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I just ordered a Yakima Load Warrior for my MDX today ($250). It clamps directly to the factory rack and will accept the steelhead fork mount bike system, or any of the other Yakima mounting systems you might need. I needed a multipurpose system for my bikes, canoe, and kayak. The warrior is expandable too. Pretty slick!
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Where did you find this rack? I went to the Yakima web site and they didn't list any racks for the MDX...
Did you order online or local?
Thanks for the info! |
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| I don't know why the Yakima site is not up to date, but you can find the MDX listed in the new 2001 Yakima equipment directory. I purchased mine through my local REI here in Austin. |
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quote:
Originally posted by schalky
Where did you find this rack? I went to the Yakima web site and they didn't list any racks for the MDX...
Did you order online or local?
Thanks for the info!
It's not listed for the MDX on the Yakima site, but if you take a look at the following URL, you'll see the basket.
http://www.yakima.com/products/dynamic/8007070_6.html#
Looks like a basket that attaches to the racks, then allows Yakima mounts to be attached to the top part of the basket - is this correct?
How much additional wind noise does this thing create?
Cheers,
SK |
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I finally had some time to mount my Yakima Load Warrior to my MDX tonight, only to find the fit to be crude.....like square peg in round hole crude. Yeah, it will mount to the factory rack, much like a square peg will fit into a round hole if you beat the s**t out of it.
I called Yakima customer service to see how I went wrong. They claim the Load Warrior was test fitted to the MDX successfully without the need for a special MDX fit kit. Whatever...... Back it goes to REI.
Yakima told me they will have several other options for the MDX by June, in the mean time, I am ordering the hitch from Hondacuraworld, and a hitch/bike carrier from Thule.
Sorry for the wild goose chase. |
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Have you searched here for other solutions?
Thule makes the Acura MDX racks.
Thule sells a "VWADAPT" kit which precisely slides into the channel in the MDX cross members
Any accessory that will mount on a vertical bolt will then mount cleanly. I've mounted a ski rack. I've tested two kayak racks and a bike rack....
Check it out-
Ard |
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| I just got off the phone with Yakima. They have developed a Q-Tower for the MDX to be used in conjunction with the Yakima crossbars. I was told that the design was approved last week and that the Q-Towers and associated hardware were released for production. Yakima claimed they would be available for shipment NO LATER THAN mid-May. The Yakima rep said they have been getting barraged with phone calls from MDX owners. Congrats to the Forum! |
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Want to take the family to beach and need more storage space. Has any tried to mount a Yakima or Thule storage box to the factory rack? I called Thule and they said they had not tested it yet. So I called the 800 Acura number and the only thing the Rep knew, was what was on the racks sticker. Not more than a 165 lbs. The sales guy at REI said the the box will act as a wing and actually pull the cross beams out of the posts on some factory racks. This seemed to make no sense to the Acura Rep on the phone. So I called parts department at the Lynnwood Washington Acura dealer. The only reason I mention the dealership was this guy was great. He didn't know what the left weight was, but he checked on the warranty and talked to his local rep, and called me back to give me the info. Now only if the sales department at this dealership had any redeeming value.
Anyway back to my story. I can't seem to find any definitive information. The Yakima web site doesn't seem to have anything about the MDX in it's database. I hate to be the first person to test this scenario and have my rack completly seperate, void my warranty, have my wife yell at me, and watch my son cry as his new metal detector gets killed by the Lexus behind me.
Thanks. |
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Answered my own question.
The Yakima luggage carrier (RocketBox) works beautifully. No modifications or extra hardware to buy. Went right on. |
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I mounted a Thule 601 "Classic" box to the factory rack but I had to drill some new mounting holes. I centered the box on the rack, used the existing holes for the front mounts, but had to drill new holes for the back mounts. Fairly straight forward installation.
The biggest problem is that the window washer nozzle (on the tailgate) hits the end of the box when the tailgate is open. I believe you can avoid this if you move the box forward and mount it off center. I didn't figure this out until after I had drilled 4 new holes and tightened all the mounting bolts. If you position the box too far forward you will need to drill 8 new holes, and I think you will get a "wing" effect.
Since the span between the factory rack cross bars is only about 30 inches I decided to leave the box centered and instead deform the end of the box so the washer nozzle wouldn't snap off. I used a small torch to warm the plastic then made an indentation about half the size of a golf ball. I was afraid I would ruin the box, but after 30 seconds with the torch the plastic becomes quite malleable.
