Carry a Kayak Further Forward on a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder Factory Roof Rack

Question:

On my 2005 Pathfinder, the factory roof rack sits towards the back of the vehicle, which makes hauling a long kayak difficult while traveling with my trailer. The rear overhang interferes due to my trailers short tounge. Is it possible to add a clamp on sytle rack towards the front of the vehicle to move my load forward so to not interfere with the trailer due to the overhang in the back? My initial thought is to install a single clamp on style crossbar towds the front and utilize a single crossbar on the factory rack for the back. With this be a safe application?

asked by: Galen P

Expert Reply:

The first thing to check on your 2005 Nissan Pathfinder is the factory roof rack. Check to see if the crossbars can be moved forward. On many OEM roof racks this is the case so if you can move them forward then that would solve the issue.

If they can't be moved, then you still have a couple of options. First and probably the easiest is to use a longer ball mount to move the trailer further away from the vehicle. The longest ball mount we have measures 13-1/4 inches from the center of the hitch pin hole to the center of the ball hole, # BM20. But if the length is not enough, capacity not high enough, or rise or drop not correct to tow the trailer level then there is a second option.

You could use the Darby Turbo Rack # DTA968. This is a single bar that you can use when carrying your kayak and remove when not in use. When properly installed it is safe. The only thing about this bar is that to mount to the vehicle the strap has to run through the interior of the vehicle. This can reduce headroom depending on where the bar is positioned. But it is a low-cost, quick and easy option.

expert reply by: Michael H