Yakima Carbonite ski box installation over bed

[Mattward439]

This Yakima Carbonite low profile ski box was previously mounted on a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. For that installation I had a welding shop make a rectangular aluminum frame that along with a third set of rack clamps allowed the box to be further forward to enable the Equinox's hatch to open fully. The frame sits between the rack and the box and provides rigidity to the box. I used it for several years on the Equinox.

For the Rivian installation I chose to mount the box facing backwards as that allowed the clamps to be further forward. I drilled new mounting holes for the forward clamps as far to the end as far as I thought I could and everything else kind of fell into place. There is some interference opening the box lid so I placed sacrificial black outdoor gorilla tape on the box and on the Rivian roof lip to minimize marking. For those asking dimensions I suggest you do your own maths, I just re-used the frame I had on hand. If I were to start from scratch I'd make the frame long enough to be captured by all three clamps. I also would have also drilled the holes a little more forward to reduce interference, but measuring and math are hard.

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[Mattward439]

Missed this photo.

 

[SSteveEV]

Thanks for the write up. Have been planning a test fit for a similar Thule box but the two clamps are only off a few inches.
Would appreciate if you can run some efficiency tests comparing rooftop, box top, and no box if you have the opportunity.

 

[Phatman113]

It looks like that hangs off the back enough, you may need to put a flag on the end for safety/law requirements...

I ended up just swapping my previous box for a Yakima Deepspace 10 that fits on the bed, but wouldn't be effective for skis, since it's shorter...

 

[wicked2112]

Thanks for the post.

When reviewing your photos, there are concerns you should be aware of:

Reviewing these photos, I see you had added a 3rd set of mounting hardware. This will void the warranty of the box as alterations go against the warranty surrounding workmanship.

The placement of the box should be on the roof of the vehicle as there is too much overhang.

If for some reason you are driving along in stop and go traffic, you will more than likely have some movement that could cause damage to your rear light fairing and box.

Lastly, the box is facing the in the wrong direction.

It's your call on how you install these items, but I would adhere to what the manufacturer is stating concerning installation, placement and warranty - for your safety and others on the road.

Cheers!

 

[sierraskier]

I have the same box....just curious did you test fit it on top? My cross bars are on top and I've looked at it, but haven't actually test fit to see if it would clear the satellite fin. I doubt the efficiency hit would be that different than your setup

 

[Mattward439]

I have the same box....just curious did you test fit it on top? My cross bars are on top and I've looked at it, but haven't actually test fit to see if it would clear the satellite fin. I doubt the efficiency hit would be that different than your setup

I'm sure it fits nicely up top. I just didn't want to be one of those old guys with a stepstool at the ski hill parking lot.

 

[sierraskier]

I'm sure it fits nicely up top. I just didn't want to be one of those old guys with a stepstool at the ski hill parking lot.

That's what the running boards are for...

 

[kylealden]

For what it's worth, it looks a lot less silly to just put even the biggest skis in a rack over the bed., and you won't be begging for a ticket for want of a flag like this setup. My fat 188cm powder skis just barely stick past the tailgate even with a couple inches of margin at the rear window.

If you're worried about protecting the skis from moisture/road salt (not a big deal in the void space over the bed, in my experience), you can put a sleeve like Buddy Covers on them.

 

[sierraskier]

For what it's worth, it looks a lot less silly to just put even the biggest skis in a rack over the bed., and you won't be begging for a ticket for want of a flag like this setup. My fat 188cm powder skis just barely stick past the tailgate even with a couple inches of margin at the rear window.

If you're worried about protecting the skis from moisture/road salt (not a big deal in the void space over the bed, in my experience), you can put a sleeve like Buddy Covers on them.

Honestly, I couldn't ever get behind the rack-over-the-bed concept and for the same reasons won't ever get behind the gearbox-over-the-bed setup either. I was planning to put the gearbox on the roof as I love the convenience of being able to just store 2-3 pairs of skis up there all the time without unloading every time, but I'm able to get 2-3 pair separated into the bed diagonally with tonneau closed and close the tailgate. I can even get my 194 powder skis in (rockered) - It pinches the tails just a little, but it's against the flexible plastic tailgate spacer, which just deforms when closed and doesn't gouge the tails at all. I can get at least 2 additional pair in diagonally with careful placement (and sometimes more depending on the size). So I haven't needed to actually use the box, but I'm also usually solo to go ski, occasionally hauling 1-2 more people, and almost never hauling 4 people to go ski.

 

[TeamPJ]

I'm sure it fits nicely up top. I just didn't want to be one of those old guys with a stepstool at the ski hill parking lot.

www.dropracks.com

 

[kylealden]

I'm able to get 2-3 pair separated into the bed diagonally with tonneau closed and close the tailgate. I can even get my 194 powder skis in (rockered) - It pinches the tails just a little, but it's against the flexible plastic tailgate spacer, which just deforms when closed and doesn't gouge the tails at all. I can get at least 2 additional pair in diagonally with careful placement (and sometimes more depending on the size). So I haven't needed to actually use the box, but I'm also usually solo to go ski, occasionally hauling 1-2 more people, and almost never hauling 4 people to go ski.

Yeah, I get the perspective, but unfortunately I haven't had the same luck - my 188s barely fit (with some noticeable compression), but don't fit if they're paired together, and especially not since I added the BuiltRight panel at the front of the bed, which took about an inch off the bed length. Add in the fact that I like to fill the bed with other stuff when I travel on longer ski trips, some kind of rack was really the only option. But with the Buddy Covers it's been a non issue even on thousand mile road trips with grime and salt and rain.

This year for shorter day trips, I'm toying with the idea of just leaning them on my tailgate bike pad and closing the tonneau cover to hold the tips in place. I could probably even use the downtube straps to lock them in (maybe with something wrapped around the ski so they don't get too slicey...)

 

[moosehead]

That could poke an eye out.

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