Installing Dropracks XL on a Van with Fixed installation points

Dropracks can be installed on a variety of cars. Every Dropracks comes with some "connecting bars" included in the package that has a spread between the front and rear mounting position of 85,0 cm. We ofthen reffer to this as the Fix Point Distance, and it goes alongside the car roof.

So what if my car roof has fixed installation points that are not 85,0 cm apart?  

Rest asured, there are solutions. 

For some popular car models, we have pre-made "connecting bar kits" for specific distances, and in this case we use the pre-made 1445 mm connecting bars for installing on the Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 .

Dropracks will be fitted to the first and third mounting position.

The connection bar kit for 1445 mm fits both the short and the long wheel base of the Volkswagen T5, T5.1, T6 and T6.1.

What you need

- Dropracks XL

- Fitting kit for the car geometry

- Footpack / Towers 

- "Long Dropracks Connecting bar. 1445 mm kit "DR81445" in this case.

Open the Thule Boxes, and assemble the Rubber geometry pads and the metal brackets to the foot units.

Open the Dropracks Boxes. 

Lay the Dropracks main profiles upside down. Open the lock and slide open the rack so you get access to the underside C-Channel. 

Slide footpack into the C-channel.

 Remove the Plugs covering the installation holes on the car roof.

 Lift the first bar onto the car roof. We recommend being two persons. 

 Enter the bolt and secure the foot to the car roof.

 Tighten the bolt on both sides of the profiles, and repeat the process for the other side as well.

 Allign the front and rear profiles by eye. 

(You do not need to be very accurate yet).

Attach the connecting bar at the back, using the 5mm HEX Tool.

Tips: Attach both bolts on one side first. 

The connecting bar and the connected Dropracks unit are now perpendicular, 90 degrees onto eachother. 

Before inserting the bolts on the oposite end of the connecting bar; you can move each of the main profiles individually relative to eachother, to get them 90 degrees fitted at the oposite end as well. 

Slide the rack out and attach the other connecting bar withthe 5mm HEX key.

 Bring the rack all the way down. 

Note that you have to crank and pull the Right hand side, and pull the left hand side separately, because they are not yet synchronized.

Make sure the rack is all the way down, and allign the tiny notches on the drums where the square pipe will be connected.

Now is time to install both the square pipe and the round "handlebar". 

Connect the square bar to the left hand side unit first. 

Then Attach the square bar and the round bar simoultainiously to the right hand side.

Tips: Wiggle the crank with your right hand side to fit them simoultaniously. 

Attach the final bolts from the underside.