# WTF Subaru!!



## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

Nimble 9 + Tuhle sidearm + Subaru airo crossbars = Dented roof







Crossbar broke while driving on a dirt road and dented my new car,
its a very small dent but I haven't even made the first payment on this car yet.:madman:
WTF Subaru!!


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## pebbles (Jan 13, 2009)

Warranty


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## davez26 (Dec 2, 2004)

Who supplied the equipment? 
If this is Dealer supplied, bring EVERYTHING, go to dealer today, get incident documented. Do not take any guff. This is in my realm for another brand. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Yes, document, take more/better pictures, show the failure point, write up a statement describing what happened (when it was loaded, how it was used, etc).


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## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Assuming Subaru cross bars, you have a warranty claim. Document it.


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

Disclaimer: "roof rack not to be used for carrying load greater than jack shi. For appearance only."


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## Chad_M (Jul 11, 2013)

"For on road use only"


Another reason to always go aftermarket crossbars.


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## doabackflip (Feb 26, 2014)

how big was the jump?...

Sent from my bottom end.


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

That's why oem crossbars are junk. 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## davez26 (Dec 2, 2004)

Silentfoe said:


> That's why oem crossbars are junk.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


Not always. Most of our Land Rover stuff is either rebadged, or made by THULE for Land Rover. 
Of course, I can't speak for Suby...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

Crossbars usually have low weight ratings, flex too much and with the built in arch, they angle your load to the outside. Might as well buy aftermarket bars.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Never in a million years would I trust my bikes to the factory POS Subaru roof rack system. The roof rack on my Outback is so horrible it causes me to think about driving it into a tree everytime I get in the car, just so I can total it and get a new car that's not a gen 4/5 Outback.

And I can feel your pain. I had a brand new 2013 Ford Focus ST...hadn't made the first payment yet and I pulled from my driveway and my road bike feel over and the pedal put a dime size dent on the roof. In my case, my Yakima carrier broke and dropping the bike onto my car and chewed up the down tube on the bike. Yakima replaced not just the broken carrier, but both carriers with new updated versions as well as offered to pay for the damage on the car. I ended up getting rid of the car so I never got the dent repaired, but it was awesome that Yakima went that far with their customer service. Hopefully Subaru will step up and take care of you and for the love of God, never use their worthless crossbars ever again.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

Now you've got me worried. I normally put my bike inside my 2015 Outback but I sometimes put it and another bike on the roof when I've got passengers.

I haven't done it often and haven't had any problems but I'm worried.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

The OB is fine as long as you are not using the factory crossbars to attach your carriers to. They are the worse I've seen. The way you can flip them around to run across or parallel to the car makes them very sketchy IMO. I don't really even like using the Yakima crossbars with the factory roof rack but it's my only option at the moment and so far it's been ok. Maybe someday I'll be able to afford a hitch mount rack.


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## bigkat273 (Jan 16, 2008)

I've never had a problem with my own subaru cross pieces. However they are on a 2003 and seem to be a bit more robust than the newer versions.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

I'm taking it to the dealer to get it fixed on Saturday.
I took apart the "good one" just to see what they're made of, they're hollow aluminum tubes 1.81mm thick.... and I think some of the mounting hardware is missing. there is a spot that looks like some sort of inset washer should be and the screws run out of threads before they're fully tight.


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## bigflamingtaco (Oct 26, 2013)

I think 99.99% of all oem roof racks are used for no more than lashing down pine trees during the holidays. I imagine they would do away with them completely, but have you seen an SUV without them? 

When I've taken the crossbars off my Escape to put my bike rack on, and don't put them back right after, reminds me of a bloated tick.

I think 90% of the macho comes from the crossbars. I place them at the extreme ends of the rails for full effect. When they are next to each other, or one is missing, no bueno. I'm thinking about hitting the bone yard and picking up a few extra sets. If two bars looks awesome, surely four, six or eight would be awesomer. If I get enough, I can use the SUV as a portable tanning bed.


