OEM roof rack rattling

Just installed the rack last week and noticed it rattles on the front driver's side when the crossbars are out (perpendicular to siderails) and unloaded -Most noticeable around 60-70mph. Anyone else have that problem? Everything's torqued down tight

 

See if the front crossbar has any play in it where it "clicks" into the driver side rail. That's where mine makes noise when the bars are out and unloaded. Not a real big issue, just annoying sometimes.

 

Resurrecting this. Still happening, and yes there is a little play in it. Have you found a solution?

 

Nah, I haven't actually done anything about it. I've had a few ideas, but it hasn't bothered me enough to remember (I normally only leave the bars out when I'm in town).

Some ideas I had that maybe would work:

-adding a layer of plasti-dip (the actual dip, not spray) to the cross bar hook to make it thicker, therefore sitting tighter in the mounting hole
-finding or making an O-ring to go between the cross bar and rail to make the bar itself sit tighter against the rail (ring would sit on top of the rail, around the mounting hole)

Again, haven't actually done any of those, just putting my thoughts in writing.

 

O-ring isn't a bad idea, might try that and report back. I was looking around for a basket that would fit (think it's ~45" between crossbars) and thinking the weight would stop the rattle. Can't find a decently priced one that would work though..

 

Only one I've heard of working was the Yakima with extension. Not sure about others though.

 

So I was up there putting my snowboard rack on today and started fiddling with it. Bought an O-ring (1-5/8", and the bar would not snap/pop back into the mounting hole. Turns out the solution is a simple rubber band.

 

How'd you mount said rubber band?

 

I just double wrapped it around the 'post' at the end of the bar, up snug against the join of the bar and post, above the part of the post that pops out and locks it in. If that make sense

 

I think I get what you're saying. I'll have to go play with it sometime and see if I can get it to work for me. Thanks!

 

yes! It sounds like rocks are hitting the car and it is so intermittent - speed and wind direction have to be just so.

I can't hear it with the windows open so I can't test it by simply sticking my hand out the window and holding the bar down.

I took the bars off today to see if that nasty sound comes back.

 

So it is annoying. rubberband works.. Kinda lame really it cant be perfected in manufacturing racks. Anyone worry about loosness coming undone? Hate to lose paddle boards on the road.