Videos on how to use the Yakima Rail on T@B320 Boondocks

HoodsportBoondock

I have a 2020 Boondocks. I have not really used the Yakima rails for anything, but am now exploring it.  I may want to take them off or reposition them for the winter. I use a cover, and rainwater builds up. I figured if I moved the rails or removed them, I would not have that problem. Usually I can find some good YouTube videos, but nobody seems to have done this.

Michigan_Mike

I think what you are looking for here is advice or tips on the best practices or use of the Yakima rack?  Search the forum as I know this has been similarly duscussed in other threads here on the forum.  There is a wealth of info within. 👍🏻

HoodsportBoondock

What I am looking for is something that tells me how to reposition them or even remove them. I can turn the key to the lock, but that doesn't seem to do anything other than unlock them.

CharlieRN

I do not believe that the crossbars can be moved, at least I've not been able to do so. I think they can be unlocked and removed, but not re-positioned. I wound up purchasing a cargo carrier to make them a bit more useful, and use it with a zippered waterproof rack bag so that I don't need to lash everything down each trip. The bag handles our two larger folding camp chairs, a folding aluminum camp table, our wing visor and a few other relatively light sundries that otherwise would take up space in the TV or the T@B itself. Here's a photo of the rack; I couldn't find one with the bag in place unfortunately.

NHCraig

Just to be clear, in the picture above, the rails are the low profile black strips that run parallel to the red trim.  The mounts are the right-angled pieces that attach to the rails and crossbars, then you have the crossbars and basket. Are you really talking about moving or removing the rails? They're screwed into structural members in the T@B's roof. You could do it, but it would leave holes.

If you just want to remove the rack itself, to make a cover fit better, and you have the key to the locks (I don't, I wish I did!) then you should be able to unlock the mounts, open the cover, and see two places to fit an allen wrench.  One of them loosens the crossbar strap, one loosens the mount itself. I'm not familiar with these particular Yakima mounts, but I've had multiple Yakima products on my car, that's how the current mounts work. So assuming these are similar, if you have the lock key and the proper size allen wrench, you should be able to take the whole rack off. Not something I'd want to do frequently, but for winter storage, probably not a terrible job.

NHCraig

Your post got me curious so I did a bit of further investigating.  Turns out I did get the keys for mine, in the box for the "landing platforms", which are really the base pieces that go in, and are attached to, the rails. The rack mounts (Yakima Skyline towers, I believe they're called) then attach and lock into those.  If you just unlock each tower and pull the cover down (the plastic front piece the lock in in), the tower with rack attached just lifts out of the landing platform.  Should be an easy way to remove the rack in toto for winter storage.  You'll still have the rails and a slight bump at each landing platform, but the cover should fit pretty snugly over that, I doubt there would be any rainwater buildup.

CharlieRN

I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the OP was talking about the crossbars, which can be removed, though I haven't yet done that. As @NHCraig indicates though, the rails are a different story since they are fastened to and through the outer skin of the T@B. I'm not sure why there would be a need to remove them; I did not see any water build-up over the winter in mine, though the crossbars were also left in place.

As far as taking the crossbars off, I got the hex tool shown below with my Yakima rack. It's really just a long ball end hex wrench with a handle, and I'd think that any 4mm hex wrench would work to remove the towers. As noted, I did not bother to take them off when I stored the camper last season, so I'm not sure how difficult access is.

HoodsportBoondock

Thank you all for your input.  I did find that I can lift the rails out. And that will solve the winter storage problem.  I am not going to fool with repositioning, although it would be nice.