# Ski Racks for 2002 Subaru Legacy Wagon



## Edd (Oct 28, 2007)

So my car has the rails that come with the car but it has no crossbars.  I can't seem to find a rack that will mount without crossbars.  I can buy the crossbars but it doesn't seem too farfetched that someone makes a rack that will simply mount on factory rails. Does anyone know of such a rack?


On a sidenote my girlfriend's Audi A4 has the coolest feature.  A small hatch that you can pop out of the backseat that leads to the trunk, specifically installed for skis.  You can fit 4 people, 4 sets of skis, and all of your gear in a small sedan!  I'm probably living under a rock never having seen that but I loved it.


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 28, 2007)

Thule Snowcat


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## Edd (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks for that link, but they want to sell you additional hardware so that it'll fit, which you discover once you go deeper into that ad.  I've checked these out before.  Roof rack prices seem outrageous to me.  I feel like I should be able to get this done for $100.  I know I sound cheap but screw them.  The search continues...


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 28, 2007)

If you have a hitch you can always get one for that.


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## SKIQUATTRO (Oct 28, 2007)

I have the rails on my Audi A4 Avant with no factory cross bars......I bought the THULE footback that clamps onto the rails, a pair of load/crossbars, a THULE ski rack, 2 Thule fork mount bike racks, a pair of soft pad for my surfboards.....THULE will last longer than you!!


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## wa-loaf (Oct 28, 2007)

Edd said:


> So my car has the rails that come with the car but it has no crossbars.  I can't seem to find a rack that will mount without crossbars.  I can buy the crossbars but it doesn't seem too farfetched that someone makes a rack that will simply mount on factory rails. Does anyone know of such a rack?



Probably an obvious question, but have you checked with Subaru? Or even combed the junkyards for the factory crossbars off of a wreck?


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 28, 2007)

Thule


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 28, 2007)

Hawkshot99 said:


> Thule




He wants to avoid using crossbars.  I took another look at that snowcat.  I don't see any mention of extra hardware needed.  Did you take a look at the instructions for that model?


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 28, 2007)

BeanoNYC said:


> He wants to avoid using crossbars.  I took another look at that snowcat.  I don't see any mention of extra hardware needed.  Did you take a look at the instructions for that model?



Neither do I.  The only extra hardware I could think of with that setup is locks, but it is included with that model......


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## bvibert (Oct 28, 2007)

The snowcat looks like it should fit the bill to me with no extra components.  If it were me though I'd spend the extra $100 or so and get the clamps and load bars and one of the ski racks that fits on them.  Then you have a solid foundation if you need to use your rack for anything else (bikes, kayaks, cargo boxes, etc..).  If you know you're never going to use the rack for anything else then I would think the snowcat will work fine (I have no experience with it though).  Check out eBay I put together a used Yakima setup for a good price a few years back.


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## Edd (Oct 29, 2007)

wa-loaf said:


> Probably an obvious question, but have you checked with Subaru? Or even combed the junkyards for the factory crossbars off of a wreck?



Yes to both.


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## Edd (Oct 29, 2007)

BeanoNYC said:


> He wants to avoid using crossbars.  I took another look at that snowcat.  I don't see any mention of extra hardware needed.  Did you take a look at the instructions for that model?



When you click on the link to see if this rack will fit your specific car, it then notes extra hardware but I'll call them up to be sure.  

Love the Dice Clay photo.


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## SKIQUATTRO (Oct 29, 2007)

why do you want to avoid using crossbars?


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## Edd (Oct 29, 2007)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> why do you want to avoid using crossbars?



Extra cost; about $150 new and haven't located a junkyard set yet.


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## Edd (Oct 29, 2007)

Turns out the Snowcat will fit with no additional hardware.  I called them.  The fit guide on the website confused me.  I am not so smart sometimes.


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## bvibert (Oct 29, 2007)

Edd said:


> Turns out the Snowcat will fit with no additional hardware.  I called them.  The fit guide on the website confused me.  I am not so smart sometimes.



The fit guide _is_ confusing.  It's basically an endless loop.  You tell it what car you have and navigate to the rack you want, but the link for "Will it fit my car" (or whatever it says exactly) is still there.  If you click that link it takes you right back to the beginning where you have to choose your car again, etc, etc..  Some programmer fell asleep on the job on that one... :roll:


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 29, 2007)

bvibert said:


> Some programmer fell asleep on the job on that one... :roll:



Looks like some programmer fell asleep when making his seasonal movie too:lol:


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## bvibert (Oct 29, 2007)

Hawkshot99 said:


> Looks like some programmer fell asleep when making his seasonal movie too:lol:



Now you too??  The sad part is that's at least part of the reason why it isn't done yet..