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

Always attach some wind scoops to the rails. If you get 8 rails, that means you can get 2 wind scoops. Just imagine the posibilities, and the chicks will flock all over you.


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## eurospek (Sep 15, 2007)

Your bike's too heavy lol.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Silentfoe said:


> Crossbars usually have low weight ratings, flex too much and with the built in arch, they angle your load to the outside. Might as well buy aftermarket bars.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


Exactly. Best check on what the load rating is for those bars. My bet is that it is pretty low.

J.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Bad thing is, Subaru will sell you bike racks to attach directly to the crossbars. In some of the showrooms they even have the carriers setup on the roof with a bike and/or kayak on the car. The newer Outbacks at least, all you have to do is grab hold of the crossbar and give is a tug and you can tell it's not up to the task. Very poorly designed system. The other Subarus I think are better, as far as the way the bars are attached to the car, but I still wouldn't trust them with my bikes.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

JohnJ80 said:


> Exactly. Best check on what the load rating is for those bars. My bet is that it is pretty low.
> 
> Owners manual says 165 lbs, bike weighs just over 29 lbs.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Nubster said:


> Bad thing is, Subaru will sell you bike racks to attach directly to the crossbars. In some of the showrooms they even have the carriers setup on the roof with a bike and/or kayak on the car. The newer Outbacks at least, all you have to do is grab hold of the crossbar and give is a tug and you can tell it's not up to the task. Very poorly designed system. The other Subarus I think are better, as far as the way the bars are attached to the car, but I still wouldn't trust them with my bikes.


I have had numerous Subarus and loved them - all with gutters so they could take a heavy duty rack. When Subaru started adding the new style rack, I was forced to rule it out. It just didn't look substantial to me and the spacing of the rack arms was such that it wouldn't hold my ski box as well as I would like. I have a rack on my car year round - summer it's bikes, in winter it's ski cargo boxes. It's an interesting idea for their rack, but I thought the implementation was not done well when I looked at them.



Kliemann53 said:


> Owners manual says 165 lbs, bike weighs just over 29 lbs.


That doesn't make sense. Yak and Thule rate theirs at 165 lbs and they are far more substantial in construction than is Subaru's. If Subaru's number is right, then there is zero margin over that 165lbs limit and you clearly exceeded that when you hit a bump (i.e. static load of 165 lbs only, no shock loading margin). Otherwise then I think you just proved that the load limit is no where near where they say it is. It's going to be pretty hard to get a 29 lb bike to get up to 165 lbs in a bump on the road. Therefore, the only thing one could conclude is that the rack load rating is way wrong (and that wouldn't surprise me in the least).

J.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

I had a 1999 Sub Outback...

and I have a 2010 Sub Outback...

I put my bike in the back don't even take off the front wheel.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

My bike does fit inside my crosstrek with the front wheel off, but then my dog has to ride in front and she is just at the weigh to turn the air bag on and off and on and off........


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Kliemann53 said:


> My bike does fit inside my crosstrek with the front wheel off, but then my dog has to ride in front and she is just at the weigh to turn the air bag on and off and on and off........


What does it matter? Without a seatbelt/restraint, it's highly unlikely it would come out of a major crash alive, no matter where it's at in the car.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

If the airbag is "on" she wouldn't survive a minor crash either.


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## deuxdiesel (Jan 14, 2007)

Even the monstrous rack and cross bars on an Xterra are only rated for 165 pounds- factory roof racks suck and are for appearances only. Adding Thule or Yakima bars to the plastic fantastic side rails that Subaru offers only means that the rails will crush or the anchor points get torn out.


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## 43st (Jan 19, 2013)

JohnJ80 said:


> When Subaru started adding the new style rack, I was forced to rule it out.


They still have the gutter style on the European Outbacks. They have the same bolt pattern as the North American rack system also, so it's possible to import the Euro gutters and install them on a NA Outback.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

I think I'll just get a hitch rack.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Kliemann53 said:


> I think I'll just get a hitch rack.


