# Yakima Crossbar Replacement?



## mattkos (Jul 16, 2005)

Hi all.

$60 for a pair of what appears to be just plain old poles seems pretty steep to me. Does anyone know if I can just head down to Home Depot and pick up some aluminum bars to use as "Yakima crossbars"?

If anyone has these bars, would you happen to know the outisde diameter of the tubes?

Thanks for anyhelp, you mysterious internet bike people.


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## Jeep_Nut (May 11, 2005)

Just measured mine, they are a tad smaller than 1 1/8" - more like 1 7/32". I measured a couple of times across one of the bars.

They are also quite heavy. You might want to consider using steel gas pipe instead of alu. Either way, I would take a part of your Yakima rack (like a riser) in just to test that it fits.


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## mattkos (Jul 16, 2005)

thanks for the measurements!


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## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

As stupid as this seems...the coating on the Yak bars (and Thule's as well, for that matter) are what help keep the feet clamping the bars. You can use non yak bars, but you may never get them tight enough. Years ago a friend and I rigged up a set, and they NEVER stayed tight. He ended up breaking one of the feet contantly trying to keep the bars tight (by not staying tight, the feet kept moving slowly outboard--after a day of driving, the rack would be ready to fall off)


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## BundokBiker (May 15, 2004)

*don't yak crossbars have a plastic coating on them?*

are you able to measure the bar itself, not including the coating. that way the OP can get that sized bar and put heat shrink tubing on them to give the clamp a better "grip" on the bar. once it has shrunk to fit the bar, heat shrink is pretty tough.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

I usually see a bunch of these on e-bay. The bars alone often go for more than a whole rack, so buy a used rack and then resell, or toss the feet.


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## mcfly (Nov 3, 2005)

3/4" schedule 40 (or 80) pipe in mild steel works. spray on some rattle can truck bed liner and they're a dead ringer for yakima pipes. Don't use galvanized pipe as the coating won't stick.  

my galvanized pipe is a little loose and i used beercan shims to tighten it up some. I think it would have worked better had the coating stuck to it.

i use one yakima setup and a receiver hitch contraption a welder friend made for me to carry my kayak. my car roof (ford zx2 s/r) was too short for the 14-1/2' tupperware boat to be supported right....

i'll be making a new bar this summer in plain steel with lots of bed liner when i get around to it.


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