Hey

I was wondering if anyone has done this install. I went to REI last night and they gave me all the parts I need for the system, but I would love to have some guidance during this process. Especially when hooking up the first clips after removing some stripping. I'm kinda nervous about the stripping....hahahaha....

Well, if anyone an help just holla my way. Thanks!

 

Hi

Are you installing it on the factory rails or directly to the Clubman? Last I knew there was no Thule or Yakima rack that went directly on. I have the damn mini rack which I hate cause it is impossible for me to take it off and put it back on. I commute 90 miles a day and want to get the best mileage and it is also noisy.

I have been waiting for Thule to release theirs but if Yakima has one.... I'd sell the POS mini rack in a heartbeat.

Jim

 

Well, I haven't gotten a chance to focus more on my install but what the guy at REI gave me and what we both saw in the book are all the necessary parts to hooking up the rack without the rails, just the body rails that are custom on the clubbie.

If you look in the owners manual under "roof mount" its explain to you where your supposed to pull back the plastic trim to hook up the clamp on the four corners of the roof.....but yea I can't trust myself with this until i see some pictures.

So I have those four clamp pieces that will get mounted to the side of the clubbie roof and then connected to that will be the stacks (4), then the 48" bars, 38" fairing, and the new bike rack....hardest part seems to be this first connection....so once i figure this out i think it should work....that is if MINI didn't lie to me in the manual and those screws are accesible under the plastic trim...

Appreciate any help from anyone if they know what I'm talking about....

I'll keep everyone posted to see if i pull this off.

 

so, is this "kit" uses the gutters, running both sides of the Clubby? Or the 4 holes that the OEM rack uses? If it's the gutter (lithe the Thule rack system), I tried that. The gutter is not rigid enough and flexes, so....

 

It says in the directions that it uses the 2 side screws on the side of the roof rails on the car....I believe maybe the same connection type the OEM roof rack has....so its like a y shaped piece with two slits/cutouts on it and it seems you would slide the clip over these side screws and then tighten them around this clip to fasten it....let me look on yakimas site and see if i can find the part....

 

They have the QTowers for the regular Mini

And rack system for the Clubman with roof rails

But I see nothing for Clubman without roof rails...

 

I'm going to have to go home at lunch and get the part numbers for the clips I'm talking about because this is bugging me now....hahaha....maybe we all got confused....will see....so your verdict is that nothing is out yet....this clip system seems like it will work....I'll check for us all...

 

So the part number is Q78 Clip, #0678....here a picture of it.

 

Interesting I have no idea where that would mount. Do you have the instructions?

As MyroMini wrote, we have only seen those 3 options for the clubman so you may be the first to install this.

Let us know how it goes.

Jim

 

Ok so here's the new update. I decided after searching and reading multiple forums that I needed an answer NOW and from the people themselves...Yakima. I called them and spoke to a gentlemen that explained to me that without the roof rails, Yakima still does not offer a rack. They are in the fitting stages still and I guess this means running tests and what not , making sure things are legit. So, I guess its good new and bad news....the bad i get no rack on my baby, but the good news is my wallet just got a little heavier for this upcoming weekend...hahaha

So if anyone does find a solution or maybe want to try and install the clips REI gave me, go for it....and let us know....

 

Well you can always install the Mini rack... There are instructions on for it on this site but after over 2 hours and scratching the car and not getting even getting one tower on My wife and I gave up and had the dealer do it. It is an good rack in that it is solid east to mount to but it is a PIG to install and i really hate having it on all the time. It is noisey (not that a yakima or Thule wouldn't be but I can remove them myself) and affects the mileage. the mount is a really bad design.

Jim

 

Hey guys just reading the thread here and please do not install the yakima rack. Unless you have the new 09 with raised roof rails. I own a bike store and own a Cluman and can't get the Yak stuff to work and I do a lot of Intallations on all sorts of cars. Return the rack and get the Factory one. It goes on pretty well and is quiet at speed. Or see if you can get the raised factory rails intalled and then buy Yakima Lowriders.

Craig

 

Hey man Thanks! Thats great that you just put some awesome info up. I hope Yakima gets their act together and delivers us clubbies w/out rails some rack to carry our toys around.

 

I would to love to know what the issue is. Both Thule and Yakima have not released a kit. Thule has a number for it, #2198, for its fit kit but it is not available. Still.

