground making it akward. Idk just my experience but ya snowboards of course gotta go up there. I would rather have a tow hitch with the bike rack on the back.
Click to expand...
I only use the crossbars for kayaks and I take them down when not in use because of the noise.

I am considering the following hitch installed snowboard rack.

Premium Towing Accessories for Performance Automotive Needs

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