Cargo/ski boxes on a TRD-Pro rack

My box isn't currently on the truck at the moment, but with ski season rapidly approaching, once it is on, I'll measure and let you know...

 

Hey guys. So I have the same 2019 trd pro. I went to a camping store who sells these boxes. They told me they wouldn’t install the Thule box on my factory bars because Thule doesn’t approve the Toyota rack system due to safety issues. Has anyone had a problem ? I read that the cars stock bars are tested for 200 lbs but now I’m nervous of putting the motion xt on them. I was already to pull the trigger in buying it until they told me basket/rack is an issue. Has anyone had a problem ?

 

Umm.. They are full of shit. If I'm not mistaken the rebranded Toyota official accessories may actually be Thule stuff.. The dealer I bought mine from had a bunch of Thule gear you could buy straight from them. ALso, I literally had that exact box on mine with no problem at all. Find a new shop!

 

That’s what I was thinking! I mean it’s not like I’m throwing cinder blocks in the damn thing. Just curious how it is at high speeds.... Highways (80mph).

 

No problem at all at higher speeds while empty, nor while loaded with 4 peoples worth of skis and gear. The TRD-Pro rack has normal aero crossbars on it... its universal. that shop was full of it and trying to sell you something else. Damn near any box will work with the cross bars mounted on the upper tubes, haven't found more than 2-3 that will nestle in the rack on the lower bars...

 

Thanks all for the details....

Was able to get the Thule Motion XT Alpine (We bought the box in early 2020 for our 2007 4R and didn’t want to have to buy a new box for the TRD) to nest with the crossbar set in the lower tubular bar and with the forward crossbar set up on the slanted top tubular bars.

The Thule powerclick G3 clamps work perfectly on the rear crossbar but due to the angle of the forward bar it doesn’t clamps all the way - we used zip ties (150 lbs strength/weight) to secure each clamp.

There isn’t a lot of space for the key and opening is the box is perfectly centered so we will only open it on the passenger side .

Seems to work well and can be used until/if TRD Pro specific box is made. Will try to post pictures later.

Anyone know of Thule has different sizes of the powerclick clamps? That could also be an option.

 

Here are some pics...

 

Disagree. One of the flaws with this rack is that the moveable crossbars are flush with the rear tube of the rack. Unless the bottom of the cargo box is completely flat (surprisingly rare), you're going to have trouble. Even then, you need to be careful in that a lot of boxes are going to be too long and prevent the rear hatch from opening fully. The only box I could find that fit on upper tubes and clear the rear hatch was a Yakima Skybox 16 -- which is just long enough to fit my longest skis (178s). I still had to grind some plastic off the back of the box to be able to open the hatch. In retrospect I probably could have avoided that step because I belatedly realized that I had some room to move the crossbars a little more forward. I'm sure there are some other boxes that might work too, and others have described some DIY fixes that I didn't want to get into. But this is what I could find, and IMO the options are limited.

 

I was looking for a nice sized cargo box to carry extra stuff for traveling/camping. The Thule Pulse Medium Model 614 was exactly what I wanted. It’s a shorter (too short for skis), wider, and taller box with a 16 cu ft capacity. Fits the TRD Pro rack really well and I like the look... It’s super stable mounted to the front rail which I slid all the way forward and the third rail slid all the way back.

 

Nice install, and one I have considered. Thanks for the pics as they will play a part in my decision process.

 

@bsachetti did you accomplish the install using Thule's locking mechanisms? I ask, knowing you would have mentioned it if not. Humor me, okay. lol

 

100% stock Thule mounts. Took it out of the box and all 4 clamps line up perfectly with the rails in the positions shown. They lock down nice and snug and don’t come close to touching the roof. Couldn’t have been a smoother installation - literally a few minutes. I went to Rack Attack in Denver and they took some photos because there aren’t too many boxes that really fit the TRD Pro rack well.

 

You're selling me. lol Thanks for being the point man! Honestly appreciated.

 

Driven about 2000 miles on our road trip out west in the last 4 weeks, no issues with the box. The zip ties and and Thule clamps are super stable with no real noise from the box. Opening it on the passenger side isn’t an issue either.

 

@bsachetti Update: went back to Thules to read all the fine print and while I'd really like to go this route, Thule says I should not. Why? Well, they make it very clear that I'll end up with a mound of melted plastic on Runners rooftop if I do. Where I live meets and exceeds their not for hot locals statement. Sure appreciate that you shared your experience and know it will help someone.

 

Could you elaborate on this? I’ve made many long trips with a Thule box on my roof all over the Southwest in the summer with no issues at all. I’ve never heard of one melting!

 

Was going to directly quote them but their site is currently down. Basically they advised against prolonged use in area's like we live in. 110 to 120 for months on end. And, the thing is once I put whatever is going up there, up there. It's staying - 24/7/365. Think black 110 degrees + beating down on it all day for days, weeks, and months on end. It's not a bad product at all, and it would make life easy for me. Were it not for their high temp warning.

 

Interesting about the high temp warning... Not much to worry about in Colorado and surrounding areas but hopefully not an issue if I'm traveling!

 

As I read it, it was clear under normal conditions of use all would be fine. It was long term constant exposure where they referenced concern.

 

Yikes, that's pretty hot. I hope your bumpers don't melt!

 

Here in "The Skillet" if left out - everything melts at some point. No joke.

Last summer:
Just one day before summer officially began, temperatures hit 122 degrees in Thermal and in Palm Springs on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Thermal's 122 degrees set a new record for temperatures on June 20. Palm Springs tied the record set last year.

.

 

But it's a dry heat, right? Lol -- stay cool, brother!

 

Anyone know if there is a thread specific to photos of roof top cargo boxes?

If not, I wish someone would start one. I don’t wanna start one myself before checking with you all.

 

Wouldn't that be an issue with any rooftop cargo carrier? If not, what makes Thule's susceptible to the higher heat?

 

One would think that would be the case if they were plastic. Thule is not being singled out here. They percolated to the top because they were honest enough to forewarn of a problem. I give Thule high marks for that. Fact is, the next move in my case is an aluminum box, or boxes. But, even those would need to be emptied if not in use, because around here the contents would be subjected to being cooked.

 

Don't think so.

 

I just got the same box and have the issue of the cargo box wobbling while going at highway speeds. It's on the pro rack just like yours. Is there a fix for this? Or does it need more weight in it? Have you or anyone else on here experienced this?

 

Did you manage to figure this out? I just bought the same box for my 19 TRD pro. Sick of using a roof bag.

 

Once I added weight to it, the wobble definitely decreased, but it still had a little bit of movement on it, but nothing to where I felt it was going to fly off at high speeds. Drove cross-country with it without any trouble.

 

Any idea why? Is that normal for cargo boxes? They look super secure to your crossbars.