Determining Fit of Rhino-Rack Roof-Mount Cargo Basket on Factory Crossbars of 2014 Acura MDX  

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I was able to find an online version of the owners manual for the 2014 Acura MDX but not specific details about the dimensions or exact placement of the fixed-point factory crossbars.

You can determine compatibility of the Rhino-Rack XTray Pro Cargo Basket and 2 Bike Carrier - Steel - 58-1/4" x 41" - 165 lbs # RRRMCB03 or any other rooftop accessory with your factory crossbars by measuring the distance between the centers of the two bars.

The Rhino-Rack XTray Pro Cargo Basket # RRRMCB03 uses moveable mounting brackets that attach between its adjacent cross rails. The brackets can be positioned on the basket for crossbar spreads of 25-1/2" - 43-1/4". If your MDX center-to-center crossbar measurement is one of these four, then this Rola basket will work just fine. I have attached a sample installation video for your review.

Often our customers that use a rooftop cargo carrier choose a tire step, which makes accessing the basket much easier. We offer several, including the HitchMate # HE4040, which simply slips over a rear tire to make loading and unloading easier.

An option you might consider is a cargo box; these offer the benefits of being lockable and providing protection from the elements. Unlike the Rola basket, these offer flexibility in placement of the crossbars.
For example, the Thule Sidekick # TH78GC, the second carrier shown on the link provided, will fit most factory crossbars (up to 3-3/4-inches diameter) whose center-to-center spread is anywhere between 23-5/8 inches and 28 inches.

Among our customers who drive the MDX the most popular cargo carriers are the hitch-mount type. These require the presence of a trailer hitch receiver. The benefits of hitch-mount carriers include easier loading and unloading, some protection from wind, less impact to your mileage performance and typically a higher weight capacity. Rooftop carriers can only hold as much weight as the vehicle roof can handle; sometimes a basket may have a higher capacity than the vehicle it is mounted to, and the lower rating always determines the cargo limit. So if your MDX has, just as an example, a 100-lb roof weight limit, this Rola basket which weighs 38-lbs would allow you to load up to 62-lbs of cargo. Your owners manual (or your local dealership) will tell you what weight your MDX roof can safely handle.

If you do not have a hitch on your MDX you can select from among three that we offer; these can be seen on the link provided. All are Class III 2-inch hitches with a very substantial 900-lb tongue weight capacity.
Tongue weight is the downward force applied to a hitch by what is attached to it, whether a trailer or a cargo basket. Hitch-mount cargo baskets often have a cargo weight capacity as high as 500-lbs; this is far more than any roof-mounted carrier will be able to handle. If you have heavy items to transport then a hitch-mount carrier is the way to go.

We offer both fixed and folding hitch-type carriers; the link provided will show you all such flat carriers that will work with a Class III 2-inch hitch. The most popular among MDX owners is the Pro Series # 63153. This fixed carrier has a 500-lb cargo capacity; when used with one of the Class III hitches you will be able to fully utilize its 500-lb capacity for your loaded gear. If your MDX already has a hitch you can measure from its hitch pin hole rearward to the back edge of the bumper to determine how much clearance a carrier needs to have to safely clear the back of the vehicle. Our product pages for hitch carriers will include a hitch pin hole to carrier distance measurement that will enable you to select a carrier that will be compatible with your MDX. The Pro Series # 63153 provides 12-3/4-inches clearance from the hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier basket.

expert reply by: Adam R

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