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 29, 2007)

bvibert said:


> Now you too??  The sad part is that's at least part of the reason why it isn't done yet..



I skied with you twice last year, maybe I made(Make, hasn't been made yet )the cut.  Then I can brag about being as special as greg.


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## mlctvt (Oct 29, 2007)

Edd said:


> So my car has the rails that come with the car but it has no crossbars.  I can't seem to find a rack that will mount without crossbars.  I can buy the crossbars but it doesn't seem too farfetched that someone makes a rack that will simply mount on factory rails. Does anyone know of such a rack?
> 
> 
> On a sidenote my girlfriend's Audi A4 has the coolest feature.  A small hatch that you can pop out of the backseat that leads to the trunk, specifically installed for skis.  You can fit 4 people, 4 sets of skis, and all of your gear in a small sedan!  I'm probably living under a rock never having seen that but I loved it.



Check out Yakima or Inno Racks. They both make attachments that mount directly to the factory rails and you won't need the Subaru crossbars. Both aren't cheap though. Sometimes people sell used ones on the Subaru forums for very low prices. LegacyGT.com or nasioc.com


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## bvibert (Oct 29, 2007)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I skied with you twice last year, maybe I made(Make, hasn't been made yet )the cut.  Then I can brag about being as special as greg.



Sadly, I think the only footage I got of you is the stuff about 2:13 into this video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGTnYV8WNO0

http://skiing.bvibert.com/vids/Hunter020907_sm.wmv (right-click and save target..)

Which I figure will make it in there in some capacity.  If I'm feeling nice I'll leave out the part where you go down..


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 29, 2007)

bvibert said:


> If I'm feeling nice I'll leave out the part where you go down..



Me falling is ok, keeps me humble.:grin:


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## bvibert (Oct 29, 2007)

Hey, wasn't this a discussion about ski racks for Subarus?


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## Hawkshot99 (Oct 29, 2007)

bvibert said:


> Hey, wasn't this a discussion about ski racks for Subarus?



I put my skis in the rack of a outback before.  It wasnt these skis, and it was a long time ago but it did happen.  I think it was a Thule brand.

Did I do a good job of bringing it back on topic?:lol:


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## bvibert (Oct 29, 2007)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I put my skis in the rack of a outback before.  It wasnt these skis, and it was a long time ago but it did happen.  I think it was a Thule brand.
> 
> Did I do a good job of bringing it back on topic?:lol:



Mission accomplished...


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 29, 2007)

Edd said:


> Love the Dice Clay photo.



That's puddy from Seinfeld.  I can see the confusion though.


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## BeanoNYC (Oct 29, 2007)

You try craigslist yet?


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## WJenness (Oct 29, 2007)

Edd said:


> On a sidenote my girlfriend's Audi A4 has the coolest feature.  A small hatch that you can pop out of the backseat that leads to the trunk, specifically installed for skis.  You can fit 4 people, 4 sets of skis, and all of your gear in a small sedan!  I'm probably living under a rock never having seen that but I loved it.



I also have an A4 (jut got it in May), and I'm looking forward to carrying my skis to the hill in this manner this winter.

-w


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## Edd (Oct 30, 2007)

BeanoNYC said:


> That's puddy from Seinfeld.  I can see the confusion though.




So it is.  Damn.  I have checked Craigslist but now I'll start looking on a deal for the Snowcat specifically.  I'm also having this fantasy about someone modifying my back seat to work similar to the Audi so I wouldn't need a rack in the first place to carry 4 people + skis.


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## bvibert (Oct 30, 2007)

Edd said:


> I'm also having this fantasy about someone modifying my back seat to work similar to the Audi so I wouldn't need a rack in the first place to carry 4 people + skis.



That could be easy, depending on how clean you want it to be.  A box cutter for the cushion and cut-off wheel to cut through the seat support should do the job.  Add in some duct tape for trim if you want that finished look. 

Seriously that sounds like it would be a pretty expensive task, much more than just buying a roof rack.  Might be easier to retro-fit an Audi seat into the subbie, or better yet just drive your girlfriend's Audi, or even better yet still.. get one for yourself...


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## WJenness (Oct 30, 2007)

bvibert said:


> or better yet just drive your girlfriend's Audi, or even better yet still.. *get one for yourself*...



+1...

-w


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