Really important not to over tighten- seen some videos where the glass cracked. I personally leave mine on our 3 and Y so I didn’t have to remove and reinstall. I use it for an cargo box where extra storage space is needed on road trips. I also have a hidden hitch on the 3 and factory hitch on the Y for cargo tray (usually for the cooler or inflatable rafts or crab traps).
I also went with the stealth hitch. It’s there if I need it for the bikes and I can take the hitch off easily also. I considered the roof rack when shopping for a way to transport the bikes for my M3. I do a few events that are long hauls out of state, so range was definitely a concern with the roof option. Also with my mountain bikes, I was concerned about possibly dropping a fork on the roof and chipping or cracking the glass.
Ty for the video. Are you still happy with this roof and bike rack? when you said the roof rack clips fit UNDER the lip of the roof glass, that sounds like a terrible idea. Couldn’t this eventually break the glass roof seal?
I mean Tesla made it that way so I doubt it. I use them every week to transfer my bike. My buddy outs three bikes on his same racks with no issue. Has for years.
I've been considering this for my kayaks. The rating is only 150 pounds which is concerning. Also, does that tape ruin the paint if you remove it? I'd imagine it would
This is a good demonstration of the Tesla roof rack installation. Yet it also raises the point of the advantages of a tow hitch over a roof rack, especially for carrying a bike. 1) a bike rack on a hitch is easier to load and less likely to damage your car while loading and unloading 2) a hitch carrier is easier to take off and on so you don’t have unnecessary drag and noise 3) one of your fellow TH-cam bloggers did a test and showed that the rear hitch box had less mileage impact than a roof box 4) I can mount my ski rack on my hitch bike carrier so I don’t need a roof rack for that 5) I can drive my Tesla into the my garage with a hitch rack Your case would have been stronger had you used a kayak or stand up paddle board. I have yet to be able to carry my 14 foot kayak on my rear hitch without buying a trailer.
Oh I totally agree that a hitch mount is superior. Had I now already had the setup for the roof from a previous car I would have taken that option. To install a hitch and also buy a rack would have more than doubled the price vs. my paying $400.
getting a new M3LR in a few weeks, considering installing a hitch instead of the Yakima roof rack. Going with the 1UP Quik Mount Single Heavy duty model. I considered getting another roof rack for the new car, but I'm tired of lifting the bike and putting it on top of my car and worrying about it falling off the roof or damaging the Tesla trim. I currently use a Yakima roof rack, and while they're very strong, I always worry about them falling off my car or leaving mud on my roof after coming back from the trail. StealthHitch makes a custom hitch for the Tesla model 3, for about $580 bucks.
I almost went that route but instead went with a hitch and a hitch rack. The roof racks are a range killer. BTW the roof rails are designed by Tesla manufactured by Yakima
love people sayin range killer its been proven that the rack barely affect range at all, even having a big box of there people have noticed about a 10-15 mile difference for a full charge compared to not having it
Agree with a previous comment regarding the roof rack as a “range killer” and the reason I went with hitch rake as well. The hitch rack impacts range but can’t imagine it be as high as the roof rack. Great video as always.
Thanks Dan! I am not sure I would call it a range killer exactly. I have friends with it and say they barely notice it. Maybe range reducer but killer? Maybe with a cargo box
Those roof mounts are just so sketchy appearing to me. I'm not so much worried about glass itself being ripped off the roof. I bet the adhesive bond would be strong enough to lift the car. More worried that the mount points will crack the expensive glass. Not a big fan of lifting the bike so high either, or the additional drag it causes. We put a Torklift receiver on our model 3, and we use a tray style cargo carrier - something you could strap a cooler, grill, etc to that also has tire loops for 4 bikes. Very secure, almost no additional drag. Just have to be mindful about entering driveways because it can drag on the ground We are thinking of upgrading to a more conventional 4 bike tray carrier though. Takes a bit to strap the bikes down the way we use it now.
We’ll mount the bikes in the Y that way. I feel good about these since Yakima made them for Tesla. Any other would be sketchy. They feel very strong and I think they look sporty.
Roof rack is made by Yakima.
Thanks for the reminder!
Probably the best installation video. Clear instructions!
Huge help and straight to the point 🎉
Really important not to over tighten- seen some videos where the glass cracked. I personally leave mine on our 3 and Y so I didn’t have to remove and reinstall. I use it for an cargo box where extra storage space is needed on road trips. I also have a hidden hitch on the 3 and factory hitch on the Y for cargo tray (usually for the cooler or inflatable rafts or crab traps).
