A3 / S3 Sportback thule roof bars - no rails. My Pic.

Itguy

Itguy

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I promised the forum a pic of this and forgot to upload.

This is the thule wing bars, rapid fit feet and the Audi 8V foot pack. (Bars = 969 127cm, feet = 754, foot pack = 1708)

You can buy locks optionally if you wish.

4946CB0E-8EAA-4A11-B1A4-4B3B7951AD76.jpg
 
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Does it all go on OK and no damage to the paintwork etc without the rails? Been considering getting some myself.
 
They are perfect.

Nice soft(ish) rubbers for the feet which are specially shaped for the contours of the roof. Rubberised coating on the foot pack which goes round the door pillars too.

I'd only ever consider putting them on a clean car (or clean where the feet go) as if dirty I wouldn't want to risk silly rubbing of dirt into the paint.

They took a bit of time to adjust correctly the first time but then they lock solid and will be very quick to take on and off next time. It's also a 1 person job too.

It's the first time I've used a type like this and I'm very impressed at the quality of the feet and fittings etc. They've very good.
 
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Hi they look great, where did you get them from? I need some to carry my bike!

Cheers
 
Are the bars on the right way round? Ive been looking at these and all the pics the wing seems to go the other way round. Might be wrong though. How are they when driving do you get any of the annoying whistle as I cans decide between these and the edge version.
 
Yep, they're the wrong way around (as per the instructions, anyway). I've got the same bars but with the fixing pack for the integrated rails, and mine vary between fairly quiet and quite noisy, though it seems to be more dependent on cross-winds, etc., rather than the actual headwind generated by the direction of travel. I ended up taking them off until I specifically need them for something (whereas my plain old aerobars which I had on the previous car I just left on all the time).

My noise problem might be solved if I play around with the rubber strips, so I wouldn't rely on the above. I was however disappointed that the Thule footpack doesn't make use of the holes in the integrated rails, which makes getting them on in the right position, and square across the car, a bit more difficult than it needs to be.
 
Good to know, do they fit in the boot ok, Im torn as the edge one probably would but aren’t as wide so trying to decide which to go for. But guessing once they're on Id probably just leave them on anyway. Ive had the square bars before and they used to whistle like mad over 60mph. Our last car were more like the edge version and they were very quiet but you do loose a lot of space on the bar.
 
You wouldn't get the wingbar (not edge) in the boot, not without sticking down either a seat or the through-load carrier if you have that.
 
Damn it, I could have sworn I got them the right way round. Easy to swap over though.

I haven't actually been out with them yet so can't comment on the noise but I suspect they will be silent once I've put the rubber strips in
 
If it's any consolation I read the instructions about 5 times with a mindset of, "are you SURE that's the way round you want me to put them!?" I guess the noise comes from the resulting turbulence, so having the tapered end that way does make some sense, even if it's not entirely intuitive.
 
Easy done, did you look at any others, if so what made you go for these. Really can't decide which to get.
 
I agree ref the rails - just didn't want to spend any more on the car to be honest and I prefer the look without, and I only use these occasionally rather than all the time.

Have just RE read the instructions and yes, I'm a numpty.

I did look at the genuine audi ones but they (I think) are made by Thule too and are just more expensive. It also helps that my next door neighbour works for a local motor factors that sell all the Thule stuff and he got me staff discount on the set.

I'd also had Thule bars before (MINI branded) on my mini and they were great.
 
MatthewB said:
If it's any consolation I read the instructions about 5 times with a mindset of, "are you SURE that's the way round you want me to put them!?" I guess the noise comes from the resulting turbulence, so having the tapered end that way does make some sense, even if it's not entirely intuitive.
Click to expand...

Same as an aerofoil then - that's the intuitive way around for me. The trailing edge is far far more important than the leading edge in terms of reducing turbulence/drag.
 
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