I just got done configuring one for the a3 on their website. About time.

The installer at the local rack shop told me that the Yakima cam lock system on the towers is not as strong has the simple screw handle tightening of the Thule. Nice to know yakima finally has one. All my accessories are yakima. The upside of the yakima is that you can take it off and put in on faster than the Thule. Life if full of trade offs.

You first adjust it for your car, and then after you have it adjusted, you can just use the on & off release mechanism.

Dave

Yeah, I think he feels that there is more of a chance with the cam popping open. With the core locks, I never noticed it as an issue. The screw adjustment with the allen wrench with the yakima over time can get a bit finicky. I've almost stripped them after a few years of use.

Uses a plain flat-head screwdriver or finger force.

<img src="http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/dmakca/yak.JPG">

And if you've used these before, you'd realize that if they're set properly, there is significant initial resistance to depress and retract the locking arm.

Dave

Will do.

I beleive the allen wrench adjustment is for setting the spacing length between the towers. That is the one I almost stripped. I think it loosens up over time where the cogged wheel grips the plastic coated round bars and starts to fray it. Fix is easy if you loosen it up enough to rotate the bar to where it can get a new grip.

I'd like to stay with the yakima for the really quick and easy on and off. Even with my old 4 Runner, I liked to take them off when not using them to reduce wind noise.

I stopped by my local rack shop to have the yakima rack installed. When setting the tower width to yakima specs, you cannot achieve a secure attacment. The clip that wraps under edge of the door frame slips up and off as you lock down the cam.

The installer with over 20 years experience called yakima. yakima will either have to change the specs for the width between the towers or redesign the clip. It seems they have released this clip before it was ready to not loose too much market to thule.

The rack can be made secure by moving the towers about 1 inch closer to each other. The pad would rest on the rain gutter rather than on the curved frame. The problem with moving the towers closer than specified by yakaima is that it will void your warrenty.

As a side note, yakima is rated for 100 lbs, thule 150. It looks like the open sky will clear the bars if you have no accessories attached.