Yea I feel they should have enforced that more. Even just a little tightening led to cracking or creaking noises
How’s the wind noise/range?
I also went with the stealth hitch. It’s there if I need it for the bikes and I can take the hitch off easily also. I considered the roof rack when shopping for a way to transport the bikes for my M3. I do a few events that are long hauls out of state, so range was definitely a concern with the roof option. Also with my mountain bikes, I was concerned about possibly dropping a fork on the roof and chipping or cracking the glass.
Ya it is a bit strange putting them above glass
Ty for the video. Are you still happy with this roof and bike rack?
when you said the roof rack clips fit UNDER the lip of the roof glass, that sounds like a terrible idea. Couldn’t this eventually break the glass roof seal?
I mean Tesla made it that way so I doubt it. I use them every week to transfer my bike. My buddy outs three bikes on his same racks with no issue. Has for years.
Good video I've wanted to put this on my Tesla but I really don't trust the pads from preventing paint and glass scraping causing wear.
I've been considering this for my kayaks. The rating is only 150 pounds which is concerning. Also, does that tape ruin the paint if you remove it? I'd imagine it would
This is a good demonstration of the Tesla roof rack installation. Yet it also raises the point of the advantages of a tow hitch over a roof rack, especially for carrying a bike.
1) a bike rack on a hitch is easier to load and less likely to damage your car while loading and unloading
2) a hitch carrier is easier to take off and on so you don’t have unnecessary drag and noise
3) one of your fellow TH-cam bloggers did a test and showed that the rear hitch box had less mileage impact than a roof box
4) I can mount my ski rack on my hitch bike carrier so I don’t need a roof rack for that
5) I can drive my Tesla into the my garage with a hitch rack
Your case would have been stronger had you used a kayak or stand up paddle board. I have yet to be able to carry my 14 foot kayak on my rear hitch without buying a trailer.
Oh I totally agree that a hitch mount is superior. Had I now already had the setup for the roof from a previous car I would have taken that option. To install a hitch and also buy a rack would have more than doubled the price vs. my paying $400.
Thoughts on putting 2 kayaks on the roof rack? Think it will work?
I have heard of people who have but I can’t confirm.
getting a new M3LR in a few weeks, considering installing a hitch instead of the Yakima roof rack. Going with the 1UP Quik Mount Single Heavy duty model.
I considered getting another roof rack for the new car, but I'm tired of lifting the bike and putting it on top of my car and worrying about it falling off the roof or damaging the Tesla trim. I currently use a Yakima roof rack, and while they're very strong, I always worry about them falling off my car or leaving mud on my roof after coming back from the trail. StealthHitch makes a custom hitch for the Tesla model 3, for about $580 bucks.
That is definitly a consideration but I have a hitch on my Model Y so I don't want to install it on my model 3. The mud on the roof does suck lol
If I anticipate a real muddy ride I take a pesticide sprayer and spray most mud off at the trail before loading it up on the roof
I almost went that route but instead went with a hitch and a hitch rack. The roof racks are a range killer. BTW the roof rails are designed by Tesla manufactured by Yakima
Hi Vin. If I was concerned about the range I would probably do the same. We went with that option for the model Y
love people sayin range killer its been proven that the rack barely affect range at all, even having a big box of there people have noticed about a 10-15 mile difference for a full charge compared to not having it
Hmm good to know. I haven’t had a chance to really test it yet
Agree with a previous comment regarding the roof rack as a “range killer” and the reason I went with hitch rake as well. The hitch rack impacts range but can’t imagine it be as high as the roof rack. Great video as always.
Thanks Dan! I am not sure I would call it a range killer exactly. I have friends with it and say they barely notice it. Maybe range reducer but killer? Maybe with a cargo box
Those roof mounts are just so sketchy appearing to me.
I'm not so much worried about glass itself being ripped off the roof. I bet the adhesive bond would be strong enough to lift the car. More worried that the mount points will crack the expensive glass.
Not a big fan of lifting the bike so high either, or the additional drag it causes.
We put a Torklift receiver on our model 3, and we use a tray style cargo carrier - something you could strap a cooler, grill, etc to that also has tire loops for 4 bikes.
Very secure, almost no additional drag.
Just have to be mindful about entering driveways because it can drag on the ground
We are thinking of upgrading to a more conventional 4 bike tray carrier though. Takes a bit to strap the bikes down the way we use it now.
We’ll mount the bikes in the Y that way. I feel good about these since Yakima made them for Tesla. Any other would be sketchy. They feel very strong and I think they look sporty.
𝓟Ř𝔬𝓂𝔬𝐒ϻ