Yakima Track

scaup

We have a 2017 T@B 320S with a factory installed Yakima track and crossbars. I purchased a tube holder for the sewer hose. I intend to mount it under the lower crossbar but have to relocate both crossbars higher by about 3"-4". After removing the crossbars to gain access to the bolts that connect the crossbar holder to the track I noticed that the lower bolt had an allen wrench head (allen wrench provided with the paperwork etc from the factory) but the upper bolt (screw?) had a blunt phillips head.

The lower bolt loosens but the upper bolt (screw?) turns but doesn't seem to loosen. There is also some hardened caulking where the top of the crossbar holder meets the track. This caulking makes me think that the top connector is a screw and the caulking is there to prevent water intrusion. This situation only occurs at the lower crossbar. The upper crossbar connectors are all allen head bolts.

Any ideas about what is happening here? Why isn't the top bolt the same as the lower bolt? Did the factory screw up and have to use screws into the body of the T@B instead of the Allen head connectors into the track?

Sorry to be so long winded but now it is what it is. Any good ideas about how to remove the screws? Seems like if the screw is just turning, I need to get some upward tension on the screw while I'm turning the screw. Any idea about how to do that with limited access?

Thanks for any help. were leaving on a 3 week vacation in about 12 days.

Tabaz

The lower crossbar bolt protrudes into the wood cabinet behind the Jensen speakers.  I'm guessing the upper bar is screwed into the aluminum frame in the ceiling (i.e. no cabinet to hide the bolt end).  Just a guess. 

pthomas745

Here is a thread with details on moving the Yakima rack on the rails.  Like Tabaz points out, the bolts are behind the speakers.  There are other examples of Outback solutions, also.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/5193/2017-outback-storage-and-sewer-hose-mods#latest

GatorEgg

Looks like you're deep into it by now.  But, I did a simple install when I did this.  I got a pack of Yakima attachment hardware from ETrailer, for like $11.  Nothing more than 4 flat square nuts, washers and Allen screws made to fit in the track.  I used used the top hole on each side of the hose holder and just drilled a hole on each side for the holder for the lower screw to slide all onto track.  It looks factory with no disassembly of the trailer needed.

scaup

Thanks pthomas745, the thread you attached is very helpful, particularly finding out that the top"screw" is actually a thru bolt and nut.

GatorEgg- not sure I completely understood your comment but the reason the lower bracket needs to move is to make room for the hose storage tube bracket to mount in the Yakima track. As it exists the lower storage tube bracket falls below the Yakima track. Even if I tried to drill a new hole in the bracket, it would still fall beliw the Yakima track.

Further Question- for those who have moved the crossbar bracket, did you reinstall the bolt or use the standard Yakima track plates for both lower and upper connections?

Thanks.......great knowledgeable forum.

GatorEgg

I posted a pic of how I did it on another “hose thread”.  I don’t currently have a proper sized pic on my phone.

jgram2

Here you go:

GatorEgg Posts: 122Member

 July 20 edited July 20

I figured I"d show pics of my take on the sewer hose storage.
I used the Valterra tube as many have.  Mounted it on our Boondock's Yakima rack.  I used Yakima Landing Pad Mounting Hardware kit.  It's like $11 from Etrailer, cheaper than a handful of hardware from the hardware store.  That's the rack we have so why not?  I had to drill new holes in the hose holder bracket for the lower mounting screw and not use the factory hole on the Valterra assembly.  The adjustable rack is made non adjustable by NuCamp so the Control Towers/Landing Pads won't move up on the track to give the needed space.  But it worked out smoothly.

2018 T@B Boondock 320S, 2003 Toyota Tacoma
Odessa, Fl.  

GatorEgg

Thanks jgram2, I just sat down at my pc and saw you had already done this.

jgram2

Sure thing. I was going to provide the link, but there are ~ 10 pages of sewer hose storage posts on that thread.

scaup

Thanks all. I rotated the lower track holder and reused the existing thru bolt hole as one of the forum members said. Worked like a charm.

A few years ago I talked with an Outback owner whose Yakima rack had come loose and caused a lot of damage. I wonder how long the factory has been replacing two of the connectors with thru bolts and if it was in response to a number of accidents like the one I heard about?

Tabaz

They started at least in August 2015.  I have the thru bolts.