Availability of Side Rails for SportRack Roof Rack # SR1010 for Use on 1998 Honda Civic 4-Door  

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Expert Reply:

Your SportRack Roof Rack # SR1010 for your 1998 Honda Civic 4-Door does not have accessory side bars that can be added. In some applications on vehicles with short and/or curved roof lines what is known as a short roof adapter, part # SR1116, is required to properly secure the rack on such vehicles. Your 1998 Civic 4-door does not require this short roof adapter. I have linked an installation video and the written instructions for this rack, for your reference.

SportRack specifies the correct crossbar spacing for this rack on your particular year/make/model vehicle as 21-3/4-inches. Since the short roof adapter requires that the crossbar spread be 23-3/4-inches it would not be compatible with your rack and car.

If you are looking to have a sturdy 4-sided roof structure in order to carry a soft cargo bag or luggage you might consider a metal roof cargo basket. Metal cargo baskets easily attach to roof racks like your SportRack. I have included a link to our page for metal cargo baskets that will fit the rectangular crossbars in your SportRack system. These are available in various sizes and materials.

Whether or not you choose to use a basket on your Civic roof please keep in mind that your Civic will have a roof weight limit that should be indicated in your owners manual or be available from a local dealership. It is important that your total rooftop load not exceed the vehicle limit. Keep in mind that the weight of any cargo basket itself also counts toward the weight load on the roof. For example, if your manual indicates a 100-lb roof weight limit, then you need to add the weight of the rack (14-lbs) to the weight of any cargo basket you might select (say Curt # C18115 that weighs 40-lbs) and deduct this total from the 100-lb vehicle capacity to know how much cargo you could safely load. In this case that amount would be 46-lbs.

expert reply by: Adam R

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