What's going on good people? I have a conundrum I was hoping someone could help me solve. I'm currently browising my local Craigslist for a used roof rack for
My 2012 Honda fit but I'm not sure what sizes i need. I did a fitment on yakimas site and it told me I needed 48" bars but that was the only part I noticed that mentioned any type of measurement or anything that would be specific to my car. I guess that's my question, besides bars, is there anything else that has to "fit" my fit, or is it all the same besides the bars?

 

The parts that sit on the roof and hold the cross bars are specific to the car. Thule (my roof rack) calls the parts on the roof a "Fit Kit". There are clamps that come in the fit kit that are also car specific. The clamps have bolts of a specific length to allow little metal fingers with rubber padding or coating to hold onto the underside of the door frames. You tighten the clamps to increase the grip pressure between the door frame brackets and the roof feet that the bolts thread into. The tension from the clamps holds the rack onto the roof.

Once you get the roof feet properly clamped and adjusted, the other parts that you need are locks that fit into the feet and that prevent anyone from loosening the clamps and stealing your rack.

Suggestion: go to the Yakima or Thule web sites, and search for the entire roof rack parts list for your car. If Craigslist shows the correct parts that the rack- maker calls out for your Fit and you like the price, buy it, but there is still the chance that the clamping bolts have been damaged, locks are jammed, etc. You are better off buying a name-brand rack and all of the necessary components from a real dealer. You will pay more for the parts, but they will be new, undamaged, and will work on your car.

Another tip- Yakima bars are normally round, and Thule bars are either square (the old style for GD's), or oval (the new Aero style that came out in the GE era). Oval cross bars don't need farings to stop wind noise, but round and square ones do need farings.

 

First off, thanks a lot, you've helped me a ton. Let me ask this, I searched new and this came up and caught my eye

2012 Inno IN-SU Roof Rack System (Black) - Complete Inno Car Rack for Naked / Smooth RoofTops

However, I didn't see anything like a fit kit for it. Does inno not make one. Thanks in advance for any and all help fellas!

 

The Inno brand looks pretty good, with a good price, and appears to be the same as Yakima and Thule. What Inno calls "stays", Thule calls the fit kit. But square cross bars do make a LOT of wind noise without a faring. If Inno does not offer farings, you could still buy the Thule faring to mount on the other brand of rack system.

 

Awesome! Thanks so much. So I think the price is good combined with free shipping and then I'll watch Craigslist for a fairling. I think those stays also come with this set so hopefully I'm good! Thanks again!

 

Sounds like you are likely to make a good buy. But keep in mind that Yakima and Thule have been around for decades and both have excellent reps. for high quality, and both of those rack makers stress that you should always remember how low the weight limit is for roof racks on small, short wheelbase cars like the Fit. Weight limit for us is 80-100 lbs. I have never seen the Inno brand before (and did not even look at any other brands when I bought my Thule rack in '07, then bought new "feet" to fit my '09 Fit. Please let the forums know what you think of the quality when you get your rack. Whatever you plan to haul on the rack (skis, snowboard, kayak, etc.) will need a special set of brackets to bolt onto the cross bars. Inno may make their own versions of those too, but if not, the load brackets from Yakima or Thule will probably work on your Inno bars. A good on-line dealer for racks and accessories is
Trailer hitch, hitches and bike rack (800)298-8924. Good luck!