A few things here, if you’ve gotten multiple Yakima racks or baskets that we scratched or scuff it amazes me because I’ve never gotten any Yakima Rack or basket that wasn’t package and shipped in a very protected way. My Off Grid looked flawless inside even though the box was pretty beat up. As for the instructions, that it seems you didn’t read, there are multiple places telling you to measure your crossbar spacing before ordering much less lifting to the roof to install. This video has all the hallmarks of a video intentionally dissuading people away from a product (and in the comments towards another). 🤔

James.. which size Yakima Off-Road basket was this? The Medium (according to Yakima's site) is not compatibe.. but the large is? Why do you think it had worse efficiency than the harbor freight? Was it louder than the harbor freight as well? Thanks..

Which size did you buy and have you gotten the extension?

I love it! I have 2021 Rav 4 Premium which looks bigger than the prime I’m not sure I’ve never really looked at the prime but I want a basket and I like the taller look but I am not looking forward to going through the nightmare

I wonder if the Prinsu rack is compatible with any of the other primes since it’s not compatible with the model that has the panoramic roof. The Yakima sits pretty high visually. Thanks for the vid! Keep it up!

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

I am very interested to find out. I like the prinsu rack a lot. I want to go with that one but the installation is permanent and this car is a lease.

Hi James, great videos on the RAV4 Prime! I’m not a huge roof rack fan, but still way better than the harbor freight rack for sure!

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

It just doesnt look right. It looks better on film that it does in real life.

@AveiroDan

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn I’m sure even though you got it discounted, it still wasn’t cheap. Return it! If you don’t love it, get rid of it. I’ve seen the Prinsu you can add the huge light bar on the front. Looks badass! There’s a KZread video of one on a 2020RAV4. Go check it out.

So I'm close to buying this basket (for a different vehicle) and checking out videos on it and stumbled onto yours. I know you didn't intend this to be a comedy, but brother your frustration was palpable. It made me laugh - not at your expense, but because I think we all know what it's like to be excited to assemble or use something new you've been looking forward to and completely having the wind taken out of your sails when it doesn't fit right, or assemble right, or look the way you were hoping it would, etc. I bet you wanted to just launch that thing hahah. Glad you found something else that works for you - enjoyed your video!

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

haha thanks for watching! Im glad you found me. The new vanguard rack is awesome with my new fairing. Did you see that one? Very little wind noise and looks great!

@RM0818

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn Sure did. Looks great on your RAV!

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

@@RM0818 Thanks!

Can you mount the front flap at the rear end and rotate it 180 degrees? Then you may have some more front-back movement to play with?

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

Im not sure. I didnt try that. I took it off and I am going to return it. I just dont like the way it looked.

i dont see alot of videos of where the rack mounts to roof of the car its self

Another great video. I personally think your car is to short for the basket. They look ok on a longer vehicle such as a suv or a mini van. That's just my opinion it's your RAV so do what you like not what others like. Stay safe.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

A totally agree. It looked worse in person. I took it off. I am thinking of getting a Prinsu rack instead.

Take the extension out then it will fit the short roof of rav4.

Big fan of the Thule series. Would you leave it on all the time or take it off in winter?

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

With how difficult it was to put on I wouldve left it on all the time. But I ended up removing it. I am going to return it.

@donbot5000

3 жыл бұрын

"I'm probably never ever gonna take it off unless I sell it " about 14:20 in the video

this is so funny to watch... thanks for posting.. can you sand off the plastic part..

Hi, I have a 2021 Toy Rav4 Limited hybrid with the factory black roof racks. I ordered the Yakima "Mega warrior" cargo basket and have not installed it yet thinking I bought one too big. So, I am currently trying to swap out for the Off grid one you have in your great video, do you think I'm making a mistake? I saw the issues you had with it, just looks to complicated and convoluted to be reliable. Do you think the Mega warrior is too big for a rav4? Thanks much!

@JamesKlafehn

2 жыл бұрын

If you keep watching the playlist I ended up returning this. I love my Vanguard roof rack. It looks just like the Prinsu one only cheaper. It’s actually for sale but only because I’m getting the Ford Lightning

@truthhurts228

2 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn Thanks for your fast and honest reply. I think I'm going to stick with the Yakima Mega Warrior and make the best out of it. I will post some pics so hopefully it can help others in the same predicament. Good luck bro, very nice looking ride! Bill

I didn’t buy the extension middle piece for my offgrid rack for my rav4. And it looks pretty good. If I didn’t have a panoramic moon roof I’d have installed a prinsu rack. Looking at this video made me glad I didn’t get an extension.

Very nice James.☺️👍

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! Dont forget to hit that thumbs up for me. :)

@steltoronto7553

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn Never forgot never will James trust me ! 😂👍

I would consider a hard shell roof box either thule or Yakima ,I get great fuel economy with a big one has to be more aerodynamic and lots of space

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

I am thinking of the Prinsu rack. Unfortunately it is a permanent installation and this car was leased. So IDK.

Lol what a pain in the ass haha i have one and planned to get the extension… wonder how it fits on the 4runner 😳

You wouldn't want the mounting straps in the middle with the extension anyway. Thats just asking for problems.

