The majority of people incorrectly believe that Thule racks are produced in Europe. Swedish business Thule. While some Thule goods are built in Europe, 75% of those sold in North America are really made in the United States. Seymour, Connecticut and Chicago, Illinois both house Thule factories.
Additionally, Thule just put a 318-kilowatt solar array to the top of its factory in Connecticut. Over 1,800 solar panels make up the array, which will reduce energy use at Thule’s Seymour office and manufacturing facilities by about 26%.
In the Adventure Journal article Made in America: Thule Racks, you may find out additional information about their US factories.
In This Article...
Which roof box will suit my car, and how do I know?
The only way to know this in advance is to take some measurements after having your roof rack installed. Move the front bar as far forward as your rack will allow you to and the back bar about 24 inches behind that (measured from the center of the front bar to the center of the rear bar).
What materials are used in Thule cargo boxes?
Okay, you have your vacation checklist in hand. Do you have your sleeping bags and tent? Check. food-filled coolers and a camp stove? Got ’em. Two kegs of craft beer each? Duh. That ought to be sufficient, right? One issue. The family can no longer fit in the available space. Kind of a crucial point, huh?
Thule freight carriers can help with that. You can load your baggage, equipment, or whatever else you’re hauling onto the roof with the use of roof top cargo carriers. It just so happens that Thule is a market leader. These cargo boxes are made of sturdy ABS material and are designed to last.
What country makes Yakima?
In Taiwan and mainland China, we have factories that are company-owned. In addition, at our Southern California plant, we construct our cargo crates and do final fitting on a variety of products.
How do you pronounce Thule?
In 1942, in Hillerstorp, Sweden, Erik Thulin and his family established Thule. Thulin offered a pike fishing trap to Scandinavian fisherman as the business’s first item. The business expanded its useful items as it prospered.
In the 1960s, the business started to focus mostly on automobile accessories, such as its roof rack. It increased sales into new markets in the 1970s, first in Central Europe and then the US. The Eldon Group purchased Thule from the Thulin family in 1979. Thule was purchased by the private equity company Candover in 2004, and its growth accelerated. After Nordic Capital bought it in 2007, the company went through a slump as a result of dwindling sales and world financial worries. In 2009 and 2010, The Thule Group underwent restructuring.
Through both organic expansion and the acquisition of new businesses, the brand kept growing. That includes the Italian snow chain producer Knig in 2004, the German roof box maker Jetbag in 1991, the RV accessory maker Omnistor in 2005, the towing systems provider Brink in 2006, and the technology accessory provider Case Logic in 2007. A few of the businesses were absorbed, while others were later disposed.
Despite not having a phonetic spelling in English, “It’s not difficult to pronounce Thule. The appropriate phrase to use is “too-lee, according to Rack Outfitters.
A roof box’s impact on mpg is how much?
The SUV’s mileage, on the other hand, showed less of a decrease, as we discovered when we examined bike racks that were hitch- and roof-mounted. Fuel economy was reduced by almost 2% when the roof rack was empty, which equates to a little over a gallon of gas. At 65 mph, the mileage decreased from 41 mpg to 40 mpg. The RAV4’s fuel economy decreased to 35 mpg with the pod added, a 13 percent decrease, or slightly more than 5 mpg.
Note that the extra bike rails were present in the empty racks when we tested rooftop bike racks.
When not in use, consumers should remove the rooftop carrier and roof rack, according to our experts. Owners of sedans in particular experience significant reductions in fuel efficiency when only the roof rack is installed. However, even for SUV owners, there is no need to waste fuel by driving around with an empty pod and rack.
My profession is a direct result of my father purchasing a 1965 Corvette and me choosing an Audi A4 over a Chevy Tahoe. My passion for automobiles was sparked by the Corvette, and the Audi introduced me to automotive journalism, track days, and do-it-yourself vehicle repair. No matter the season, I cycle as much as I can in my spare time.
A roof box might it be too big?
You shouldn’t presume that it will be legal to attach overhanging storage to your car. Any legal overhang limit may be subject to vastly varied laws in various nations and even states.
A load must be marked with warning flags and lights for nighttime driving if it overhangs the front by more than three feet, the back by four feet, or the side by four inches, according to legalbeagle.
These regulations differ from those in the UK, where the amount of overhang may necessitate the use of a range of alternative measures.
Try to avoid buying a box that will extend beyond the front, back, or sides of your automobile in order to be safe.
Do car top carriers experience theft?
Introduction. You may store your gear and luggage quite effectively using roof boxes and roof racks. They do have one significant drawback, though: robbers might steal them or your equipment from the roof of your car.
