Ski rack on old Daihatsu Hijet mini van - possible?

[roquet]

Is it possible to put a ski rack on an old Daihatsu Hijet mini van? The Hijet only has a roof runner level with the side rear windows, about 80cm long. Is there a ways to attach a ski rack without runners?

Would most ski racks work? Are ski racks all pretty standard or are there many different attachment methods? Would the Hard Off guys help or tell me to F off?

Thanks!

[trip_hop]

Is it possible to put a ski rack on an old Daihatsu Hijet mini van? The Hijet only has a roof runner level with the side rear windows, about 80cm long. Is there a ways to attach a ski rack without runners?

Would most ski racks work? Are ski racks all pretty standard or are there many different attachment methods? Would the Hard Off guys help or tell me to F off?

Thanks!

Any car shop will help you, e.g. Yellow Hat, Hard Off.

But big issue is more top-side weight and increased side-wind resistance on an already unstable vehicle, with a narrow, short-wheel base.

Try for those racks that go on the back of the car...

[roquet]

A snowboard and pair of skis isn't THAT heavy is it? I'll be going with whatever I can get cheap that works. That back rack looks expensive and I wonder if it would even fit a Hijet.

But thanks for the recommendation, I'll go hit up the Hard Off guys on monday.

Wish me luck!

[shonanfred]

Hard Off is not a "car shop".
Yellow Hat, Autobacs, etc. are you best bets.
Expect to empty your wallet for legs, rails and any other holders you want.
Terzo is good. Thule is ____e. RV-INNO is okay, but doesn't have the selection Terzo does.
Fred

[roquet]

some Hard Offs have a car section.

[ruserious]

Is it possible to put a ski rack on an old Daihatsu Hijet mini van? The Hijet only has a roof runner level with the side rear windows, about 80cm long. Is there a ways to attach a ski rack without runners?

Would most ski racks work? Are ski racks all pretty standard or are there many different attachment methods? Would the Hard Off guys help or tell me to F off?

Thanks!

The only rack I know of that will fit on a Hijet is from Thule. You need the "953 Super High Foot" to attach to your rain gutters above the doors. The 953 has 11 inches of clearance (about 28 cm) which is probably just enough to get over the roof of your Hijet.

Good luck!

[shonanfred]

The only rack I know of that will fit on a Hijet is from Thule. You need the "953 Super High Foot" to attach to your rain gutters above the doors. The 953 has 11 inches of clearance (about 28 cm) which is probably just enough to get over the roof of your Hijet.

Good luck!

Thule Japan sucks and Terzo will have one.
Fred
PS 952 should do the trick if you have your heart set on Thule and is cheaper than I thought:
http://www.tanigawaya-shop.co.jp/fs/name/daihatsu0026

[roquet]

You need the "953 Super High Foot" to attach to your rain gutters above the doors.

But the point about the old Hijets is they only have rain gutters above the side rear windows (those behind the sliding door), not the rest of the van. Can the front rack attach without rain gutters? The Thule PDF looks like it needs rain gutters at the front and back.

Also, Thule seems to be a roof box. I'm looking for the type where you strap the skis on with "arms" - sorry my ski rack vocabulary is lacking but you know what I mean...

[iago]

Duct tape always works for me.

HTH

[ruserious]

seems like it will work

But the point about the old Hijets is they only have rain gutters above the side rear windows (those behind the sliding door), not the rest of the van. Can the front rack attach without rain gutters? The Thule PDF looks like it needs rain gutters at the front and back.

Also, Thule seems to be a roof box. I'm looking for the type where you strap the skis on with "arms" - sorry my ski rack vocabulary is lacking but you know what I mean...

Thule is a system that you can assemble for almost any application. You don't have to use the roof box. You can get ski racks. The 953 Super High Foot connects to a load bar that goes across to the other side of the car. You can attach a ski rack to that bar.

As for the Hijet rain gutters, all the photos I've looked at show the gutters running the entire length of the vehicle.

What year is your your Hijet? The High Foot won't attach without gutters.

If the gutter is long enough, and you don't mind looking goofy driving down the road, you could attach both racks to the gutter at the back of the Hijet, and your skis would hang over the rear of the car a bit. But who really cares? So long as you can get the bindings (or just part of the bindings) between the two bars, you'll be fine. The skis won't fall off.

I'll let you look through their selection. You may have to buy two racks, one for the front (no gutter) and one for the back.

http://www.thule.com/en-US/US/Products/Base-Racks/Feet

[trip_hop]

A snowboard and pair of skis isn't THAT heavy is it? Wish me luck!

Not that heavy, but with cross-winds, it may add significant lateral force on a vehicle, that is already pretty unstable in winds.

BTW, don't know how long your skis are, but you are allowed 10% of the length of the car as overhang, beyond which you'll need warning indicator, triangle/ flag or something visible.

[roquet]

If the gutter is long enough, and you don't mind looking goofy driving down the road, you could attach both racks to the gutter at the back of the Hijet, and your skis would hang over the rear of the car a bit. But who really cares?

I do!

Don't know what year it is but it doesn't have AC, so it must be pretty ancient. It does have 4WD and a set of snow tyres, which is all I require.

I drove past a kei van today with a roof rack which wasn't attached to rain gutters. It must be possible.

[shonanfred]

Rear feet will attach to the gutter and attaching the front involves removing the weather stripping....any catalogue at Autobacs, etc. will tell you exactly what you need.
QED.
Fred

[roquet]

any idea how many yen I'd be looking at for the whole lot (legs, bars, ski rack) from Autobacs?

[shonanfred]

any idea how many yen I'd be looking at for the whole lot (legs, bars, ski rack) from Autobacs?

I just dropped 30000 on a Terzo "system" - same legs you'll need, 2 crossbars and a surfboard attachment....
Fred
PS with skis being as short as they are these days, why not just stick them inside the vehicle?