I'll post some pictures at some point.
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Interesting info on the Thule box. I'm planning to mount the 631 Summit. I expect to need 8 new holes because I have to clear the antenna.
Also interested in anyone's thoughts on swing-away Thule or Yakima hitch bike racks ... and whether the Acura hitch makes sense for just bikes. |
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| Got word from Acura that they will be offering a factory roof-top luggage box to go with the factory rack in '02. As of yet, that's the only addition planned for the accessory corral. |
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lombarmj
Lots of extensive discussion on the pros and cons of hitch vs roof rack and the relatives merits and cost effectiveness. Do a search and go back more than 30 days.
Tim;
Let me guess. Acura will offer one of the Thule boxes, with an Acura sticker on it, for only 150% MORE than REI sells the Thule box. Oh, and the holes will be drilled in the right places.
Cynically yours,
Ard
PS I know you just sell it, so don't take any offense. :) We appreciate the info! |
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Lombarmj
After an unsuccessful attmept with the Yakima Load Warrior, I purchased the hitch from Acura ($400), a Thule Space Station Base ($110), and a Thule Fork Mount Module ($147). The whole system slides into the hitch receiver, is lockable and easily removed when not in use. The swing away feature is great, allowing access through the barn door (VW term), with the bikes fixed in place.
By the way, I mounted the hitch myself in a couple of hours, with ordinary hand tools and a couple of my favorite beverages!
Total Cost = $700........yikes |
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| Tim - Any idea on available date? Price? |
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Wish I did have more info. That's about all I could drag out of them (I did kinda give them hell for no bodyside mouldings offered).
Ard's probably right, though, I'm sure it'll be more expensive than what the aftermarket offers, but it does give me one more neat option.....PAINTED ones!
Updates as they become available..... |
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Just to quibble-
Isn't aftermarket a manufacturer who copies the marketed product?
What do you call a product that it re-labeled? For example, is Acura the "aftermarketer" of the Thule racks that Acura sells at 100% mark-up? I'd not refer to Thule's box or racks as aftermarket- they really are "pre-market"..?
I usually don't like aftermarket products, preferring the original equipment designed for the vehicle. But in this case, it is so blatant- and the quality of the original manufacturers product so indistinguishable from the re-labeled product- it is silly to pay the $$.
But the idea of getting it painted is actually pretty cool. How many cans of touch up paint do you figure it'll take?
:)
Ard |
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sometime back, there was a heated discussion about free market, price gouging, people paying premiums referred to as 'stupid' people and so on...
It seems like Acura (and, for that matter any other manufacturer) prevent the so-called aftermarket folks (which is quite a ridiculous terminology in the case of rack makers like thule, as ard pointed out)
from selling the products for a certain period so that acura can make some money out of it! Either that or, maybe, thule is making money out here by forcing racks at markedup prices under Acura's viel (conspiracy theory of the day)...
I was told by this guy at Sports Rack that Acura is apparently preventing the 'after marketeers' from selling MDX parts and thus it's impossible to get anything for the MDX, even after six months since it's been on the road! Acts like this (assuming this is true), can hamper free markets and send it down the toilet!
BTW, the parts guy at the Los Gatos Acura in the bay area gave me the most ridiculous and almost funny answer to why Acura cannot sell the hitch by itself for people who need it only for the rack purposes - "If someone sells the MDX, equipped with rack only, a couple of years down the line, then that person might actually tow a trailer and blow the tranny!!!" .... come on, give me a break!!!!! |
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Hey Blue-
I really don't think Thule is prevented from selling any items for the MDX. Actually, the folks in Thule customer service were pretty ignorant that they made the racks. I even spoke to the US product manager, and he didn't know that corporate had 'done a deal' with Acura on this. Once he found out, he sent me the hardware I needed, gratis.
I believe the problem with aftermarket goods is that the after-market is just too small. Why make hood deflectors for 40,000 MDXs when you can make em for 4,000,000 ford F150s. (Numbers are off, but you get the idea.) Once the model picks up numbers, you'll see more accessories.
I'd pitch the dealerships with "my car just got rear-ended and only the hitch was bent. I need to replace it. How much?"
We need to be understanding with Acura on this, they screwed up with the coolers, and the've never really sold a SUV before. Anybody think the 2002's might have the coolers included? They could just include the coolers and bump up the hitch price by $30 or so and it'd cost them nothing.
Ard |
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