More Storage Space
Okay, this one should go without saying, but it’s the major reason you’re considering purchasing a roof cargo box. You might not have a vehicle big enough to fit all of your stuff if you’re going on vacation with family or friends.
If you play activities like fishing, skiing, or golf, you’ll need to carry a lot of equipment, some of which may be pretty heavy. Having roof storage of any kind makes room inside your car for passengers and other luggage.
Security
You should be able to get a roof box that is considerably more secure with a reliable locking mechanism than an outdated roof rack. If you put your pricey sporting goods or luggage in a cargo box rather than just tying it to your roof rack, it will likely be considerably safer. All but the most desperate criminals are likely to be discouraged by a roof box.
Flexibility
Roof boxes are very easy to install or remove. This allows you to be as adaptable as necessary and only use the storage box when you actually need the extra room.
You can always leave the box in place if you don’t want to deal with installing or removing it. Your fuel economy will be impacted, albeit it won’t be very evident if the box is empty.
The main benefit of leaving the box in place permanently is that if you suddenly feel the need to take a break, you won’t have to waste time fitting it.
Improved Weight Distribution
A rooftop cargo box offers substantially better weight distribution than a rear-mounted cargo box. Instead of placing more weight at the back of the vehicle, the burden is distributed throughout the vehicle.
Footprint Doesn’t Change
A roof-mounted box has an advantage over a trailer if you spend a lot of time in an urban setting. You won’t be utilizing additional, possibly limited parking space.
Weather Resistant
No manufacturer guarantees that their roof box will be completely weatherproof, but when installed and closed properly, a rooftop cargo box will offer sufficient weather protection, especially when compared to using an outdated roof rack.
Rooftop cargo carriers: are they worthwhile?
Do rooftop freight boxes merit the expense? Yes, using a rooftop freight box is worthwhile. Hard rooftop cargo boxes are more expensive than rooftop cargo bags, but they’re also simpler to install and secure. Additionally, they are easy to use and weatherproof.
Can a roof box be stored on its side?
Can I store my roof box vertically or on its end? Vertically storing a roof box is not something we advise. This is because: The box’s bottom is more prone to sustain damage (all the weight will be on the bottom and not evenly distributed as it would be when laying it on the base)
What country makes Yakima cargo boxes?
Many people inquire, “Where are Yakima’s products created, and are they made in the USA?” The current global supply chain makes this topic challenging. The majority of Yakima’s other components are produced in Taiwan or China, but the quick answer is that the company manufactures their cargo boxes in the United States, specifically in the state of California.
Almost all design, testing, marketing, logistics, and sales employment are situated in Oregon because Yakima’s present headquarters are in Lake Oswego, Oregon. I’ve been to the cargo box production line in California, and it was fascinating. The process of creating a cargo box involves many processes. Therefore, quality control is crucial to the functionality of the finished product. You may be sure that the quality control procedure is stringent since Yakima backs up their cargo boxes with a lifetime warranty to the original buyer. A link to more details regarding Yakima’s cargo box production is provided below:
Which is more effective, force or Thule motion?
With the Thule Force XT (see image), you’ll receive a cargo box that is specifically designed to hold skis along with a ton of additional storage.
The Thule Motion XT and Force XT feature plenty of room to store your stuff, whether it’s snowboards, skis, or hiking poles.
The Thule Motion XT has enough room to accommodate up to 7 pairs of skis. There are probably more skis there than can fit inside your car. However, the capacity of the Thule Force XT is only 5 pairs of skis.
I do realize that not everyone wants to hit the slopes, though. For the Thule Motion XT and Force XT, those figures translate to approximately 453 liters and 300 liters, respectively, in metric measurements.
Both of which can carry a maximum of 165 pounds of gear. In simple terms, that is a lot of equipment.
The Thule Force XT has a more durable back end, which is one obvious storage bonus. This is ideal for housing larger pieces of equipment.
Yakima roof racks are owned by who?
Since the turn of the century, there have been a few changes in ownership, with Banducci and Cole selling to the San Francisco venture capital firm Kransco. Kransco sold Yakima to Watermark in August 2001 for $91 million. Watermark was an investment partnership created to acquire and combine the top kayak brands Perception and Dagger.
Is Yakima compatible with Thule?
If you were to utilize a Thule cargo box, such as the Motion XT # TH629806, the expert response would be, “Yes, this box is compatible with a Yakima round bar roof rack.” The mounting gear that is included with roof attachments occasionally has to be modified to fit various crossbar styles.
Yakima is it created in America?
For many years, Yakima has produced high-quality vehicle racks that are both designed and constructed in the USA. They offer roof racks for almost every make, model, and year of car on the road, as well as a wide range of rack accessories to match.