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Here's a pic of my 2017 RX with pano roof with Thule crossbars and Hyper XL cargo box. I installed it in June and have used it quite a bit since (2-week road trip, camping, etc.). We absolutely love it and think it looks great. My around-town MPG is almost the same--less than 1 MPG less than before. Highway driving is 2-3 MPG less--totally worth the extra carrying capacity.
Sorry for multiple threads, but here it is at last.
Cross bar / Roof Rack option that works for ALL RX with factory flush rails, especially clutch for pano roof owners because this allows opening and closing without a problem since Lexus did not make this option possible. Just remember whatever you plan to load up top, don't open your pano roof as when it is fully open the glass rises higher than bars. I plan to tape my sunroof button every time use my Thule cargo box up top.
Install time: Less than 30 mins
Difficulty level 1-10: 1
Yes the crossbars don't look as clean as without but having the option and functionality outweigh the slight change in appearance.
Couple things to note:
1) as of right now Thule is the only company that has made aftermarket crossbars for 4th gen RX
2) 3 options from Thule for crossbars: 2 types of Aeroblade,and Squarebar
Below are pictures of installed: Thule AeroBlade Edge 7603, Thule AeroBlade Edge 7602, KIT4072
REVISED: Oct 2016 Thule website shows you can also just order (2) Thule AeroBlade Edge 7602, no longer needed to have 7603. I only saw this because I am selling my Thule crossbars on ebay now!
**Remember the longer bar goes up front which is the 7603.
**In the pics my bars are facing the wrong way, the grip part of the bar should be facing forward. Too lazy to retakes pics. Thanks Skiracer for attention to detail!
I maybe the first one in history to have installed this!! #first
Front center of each bar max distance between both bar in the manual stated 32 inches, I set mine at 30 inches.
I got lucky with the back drop as I installed these after work.
Front the front rail to the front of the first cross bar I measured 11 inches. Just set the bars loose and then adjust accordingly.
30 inches center to center.
I just purchased a 2019 RX350 with the panoramic roof and assumed factory cross bars would work great with my Thule box. After checking with the dealer and learning they would not install, I was really happy to see someone had come up with a solution. I’ll be getting this exact setup. Thank you for all of the pictures and info. Mine is the same color so the visuals really helped.
Worked great with the Thule bars but had wind noise
Originally Posted by RM2020
Hello PersianGuy, could you share your experience after you installed the Thule crossbars on your 2019 RX350 F, Pros and Cons...
certainly! Everything worked like a charm when I installed my bars with this set up. I have a larger box, the Thule Sonic XL, and in my opinion it is the perfect size for this vehicle. I don’t think that model is made anymore, but the XL is the way to go. I really like that I am able to remove the bars without having to drill any holes, as I prefer the cleaner look without them. The one issue I ran into is that I seem to get a lot of wind noise with this set up. I haven’t tried to tape around the base of the bars to see if that will help, but the wind noise is the main reason I only put the bars on when I need them, and why I won’t use it year round. Also, if you install it correctly, you will be able to open your sunroof all the way.
in short, this set up works really well but I experienced lots of wind noise.
Here’s my 2019 RX350L with Thule crossbars and Aeroblades. Slight wind noise with cargo box installed, and NO wind noise with crossbars only. I leave the bars on year round.
Thank you PersianGuy what would it be a proper installation based on your experience?
You’re welcome!
If you measure from the front side rails to the front of the first cross bar, it should be around 11 inches. Just set the bars loose and then adjust accordingly. Then for the second bar, it’s approx 30 inches back. I haven’t installed mine in a while, but I think that is what works.
Any ideas on what I can do to add more cargo space to my 2020 F-Sport with Panoramic Roof?
Been researching options, from Thule to soft bags... everything seems to lead me to having something laying on the rear pano glass, which is what I'm concerned with.
Trip is one-way NY to FL w/wife and 2 toddlers end of May.
Looking to carry maybe clothes and some essentials since it will likely take us 2 days to get down there and due to coronavirus we are trying to minimize stops.
Also, this isn't something I plan to use often after the trip, so not too keen on spending insane $ or drill holes in the rails.
Dont think hitch carrier is an option due to rear damper on F-Sport.
Any ideas welcome... or if anyone has used one of those roof bags with a panoramic roof without issues would be a huge help.
If you measure from the front side rails to the front of the first cross bar, it should be around 11 inches. Just set the bars loose and then adjust accordingly. Then for the second bar, it’s approx 30 inches back. I haven’t installed mine in a while, but I think that is what works.
I just got a RX350 F Sport with the panoramic roof, thanks everyone for the info! I was so disappointed when the dealer told me it wasn't possible to install cross-bars.
I just both a pair of Thule AeroBlade and the Kit and will try to install them this weekend. I'm planning to install a Yamika Ski Carrier eventually.
Question the 11" is the distance from the front of the rail or from the front of the pano roof? Thanks!
I finally had a pair of Thule crossbars installed on my 2016 (by Bike Doctor in Annapolis, MD). I think the embedded photos illustrate why one can't open the panoramic roof with a load attached—with no load there is a close match between glass height and available clearance. But with the crossbar deflected downward by a load there is insufficient clearance. The unladen crossbars do not impede roof opening.
Well, I don't recall the numbers and the crossbars aren't currently installed since I'm not traveling these days. But if you look at the attached annotated photo, you can see that the front bracket is centered on the forward edge of the door frame. Such a positioning will be safe and secure, my experience on a 1400-mile trip tells me. I hope that this helps.
Did anyone have any optimal measurements to reduce the wind noise? Or how did you reduce wind noise with the Thule bars? Mine always drive me nuts when I have them on in the wintertime.
Did anyone have any optimal measurements to reduce the wind noise? Or how did you reduce wind noise with the Thule bars? Mine always drive me nuts when I have them on in the wintertime.
I have no empirical evidence, but anecdotally, I can tell you that if you have crossbars like those from Thule and others installed, you will have wind noise. There is no getting around it, so get used to it. Keeping the interior roof shade closed may help a bit. AFAIK, there is no other help.
Last edited by daffydd; 11-11-20 at 02:24 PM.
Reason: Omission
10-02-18, 10:08 AM
Pic of Thule crossbars & Hyper XL box