@shaneberkness2743

3 жыл бұрын

Also, your basket is too long for your vehicle with the extension anyway. Thats why it looks funny. User error not much else wrong with the product

Could you take out the middle segment and make it shorter? It might fit better.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

I didnt like the way it looked. The basket looked way too small. It looked bad and was hard to access. I have since moved on and went with a Vanguard rack and I LOVE IT! Here is the playlist. kzread.info/head/PLuMPs5qUmnoRhiJaAQJQj-7KQN2RAcXRO

Lol “well this whole thing is a F******* nightmare”… thanks for not letting me go through that

Great video James. With all honesty and its just my opinion, not digging the look man. Looks kinda odd unbalanced. I really like the basket though. I ordered one myself a couple months ago. I feel like it would look much nicer without the extension on your cross bars. I would probably invest in a different side rail with yakima cross bars for that basket/extension to fit much nicer.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I wasnt into it either. It didnt look right and it was to tall. It dropped my efficiency quite a bit too. I am now thinking of a Prinsu rack or Front Runner Slimline II

It was centered load-wise, and now it's way off. I'm sure you'll be careful to load the weight accordingly.

Just move the bars and the towers!! They're adjustable.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

You dont think I wouldnt have done that if it was possible? Their locations are stationary on the Rav4 with these rails.

@colinarnold3726

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn That sucks man. They move on my 4runner. But I feel your pain about trying to find the right basket/cage. I'm the same way. Good luck.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

@@colinarnold3726 Thanks. I did move on though. I found a winner. I bought a vanguard roof rack. kzread.info/dash/bejne/i4Rr05OEdcvJoNo.html

I call BS on this.. you did another video prior to this one the prinsu rack. Also you used the large Yakima.. the medium would be better. Check out rack attacks rav4 video.

It looks okay. May look better with the rear brackets back more towards the end. No hate tho but just subjective

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

They dont move on the Rav unfortunately. It sucks. It looks worse in person. I removed it. :(

You mention that the new rack seems to take a slice out of your economy. Be curious to see what you get on a less windy day. In the previous video, you mention that having the bars going front to back should be better aerodynamic. Looking forward to seeing if you do a driving test with it and comparing the numbers. The rack looks good, personally - I like the rack a little more forward to the front of the R4P, then to the back.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

It looks better on film that it does in person. It looks really high and the rack in the rear is unsupported and looks weird. Im going to return it. I drove around with it for 2 weeks and it cut range by close to 2%

@kylewarren8846

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn 2%? holy crap - your going to need a playlist dedicated for roof-racks soon. Got any new brands in mind?

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

@@kylewarren8846 I am thinking of a Prinsu rack. Its low profile which I like a lot. Also larger and ill take less of a efficiency hit.

Looks good to me.

Mine works great.

Looks weird AF where you have it placed. I will say that your car is about the same size as my wife’s Escape. We got her a rack and it just looks goofy as hell no matter how we placed it. I have a 2020 Explorer and the same rack looks just fine. Those little SUV’s don’t seem to be suited for racks. What’s even more unfortunate is you can’t shift the factory cross bars. Valiant effort though.

$49,443 car and complaining about efficiency 😂 Looks better in the forward position... I’m sure somewhere in the instructions it says not to attach mounts on the middle piece. I just wanted to see if it locks, thank you for posting. I will probably get one for my ‘21 Outback Onyx XT.

The only problem here is Your cross bars, they’re already tall and having a curve on them makes it even taller, which it’s why your roof rack looks kinda funny You need low profile cross bars & not curved ones.

At least the item fits and does not look so bad. The way you are so picky, if you do not like this one, then will have to build a rack on a special order which in the USA will cost more than the car itself, unless you make it yourself using a DIY project.

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I am being kinda picky. But for the money I spent on all this I wanted it to be perfect. I have since took it off and I am returning all of it. Including the roof rails. I want to buy a Prinsu rack. Unfortunately they are a permanent installation and the car is leased. so IDK.

@nevco8774

3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesKlafehn So you did not decide to buy your Toyota RAV4 Prime at the end of the lease? Are you aiming for a newer technology? The pure EV range is too small? Or you are a kind of person who needs new technology constantly, the older one making you sad and unhappy? Are you returning to a BEV? Other reasons?

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

@@nevco8774 The lease has just started. IDK exactly what Ill do at the end. My goal is to have an electric truck asap. I like the flexibility of a lease. Its only the second one I have ever done though. I bought the car last time. I usually own. But yes, there will be a lot of new auto technology in the next few years and I like cars so naturally Ill want some of the new tech. Ive been happy with the range and performance of this car a lot. I plan on making a video about it some day but I love that this car is dual power and does excellent using either power.

I don't like the PLASTIC clamps. three years in the summer sun and they would be brittle and fail under load. What about trashing and going for stainless steel straps straight to the oem bars. Likewise the air dam clamps are trash.

It’s goofy looking because you have a car that doesn’t have raised rails for crossbars.

I have a 2019 XSE white/ black top with a off-grid large, no extension. The rack looks proportionate to the body, but should look into bigger tires that will “even” out the look. I run stock rims, 245/60/r18 Continental Terrain contact AT Tires (2nd to the biggest size you can run without having to lift or rub) @waywurds on IG. New pics coming up

I don't like it. And it will impact mpg too much. I'd rather see you have a hitch tray. Whenever I see people carry too much stuff on the roof of a smaller car, I keep thinking "why?" The Prime has so much tech to reduce energy consumption, it's like giving a cigarette to an athlete or having a vegan try meat. I dunno, that's just me.

i think you should have bought a bigger vehicle for that rack lol

With my luck I already know I'm going to F this up. I'll just pay to have it installed lol

lol, this is hilarious

looks like crap, if you are gonna use it all the time then utility instead of aesthetics. It will also hurt your MPG. Hard Pass

@JamesKlafehn

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. I took it off since this video. It looked worse in person.