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theabortionator
April, 2025

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Roof box flew off on the highway

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tfsh
Posts: 190 - Karma: 554
anyone have this happen to them? absolutely boned yesterdays vibes, box has a bunch of holes in it and the roof bars are all mangled up. my skis are mostly ok got a few scrapes and shit. I have no clue what to do everything was installed properly but im guessing that yakima wont be all that willing to dish out the money. honestly just glad no one got hurt, it was dumb scary looking up out the roof and seeing my ski box 10 feet above the car
5 years ago
14 0
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cydwhit
Posts: 5077 - Karma: 43,062
tfshanyone have this happen to them? absolutely boned yesterdays vibes, box has a bunch of holes in it and the roof bars are all mangled up. my skis are mostly ok got a few scrapes and shit. I have no clue what to do everything was installed properly but im guessing that yakima wont be all that willing to dish out the money. honestly just glad no one got hurt, it was dumb scary looking up out the roof and seeing my ski box 10 feet above the car


Hard to know for sure, but I know Yakima has been really good to people in the past who have had products fail. Worth an email for sure.
5 years ago
7 0
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MPoub
Posts: 479 - Karma: 988
tfshanyone have this happen to them? absolutely boned yesterdays vibes, box has a bunch of holes in it and the roof bars are all mangled up. my skis are mostly ok got a few scrapes and shit. I have no clue what to do everything was installed properly but im guessing that yakima wont be all that willing to dish out the money. honestly just glad no one got hurt, it was dumb scary looking up out the roof and seeing my ski box 10 feet above the car


Nice RS3.

Yakima I believe has really good customer service. I would think they would at least send you a new box and crossbars?
5 years ago
11 0
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Biffbarf
Posts: 7361 - Karma: 78,519
That really sucks, glad nobody got hurt. What components failed to make it fly off your roof?
5 years ago
4 0
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10042 - Karma: 75,965
No don't tell me this! Bout to use a roofbox for the first time on my car this week haha.

Were your bars appropriately torqued down and in correct spacing? As the above post mentioned, what component failed and how did it fail (bend, crack in two, etc) ? Also how fast were you going? How much weight was in your box?

**This post was edited on Dec 15th 2019 at 7:30:13pm
5 years ago
3 0
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tfsh
Posts: 190 - Karma: 554
PoubtvNice RS3.

Yakima I believe has really good customer service. I would think they would at least send you a new box and crossbars?

Ty ty. This is good to hear I kinda always just assume the worst when it comes to customer service. The problem is the box is made by another company and i read into their warranty and one of the first things it notes is that damage by their product to another isn't covered.
BiffbarfThat really sucks, glad nobody got hurt. What components failed to make it fly off your roof?


The box landed on the road still firmly attached to the bars. The bars are all fucked up from hitting the road so I can't tell what went wrong versus what broke from the road. I had the box attached for a year now and i have loved it. Now im kinda scared to ever have a ski box again lol. I will say that the rubber bits under the bar attachments started to pull away over time. I noticed this and tightened the bars twice since installing. Right before I started my roadtrip I tightened the bars again as I noticed a slight gap on one side of one of the bars. I torqued down all 4 mounting points to the 2 clicks that yakima says and 40 minutes later the box flew off.
5 years ago
2 0
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tfsh
Posts: 190 - Karma: 554
BST_PoliceNo don't tell me this! Bout to use a roofbox for the first time on my car this week haha.

Were your bars appropriately torqued down and in correct spacing? As the above post mentioned, what component failed and how did it fail (bend, crack in two, etc) ? Also how fast were you going? How much weight was in your box?

**This post was edited on Dec 15th 2019 at 7:30:13pm


The bars were torqued down with the 2 clicks that yakima says and the spacing was measured out with the info that yakima gives (using the included tape measurer if your looking for those specifics lol). I was going 75~ with 3 pairs of skis up top (wildcat 108s, blackops 118s & wren 112s).
5 years ago
3 0
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GnocchiGnome
Posts: 2 - Karma: 15
That happened to me whilst moving CC from Vermont to Colorado. Turned out to be a problem with the clamps, and Yakima replaced the box for me.
Even if it is an off brand box, I would take a close look at the box to bar locking mech. Mine were noticeably warped.
5 years ago
0 0
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Biffbarf
Posts: 7361 - Karma: 78,519
Was there bits still attached to the roof? Were there spots to bolt a tower system on the roof or was it clamps that attached to the door jam?
5 years ago
0 0
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 5080 - Karma: 18,568
Did it mess up the car at all?
5 years ago
1 0
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tfsh
Posts: 190 - Karma: 554
BiffbarfWas there bits still attached to the roof? Were there spots to bolt a tower system on the roof or was it clamps that attached to the door jam?

No everything came clean off my car. The roof rack was attached with clamps in the door jam.
mystery3Did it mess up the car at all?

luckily not really.
5 years ago
2 0
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 5080 - Karma: 18,568
tfshNo everything came clean off my car. The roof rack was attached with clamps in the door jam.

luckily not really.


Nice, I thought perhaps the clips failed.

I have a yakima box on OEM VW crossbars mounted on factory roof rails. The least sturdy part of my setup is probably the floor of the roof box, maybe the "feet" but I'd would be a massive pita to lose it of the car.
5 years ago
1 0
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Chunderface
Posts: 2563 - Karma: 10,028
tfshThe bars were torqued down with the 2 clicks that yakima says and the spacing was measured out with the info that yakima gives (using the included tape measurer if your looking for those specifics lol). I was going 75~ with 3 pairs of skis up top (wildcat 108s, blackops 118s & wren 112s).

Dayam nice quiver
5 years ago
2 0
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first_rodeo
Posts: 2385 - Karma: 7,781
Get outta here with the RS3... NS is for subaru outback, toyota tacoma sleeping in your car at hood.
5 years ago
4 8
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dylansiggers
Posts: 1667 - Karma: 6,097
holy shit hahahaha "absolutely boned yesterdays vibes" dude no doubt. That's a major bummer. Makes me wanna check my own ski box...
5 years ago
7 0
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 5080 - Karma: 18,568
first_rodeoGet outta here with the RS3... NS is for subaru outback, toyota tacoma sleeping in your car at hood.


Outbacks are for grandmas. With subie it's boosted or nothing, their naturally aspirated cvt cars are dogs and not worth the trouble imo.
5 years ago
6 1
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SidehitsJesus
Posts: 677 - Karma: 2,650
tfshNo everything came clean off my car. The roof rack was attached with clamps in the door jam.

luckily not really.


I would imagine it was your the door clamps facing too much speed and warped and ripped out. I have Yakima Q towers and they are certainly not above this occurring with a roof box that catches a TON of wind drag. Either way email Yakima and see if you can get a new product and sorry to hear. Glad no one got hurt or you could be in a much worse place
5 years ago
1 0
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