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I have some Thule aero bars which are lockable, as well as the 591 carriers having locks too.
Contemplating getting some wing bars but haven't seen any pics of them with locks at the ends...anyone know if this is the case? Cheers
The locks are often on the feet so the bars can't be released from the feet and the feet can't be removed from the car. I say 'can't'. I obviously mean it's more difficult.
The wing bars are attached to the car via an allen screw - well they are on my SMax - you remove a plastic cover that exposes the threaded hole, the feet of the roof bars locates and a 5mm alen screw secures them to the car. Then the plastic side covers lock so you can't access the allen screw. Sure if you were determined you could probably take a lump hammer to the plastic covers and smash them up and get access, but you'd have to be desperate to go to those measures.
As above, they have lockable plastic covers.
But thieves are desperate, and those covers would offer one big hit from a hammer resistance. I would not say roofbars or cycle carriers are secure - we have a couple of huge long cable locks and U lock that goes through bikes and canoes when left, and get locked to the car chassis.
Just had a look at Halfords - they work differently to the way aerobars to to a Kia Ceed - I can see they don't need locks on the endcaps now.
I can get used 962 (135cm) for £30 but would need end caps.
I need 969 (127cm) ideally - can the 962s be cut down? Not even sure if it's worth it really as 8cms extra with minimal drag shouldn't really be noticeable. The end caps needing to be bought might make it worth buying new 969s for £75 anyway. Sorry for the rambling...just want another opinion!
On another note, how mad is ebay?
All these muppets are likely to pay more (or very similar) than new for used!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thule-Wing-Bar-969-/271858908097?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f4c0dbbc1
well bear in mind that once you've smashed up the plastic end caps it will take you a good minute or so to unscrew the allen bolt, so a good 8 to 10 minutes to do all 4 - not many thieves are desperate enough to hang around for 10 minutes in the open to steel a hundred quids worth of roof rack.
And having said all that, even though you might be able to smash off the plastic end caps, the lock barrel will still be in situ which is positioned above the allen bolt, so unless that is easily removed once the end cap pieces around it are removed, it might still obscure the bolt and prevent its removal. It may not be Fort Knox level of security, but is effective enough, certainly as secure as your car door or car window.
A question about those wing bars. My old Aero bars seemed to have a really firm fix on the roof 'feet'. The wing bars don't seem to have any lateral fixing mechanism other than the plastic rulers/sliders. Am I missing something?
My wing bars have a metal bracket, a rubber gasket and a plastic foot. The foot just sits in the roof gutter - it doesn't positively locate at all, it is only when you screw in the allen screw that the whole thing comes together. Ultimately they are fixed absolutely solid.
The wing bars don't seem to have any lateral fixing mechanism other than the plastic rulers/sliders. Am I missing something?
Yeah, they tension via some allen bolts into the 'body' of the bar. All very well-made and solid.
Been running some for the past few weeks and they are great. Near silent. Picked up some matching barrels so that I have one key for bars and 591s.
Some pics showing locking section.
http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/thule-wing-bars/
Thule locks? 😆
Plus any thief can lever off a footpack (if he really wants to) with a flat headed screwdriver. Damages your roof but he wont care.
Treat any roof related lock as cosmetic IMO.
OK. Sought info from Thule. The wing bars obviously slide on to the feet. The feet affix to the mounting points on the car using the long bolt, plastic spacer, bracket/foot assembly, and a washer & nut.
The Wing Bar has no mechanism to prevent the bar sliding across the feet other than friction from the insert into the Wing Bar and the sliding plastic rulers.
Thule put it clearly:
The 753 feet do just slot into place up to what the measuring scales advise in the fitting instructions. They will be stiff to push into place. But when you place the 753 feet to the vehicle, when you tighten the foot pack the bars will tighten on also.