Roof Mount Cargo Bag Recommendation for a 2005 Honda Accord Sedan with Yakima Roof Rack

Question:

I currently have a 2005 Honda Accord Sedan with a Yakima base rack. I am looking to increase the cargo capacity with a cargo bag. The installation specs for the base rack say that the bars need to be 32 inches apart front to back and 41 inches wide side to side. It seems to me that all the cargo bags would fit better sideways. It that an option to mount them like that? What is the mounting recommendations if the gap of the bars cant be stretched to 40 inches which it seems like all the bags are? I would like to use the cargo bag as opposed to the boxes becuase of the lack of storage space.

asked by: Ron

Expert Reply:

The straps and bag shape of roof mount bags is such that you cannot mount them sideways on the roof of a vehicle. Ideally, you would want a bag to fit between the bars but if that is not possible you can rest the bag on the bars. It may sag in the middle so a roof protector, # RL100650, is recommended.

The largest capacity cargo bag we have is # RL100S30 with 18 cubic feet of storage. Cargo boxes on the other hand go up to 21 cubic feet so a box is still a viable option but more costly. The trade off is that a box offers more protection than a bag. Also some bar spreads on certain vehicles may not allow the use of the larger cargo boxes.

For any roof mounted item be sure to consult the vehicle owners manual for the capacity of the roof and be careful not to exceed it.

expert reply by: Michael H