Spotlight Pick
TMS® Kayak Carrier: 2 Pairs J-Bar Rack HD
4.3 / 5
Balanced option for paddlers who want a high-confidence all-round setup with strong value retention.
Product Breakdown
TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier
4.2 / 5
TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier
Deep Dive
Description
This TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier is designed to mount to virtually all crossbars and load bars on the market. It secures the kayak on its side, taking up minimal space on the load bar. It can accommodate kayaks up to 36 inches wide and 75 lbs. Please make sure to check the measurements before making a purchase. The crossbars shown in the pictures are not included. Only Buy4Easy and River Colony Trading are authorized sellers of TMS branded products.
The kayak carrier is made of steel and features adjustable padding for carrying strength and kayak protection. The wide mouth J bar design offers easier loading and unloading. It has quick on/off hardware for fast installation and removal. The J style carrier is optimally sized, leaving roof space. The dimensions of the carrier are 17.5' (L) × 12.5' (W) × 6.5' (H). It can accommodate kayaks up to 36 inches wide and 75 lbs. Authentic TMS products come with vacuum-sealed installation hardware and are shipped in labeled boxes with item description.
This kayak carrier fits both square and round crossbars, although it may fit better on the square and wing-shaped crossbars compared to round ones. Users have noticed that on round Yakima crossbars, the carrier may spin right or left and not stay upright when sliding a boat on. However, on flat/square crossbars, this is not a problem. Regarding Thule wing-shaped crossbars, the fit may vary as the user doesn't own that system.
For a 1999 Yukon with a luggage rack, the kayak carrier should work as long as the rack is not flush with the vehicle. The bolts that keep the J rack in place need to be tightened from underneath.
Each box of the TMS J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier contains two racks. If you are hauling two kayaks or two boards, you will need to order two sets. Keep in mind that the profile of the clamps on these "J-bar Racks" is designed for crossbars that are more round or square in shape rather than flat and oval like those on the Rav4. They would clamp securely on a crossbar that is 1-1-1/2 inch round or square.
The attaching method of the kayak carrier is a combination of a bolt and knob. There are six bolts in total that drop through each assembly. The outer four have nuts underneath and they join the two U-bars with the main assembly. The inner two bolts attach to a lower bracket that wraps around the roof rack. For disassembly or adjustment, you just need to loosen the knobs - the other four bolts stay in place.
01Fits square or round? How about Thule wing shape?+
Fits both although to be honest it would fit the square and wing shape better than the round. We switch back and forth between our round yakima cross bars and the square cross bars on our Honda Odyssey. On the yakima cross bars they have a tendency to "spin" right or left and not stay upright when sliding a boat on. On our flat/square cross bars we don't have this problem. Not sure how they'd fit on Thule because I don't own that system.
02will these work on a 1999 Yukon with a luggage rack?+
As long as your rack is not flush with your vehicle, I think it should work. The bolts that keep the J rack in place have to be tightened from underneath.
03Do you get one or two racks+
You get two of these in each box. You will need to order two sets. If you are hauling two kayaks or two boards. Be aware that the profile of the clamps on these "J-bar Racks" are for a crossbar that is more round or square in shape versus flat and oval as are my crossbars on my Rav4. They would clamp real well on a crossbar that was 1-1-1/2 inch round or square.
04Two photos show different attaching method. Is it a bolt like in third photo or is it a knob on the bottom like in the fifth photo?+
Well both really. There are 6 bolts in total that drop through each assembly. The outer 4 have nuts underneath, and they join the two U-bars with the main assembly. The inner 2 bolts attach to a lower bracket that wraps around your roof rack. For disassembly from the roof rack, or adjustment, you just need to loosen the knobs - the other 4 bolts stay in place.I'll try to add some more photos to show the situation.
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