I recently changed cars and the new one has roof rails that are flush-mount to the roof. The roof bars attach to the rails by hooking under a small lip that runs along the outside of the rails.

The size of this lip worries me, it's narrow and just I can't see the mounting being anywhere near as strong or secure as on my old car which had raised roof rails.

Anyone got a car with these flush rails, had any problems?

Thanks.

Thanks, and ouch!

Those racks look like they clamp onto the car, the ones i have clamp onto the fixed rails that run the length of the roof as seen on most wagons and suv's.

The rails on my new car are flush fit, the old ones were raised. Hope I've explained that better? Anyone got experiences of these new style rails?

I have a Mini Cooper that has semi-flush rails that my Thule racks clamp onto (like this pic but with extended overhang on ends of cross bars). Have done many hundreds of km's with 2 x 33" wide (stacked) SUP's with no problems at all. No idea how well they're anchored inside the roof as it's covered by the liner inside, but so far (touch wood) they're solid as a rock, even cruising at 110kmh for a couple of hours at a stretch

Thanks everyone, the rails on my car are same as on 808's Mini Cooper.

So 808, I already have a quality set of roof bars (Thule) but the way they attach to the roof rails worries me. There is only a slight lip on the rails which the bar-feet clip under. My old car had the raised rails and the roof bars clamped to them very securely, almost wrapping right under the rails.

Have you done any long trips and highway speeds, any problems, are they secure?

Thanks.


New-style rails



Old-style Raised rails

Thanks Dave. Not sure I like the design of these new rails, not much of a lip on them, but sounds like they do the job..... Cheers.

Oh yeah,
I have a similar style on my Everest... Did the Perth/Sydney drive with a 14ft and shortboard on top no problem. I agree they looked a bit suss when I first fitted the racks but they have been solid for 2 years now.....

My friend has these rails and Thule rack....twice the SUP took off at speed on the motorway.....the boards and rack right up into the air.





Ha, only joking....he drives at speed no probs