I just saw one a couple weeks ago with two bikes get rear ended. $15,000 worth of bikes crushed.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

Last year my friend drove into a parking garage with a roof rack and two cyclocross bikes
and did $3,500 damage . No system is 100% safe.
I'm worried about the bike coming off on the freeway and hurting someone.
Bikes can be replaced.(with better ones)


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

I'd rather count on myself to not **** up as opposed to counting on others not to **** up. And, insurance is a complete joke.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

If I hadn't noticed that bar was broken and drove home on I-90 at 70mph, I might have lost the bike and caused an accident . That's not really my fault the bar broke but it is my responsibility. I would rather take my chances on getting rear ended.
As for insurance, you get what you pay for. The lowest rates aren't always the best deal.


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## chillis (Mar 24, 2015)

Sounds like the plastic OEM rails on Outbacks/XVs/Foresters are lackluster. WRX doesnt have them and so I bought the OEM Support bars for my 2012 WRX hatch and they work great. The bars flex a little bit when there's a rack + bike on top but seems to me they're designed that way. 

That being said, I still bought a custom hitch to fit the WRX and am currently in the market for a platform-style rack which will most likely be the Kuat Transfer. I like the hanger-style racks a little bit more but they don't fit certain full suspension frame (ahhhemmmm Santa Cruz Heckler).


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

I like the Kuat racks too. I'm looking at the Sherpa.


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## Silvestri (Apr 2, 2009)

I have the Sherpa.. great rack. Mounted to an 05 LGT wagon.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

I work for a Subaru dealer and I will say this: warranty claims ultimately are Subaru's decision, not the dealer. So hopefully your dealer goes to bat for you and tries to get the claim approved. 

The debbie downer in me says that they can easily deny you because it isn't an OEM bike rack and thus not designed in conjunction with the crossbars (bear with me here) but knowing what I know about Subaru I can't see why they wouldn't make good on this. 

If you do not get a satisfactory response at the dealer CALL SUBARU OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE. The 800 number is on subaru.com. They make magic happen. 

Also, I have a '15 Forester with a Sidearm on it in the OEM aero bars. I am not worried about them at all. Either you had a defective bar or you really hit something hard that rocked your bike to the side enough to do that. Either way, Subaru should make good, and your dealer should especially if you didn't complete the purchase survey from Subaru...


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

The dealer gave me a new bar (I don't trust it). I chose not to fix the dent because it's only the size of a US dime and didn't scratch the paint, I'd rather have that then a big bondo wart on my car.
I parked next to an Outback at the trail head today and his bar was bent in the same spot mine broke, I cant believe I'm the only one this has happened to.


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## Kliemann53 (Aug 11, 2009)

Other then that I love this car.


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## pebbles (Jan 13, 2009)

Probably get that dent out cheap from Dent Doctor/Wizard. They come to the house, too.


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## XJaredX (Apr 17, 2006)

Something to consider: bars such as that, when given a 150 lb limit, are probably designed with an even weight distribution in mind. A bike rack with a bike mounted on it, undergoing lateral stress from uneven terrain, is asking a lot. 

Yes, it seems silly, but that's why Subaru still offers the round Yakima bars in addition to the aero bars. 

I had a set of Thule Aerobars on one of my cars and those, while stronger than the OEM subaru bars, also had some obvious weak points. 

Another thing is you may have over-torqued the clamping knobs on the Sidearm. There are many things that could have gone wrong here. 

But yes, call a paintless dent repair guy


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

Add the Yakima or Thule crossbars. It'll save you a lot of worry...


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## Eastcoastroots (Mar 23, 2014)

XJaredX said:


> Also, I have a '15 Forester with a Sidearm on it in the OEM aero bars. I am not worried about them at all. Either you had a defective bar or you really hit something hard that rocked your bike to the side enough to do that. Either way, Subaru should make good, and your dealer should especially if you didn't complete the purchase survey from Subaru...


