Re: [Paddlewise] Yak Mako vs thule saddles

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 22:48:22 -0700
JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote:

> However, a point of departure, too.  I had my two sets of cradles on Audi factory flat bars at first, but now carry them on Yak bars.  The added advantage of being able to rotate the cradles slightly to follow the contour of the side of the kayak greatly outweighs the horizontal orientation of stock or Thule bars, in my opinion. [snip] (For what it's worth, many single-bar Yak accessories will rotate slightly on the bars --- or the bars will rotate slightly in the towers --- when leverage is applied.  If you know how you want the accessory to fit, simply insert a small (maybe two inch square) piece of the sanding screen that plasterers and sheetrockers use between the mount and the bar, and between the bar and the accessory.  Works great --- no more rotation problems.)

While we are on the subject of rotation around the Yakima bars, I'd like to
endorse Jack's suggestion -- I contact-cemented wet-or-dry 220 grit inside the
mounts for my Hully Rollers, and it helps reduce rotation.

However, for those who (against Yakima's advice) mount one bar to a pickup cab
and the other to *the canopy* attached to the bed, here is a word of warning: 
I've used that arrangement on two different import pickups:  a 1987 Mazda Cab
Plus, and a 1996 Toyota Extended Cab.  No problems with the Mazda.  On the
Toyota, however, I have had the rear bar rotate a full 15-20 degrees when I ran
on very rough roads, to the point the attachment to the yaks was materially
altered.  In addition, the Q Towers on the cab got pushed forward an inch or so
from their original position.  The net result was that the straps loosened a
bit.  Did not seem to hurt anything, but on a fragile load, could torque
something.  I believe the bed on the Yota flexes a lot relative to the cab,
causing more the rotation around the rear bar and the forward shift on the
front bar.

YMMV

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Mon Aug 28 2000 - 22:50:47 PDT

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