 

I have spoke to Yakima regarding the car and they say it is because of the full glass windows that becomes an issue. Second is any Qclip that has been tried crushes the raingutter. I'm not cutting mine to find out. Thule does have a set up but the clips still do not allow the window to close properly and there is the potential for leaks right down the window. I really do wish there was a kit from either company. I guess I should have waited to get the 09, but I really don't like the roof rails that much.

Craig

 

So your saying the rack fits '09's? Cause I have a 2009 JCW Clubman...can I get this to work or no?

 

Yakima will only work with the 09 raised roof rails and a set of lowriders. Q towers will just wreck your roof.

 

I have the factory roof rack with a Yakima Ski box and for bikes I picked up a minidomore hitch for my bikes.

 

That makes sense. Mini had problems with their rack causes leaks as well when they first released it and had to redesign it.

but if they could get it to work why get Y and T?

Jim

 

To all in this thread - Searach is your friend. all of this has been discussed in many many other threads. But to make it short and sweet for you all.

Both Thule and Yakima DO NOT have a rack for the clubman with out the roof rails due to the fact that there is nothing but very very thin sheet metal to hold to. Every attempt they have made has caused the sheet metal of the roof to crumple upwards where the attachment point are after very little pressure is applied to the rack from air movement with a bike, kayak etc on teh bars. I researched this very heavily when i first got my clubman a year ago. I have even gone to the Thule research center in CT and they have used my vehicle for some fitment tests.

My suggestion is DO NOT use any of the rack parts from Thule or Yakima.

There is a sticky thread at the top of the clubman forum:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-roofrack.html

I wrote these instructions due to the fact that that mini instructions for the OEM Roof Rack are very poor.

To those who have had trouble getting the rood rack on and off their car. If you follow those instructions you should be able to get the rack on and off in less than 2-3 minutes.

I have had many people respond back to me about the instructions and how it realy did help them to understand how to put the racks on the car.

phdnkmh - good thought about having the Roof Rails put on a car that does not have them. It CAN NOT be done. 1. Mini will not sell them, 2. If you could get them it would require full removal of the headliner , side curtain airbags, installation of extra support structures (not in car) and then with all of that it probably would not fit properly because if the holes to hold it on are more than .010" out of place the rails will not sit agianst the roof curbs properly and will leak.

For those of you that are skeptics about the problem check my gallery. There are picture there of exactly how the OEM Roof Rack mounts to the attachment brackets that are mounted to the frame rails of the car some 1/4" of an inch below the roof skin. The pictures there do not show it well but the roof skin where it meets the rain gutter is not held to anything.

Here are some of the other threads you all should read. These are in no particular order.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...roof-rack.html

This next one is very long it has 739 posts

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...an-issues.html

This post has the change in part number and this person states how much easier it is witht eh new correct part number for the OEM Roof Rack.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...5-post733.html

If any of you are going on the Great Ice Cream Run (VA to ME) in June or to Mini's On Top in June I will be attending both and show anyone how easy it is to put the OEM Roof Racks on the car. I will also allow other people to try it on my car.

The Great Ice Cream Run starts in Stuanton VA on Sunday June 21 and runs upt to Maine over the next 4 days. Stops are in Frackville PA on June 22, Sturbridge MA June 23, Freeport ME June 24, Bar Harbor ME June 25, Mini's On Top is at Mt Washington NH on June 27-28. These are registration events and registartion has closed for both but if you need help with your rack i will be glad to help at an area near these activities when I am in the area. Also if you live in New England anywhere and would like to see the OEM Roof Rack PM me and we can meet up somewhere before I go on the Mini Trips.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to post here or PM me with them.

 

and that my friends is exactly why we bought an 09 clubbie with factory installed roof rails

 

Schatzy62, thank you for putting those instructions together but even with them my wife and I could not do it. The amount of force needed to flatened the "foot" to fit in the hole was more than we could do. The slots for the feet are not 1 mm bigger than they need be so you have to be lined up perfectly to get them in and the bolt head they use to flatten the feet easily slips one way or the other so that both halves of the feet don't flatten evenly. The tool mini provides slips when you push on it and it is not clear in any of the insturctions which it is suppose to go. And the tweezers they give you to remove the "rubber" to expose the mounting slots is a joke. I ended up using an offset pliers with the plastic card protecting the paint.

We stared at your inductions and mini's but couldn't always see what we were it was we were suppose to do.

I wish someone could show me how to do it so I could take it off and on. Still, no amount of instructions can prepare you for how hard it is to do the first time and what a bad design it is.

Please don't get me wrong these are probably great instructions but I still couldn't do it and I have installed all my previous racks.