Not so fast. 1Up roof rack with my 28.8 pound AM bike after driving through a summer rainstorm - bent like twigs. Still getting jerked around by both dealer and Subaru Canada.


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## tartis99 (Oct 27, 2015)

Bikes on the hitch for now. I installed new crossbars from Rhino Rack, but now I'm thinking twice about mounting bikes on the roof after seeing your photos.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 4


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## Eastcoastroots (Mar 23, 2014)

To be clear I used the aero bars for 1 year with OneUp with no problems - and in some very strong winds (around or close to 60mph, in 70mph highway driving along ocean coast). It was a coastal wind/rainstorm that eventually did them in. Perhaps many people would never see that kind of wind with their bike on the rack.

I would not have the same kind of concerns with other third-party crossbars.....Subaru's Aero bars seem more flexible/soft than any decent-quality bars you can buy.


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## JohnJ80 (Oct 10, 2008)

Eastcoastroots said:


> To be clear I used the aero bars for 1 year with OneUp with no problems - and in some very strong winds (around or close to 60mph, in 70mph highway driving along ocean coast). It was a coastal wind/rainstorm that eventually did them in. Perhaps many people would never see that kind of wind with their bike on the rack.
> 
> I would not have the same kind of concerns with other third-party crossbars.....Subaru's Aero bars seem more flexible/soft than any decent-quality bars you can buy.


I agree with this.

We have Yak's whispbars on both of our cars (BMW's with elevated rail down the car) that look pretty much like factory bars. In the winter we have boxes on top with ski gear with loads of often up to the full load capacity of the rack. In the summer, it's bikes. Been doing this since the bars came out and have had no problems. Crosswinds, head winds, high speed driving (80-85mph in NE, for example). No issues.

J.


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## Quentin (Mar 30, 2008)

I've had Subarus in the family for over 15 years now. After head gaskets, sensors (O2 and knock), and axles failing with alarming frequency (plus my best friend's 05 LGT eating a turbo 3 years ago), I don't have much faith in their long term durability anymore. I have an FR-S right now, and it feels very much like a Subaru with the dash rattles that have developed by 10k miles. I'll be curious to see how my FA20 holds up. 


Sent from Tandy 400


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## Eastcoastroots (Mar 23, 2014)

Opposite for me. 3 Subarus, zero problems, ran them hard. AWD is boss and couple extra inches of ground clearance is stellar in snow or off road. I've got a Honda and also love it but no complaints other than the aero bars.


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## Fat Urkel (May 9, 2013)

When read this thread, I immediately started picturing *Dukes of Hazard * with the bike on the roof


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## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

I'm a Subaru parts manager and I can't vouch for the crossbars themselves, but almost all of the Subaru branded attachments (bike/ski/kayak) are actually Yakima products with Subaru logos on them. That being said, the owner of the dealership I work at was given a notice earlier this month that Subaru would no longer be connected to Yakima, and that they had partnered with Thule for the roof rack stuff. Not 100% sure of the reasons or time frame when its going to happen though.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

crfnick56 said:


> Yakima products with Subaru logos on them.


Which equates to high volume, low quality, OEM garbage.


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

"I'm a Subaru parts manager and I can't vouch for the crossbars themselves, but almost all of the Subaru branded attachments (bike/ski/kayak) are actually Yakima products with Subaru logos on them."

That crossbar (in the photo) is most definitely not a Yakima crossbar. That is the Subaru crossbar, which is made of aluminum, IIRC.


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## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

bradkay said:


> "I'm a Subaru parts manager and I can't vouch for the crossbars themselves, but almost all of the Subaru branded attachments (bike/ski/kayak) are actually Yakima products with Subaru logos on them."
> 
> That crossbar (in the photo) is most definitely not a Yakima crossbar. That is the Subaru crossbar, which is made of aluminum, IIRC.


I know its not a Yakima bar, what I meant was I am not 100% sure where Subaru sources their OEM crossbars from, but I do know that the attachments are Yakima products.


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