Overall Width of the RockyMounts BrassKnuckles Roof Bike Rack

Question:

I am planning on replacing the stock crossbars on my 2007 Subaru Outback Wagon with Yakima Jetstream bars on Timberline towers. My plan is to have my Skybox 16 in the middle and a BrassKnuckle on either side of the box on the outside of the towers. I am not sure that the trays will fit in those spots, though, so I am wondering at the width of the central hub up front I see that 12inch is a common width listed, but Im not sure if that includes the swingarm or not. Could I get away with Medium Jetstreams or should I get the Large size to fit the BrassKnuckles in this configuration? For reference, my raised siderails are 37inch apart and the medium Jetstreams are 50inch long Larges are 60inch long.

asked by: Jesse

Expert Reply:

I went out to our warehouse and measured one of the RockyMounts BrassKnuckles Bike Racks like # RKY1201. From the end of the clamping arm the slides through the wheel tray to the outer edge of the clamping arm does measure 12 inches.

With this in mind, using the longer crossbars, like the Yakima JetStream Bars # Y00426 along with the TimberLine Towers # Y33TR, will give you more room when mounting your racks and cargo carrier. The only issue would be how far the bars will hang over the edge of the car. To see if the bar width will be acceptable. take a measurement between the your side rails to see if the crossbar over hang will be an issue for you.

Before you decide on which rack you want to purchase, consult you owner's manual to see what the weight capacity and any limitations that might be on the roof of you Outback. With a cargo carrier, two bike racks, and any cargo including bikes may be close to or over the rated limit of your roof. Checking the roof weight rating before loading can guarantee there will not be any failure of the system.

expert reply by: Jared P