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Hi,
Am I the only one to feel short changed on the MDX ski rack?
I have a bunch of gripes - the car is too tall with the rack to fit into my garage.
It is a cheap feeling flimsey plastic rack that does not seem secure.
The screws holding it to the rack are exposed, and can easily be removed along with the rack and skis
The locks are difficult to open and close in cold weather (like one would expect at a ski resort!)
I would like to fit my old Yakima, does any know when the attachements will be available? Are there any other racks that will fit the Acura rails?
Thanks,
Ray.
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I pickup my mdx tomorrow. i'll let you know what i think about the rack in a few days. i'll be using it this weekend. i thought it would be a good idea to get the rack made for the SUV. maybe not after your feelings.
height, access and functionality are the key issues. what else is there. i don't get in a garage but if there's no substance to it that's real bad. i wonder if i can still cancel.
mahogany w/ touring |
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I was advised to stay away from the Acura rack, and the lock problems other's had posted here made it an easy decision.
I bought the Barrecrafters Aero B-4 for around $100. It comes with a universal mount which clamps onto the cross bar very nicely. Takes about 10 minutes to install, and should be les st han that to take off once the season is over.
Does not however solve the garage issue, as the MDX does not fit in mine either, though I would blame that on the garage more than the rack! |
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I kept my Barrcrafters ski rack from my Chrysler Town & Country and put it on my MDX and it looks much better than the one from Acura. The Acura rack only holds 4 pair of skis, but the Barrcrafter holds 6 pair. I think it looks pretty good on my Granite Green MDX (I'll post a pix as soon as I get a good photo of it) It fits in my garage fine, but I do have an 8' high opening. I put it on in 5 minutes and will probably take it off for the summer. I think it was around $125.
:-) |
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yeah, my big issue with the OEM ski rack was the lock thing. but, a simple solution was to simply spray some WD40 into the lock cylinder to loosen it a bit, and things will be fine. acura shouldn't be blamed for the design; rather blame them for chosing thule to make a poor design and stick the acura logo on it. funny, i formerly had the thule 6-pair ski rack, and had nothing but praise for it the past 4 years!
remember, WD40 the lock cylinders, or you'll have problems with either locking/unlocking, or possibly even pulling the lock cylinder out of the housing!
beware! |
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Thanks for the info to keep the ski rack lubicated.
The lock worked fine this weekend with temp down to single digits.
The biggest disappointment is that you have to use the key lock everytime to latch it. The rear ski rack attached to the roof rack is over the rear tires. To unlock the rack with the key is ackward. It's quite a stretch against a dirty car. You have to open the rear door while stepping on the side rail,( don't think running doards will be any better).
i would have preferred a latch with a locking option. Short distances to the mtn doesn't require all this work, if you know what i mean.
mdmdxny
Mahogany w/touring |
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| There are several ski racks made which mount in the trailer hitch receiver- this would solve a lot of the complaints I see above. |
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The Barrcrafter ski rack doesn't have to be locked to close. WD-40 or some other lubricant is a must for any ski rack lock, as the road salt inevitably will get to it and freeze it up (really a bummer if you can't get your skis off at the slopes!)
The easiest way I've found to access the roof rack is to stand on top of the rear tire. |
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I debated on the Acura ski racks also... Even called Thule to ask about the mounting of accessories from my old vehicles Thule rack. Problem is the rack is a european model and not US so they don't sell kits here.
I ultimately decided to get a Packasport cargo box which is fiberglass vice plastic (ala Thule & Yakima). They even gel coated it in Stalight Silver to factory match the car! The look is very nice. Only problem was the rack crossbar spacing and liftgate. I ordered without factory drilled holes to make sure they were spaced for the MDX rack. The biggest thing to live with is that the liftgate will only open 2/3's of the way now but I decided I could live with that for the three months I'll keep the box on the roof.
Cargo box only cut mileage down by around 0.5 MPG ... still getting around 21-22 on highway runs and 19 in mixed driving.
Anyone interested please e-mail me and I can send pictures. |
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I wish the MDX had a european style rack base like the MB320, which has a rail going down each side of the roof to which accessories can be attached. This is a much stringer setup, and the cross bars available from Thule and others are removable and adjustable. This style rack would eliminate all the complaints I have read on this web page regarding the MDX rack.
BTW, roof rack crossbars mounted on a track, like those on the Ford Explorer, are held on by a thin metal clip. I would not trust that setup with very much weight, especially if the shape of the load creates uplift at highway speeds. My Mercury Villager, which has the same setup, recommends against carrying rocket boxes or boats on the rack for this reason. |
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| Does anybody know where I can purchase a Barrecrafters ski rack for a good price? I went to the Barrecrafters' website. They sell for list price there. Also, for those who have a Barrecrafter's ski rack, which model do you have that works with the MDX? |
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| Ajlee7, congratulations on winning the ski attachment on ebay. I wasn't quite comfortable getting something like this in case it doesn't work or if there is a problem with it. Let me know how it goes when you receive it. If it is what they described, then you got yourself a killer deal. |
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Moo-
I got the Aero B-4 (see earlier post). Don't know about discounts, but at under $100 it wasn't worth running around for; maybe now that ski season is over discounts will be easier to find.
Happy MDX'g |
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Hey Guys;
By now I assume you know that the factory rack is actually a Thule 724. You can pick up a Thule 725 (which is wider) for $89 at REI. Locks for 15 and a "VWADAPT" kit to mount it for $7.
Mounts clean,, hidden fasteners, (doesn't clamp on, bolts slide into the upper channel on the cross bar), solid feel.
(Thule makes the parts for acura and for VW also).
Ard |
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