Bike Racks

[homesea]

I've been on the look out for a while for a bike rack for the 944. Putting my mountain bike covered in mud in the back is no fun!
Today I've come across these:

http://www.seasucker.tv/

I don't like the idea of a normal strap type rack where the bike attaches on the back at 90 degrees to the car due to the straps/parts of the bike marking the car.
The price of these is high but seems like a good solution.
I was thinking the front wheel stuck to the roof just behind the sunroof and the rear wheel stuck to the glass boot lid. This way the whole weight of the bike isn't all on the glass.
I can see an issue with the cups scratching the paint if they are not clean or if the car isn't clean.
What do you think?

 

[sawood12]

I've messed around with most bike rack kits out there and for me the best are either decent quality roof bar racks or racks that attach to tow bars. I've had problems with the kind that strap to the rear of the car. I've not seen this kit before but have seen those magnetic roof mounted ski racks before. They seem to work but ski's are much lighter than bikes. I am always very cautious about anything that applies weight to the paintwork because all you need is a few minute grains of sand an you've got some damage - also though this kit might be safe enough, how is it if you're driving in the rain for a long time and how well will the paint last after many repeated installations/removals/installations? Also how will the roof mounted sucker pad work over the sunroof joint?

I just think that as hard as it might be, you might be better off trying to source a decent set of roof bars.

 

[homesea]

Not sure why rain would make any difference to it??
But as you say about dirt under the cup could cause damage but my car is a daily and not mint.
Bars take to long to put on, take off etc
I was thinking I would have room for the sucker at the back before the roof.
I've seen the magnetic ones for snow boards etc but not for bikes, maybe the weight would be to high but this would be a good idea, you could place some thin material between the roof and the magnetic mount to stop damage.

 

[sawood12]

I'm probably being over cautious but my concern would be if you were driving alot in rain at high speed then you might get some moisture being forced under the leading edge of the cup and start to lubricate the cup leading to it letting go. Probably a pretty rare if not impossible event, but I just wouldn't want to risk it. You'd be surprised how water can find its way under seemingly unlikely seals and barriers when it has 70mph of air behind it, especially after you've used them for a while and the edges of the cups start to get scratched and marked. I just prefer a good old mechanical over-engineered fixing, but if 944 roof bars are impossible to source then this might be your only option. Also the roof bar option has the advantage of being able to still access the hatch with the bikes in situ.

Also with lockable roof bars and lockable bike racks, though not impossible for your bikes to be nicked it would take someone some time and effort to nick the bikes. With suction cups all you'd been is a flat piece of metal to get under the suction cups and they're off. So that means you wouldn't be able to leave the bikes on the car unattended at a motorway service station or car park.

It is a shame you can't see them in the flesh.

 

[sawood12]

These guys have 944 roof bars listed but wether or not they can actually source them or if it is off a standard database I don't know....Probably worth a call though.


http://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel3.php?emulate=whycar&query=5641&vptype=&producttype=Roof+Bars

 

[Mike_Pollock]

You couldn't use anything between these and the paint - it wouldn't seal.
I like the look of them, the scratch problem is the main one and I would check the diameter of the discs to make sure there is space for them behind the sunroof.
I've seen similar type mounts for surfboards used with sucess

 

[CarreraRSR]

Those sucker cups are used by Hague/Manfrotto video/still camera rigs. If they will hold a £5k/5kg camera on a car at over 100 mph then a few of them should hold a bike at 70mph.

http://www.cameragrip.co.uk/acatalog/hague_sm8_car_suction_mount.html

+1 one the damage to the paint though. It's unavoidable with anything that touches the bodywork.

 

[homesea]

Mike I was thinking for the magnetic type you could put something between it and the car.

I'm not near my car at the moment but will have a meassure up at the week end to see if they would fit.
Do you think if you stuck it to the sunroof it could pull the sunroof off when at speed!

Thanks for the link Carrera, as you say it should hold my 30 odd lb bike to the car, not sure I would do 70mph.
We once top speeded two Golf GTTDI one with bars and snowboards on the roof the other without, just in the name of science.
We didnt find out the results due to the Gendarmerie, but roof bars bend a lot above 120mph!

I do like the looks you get from other people when I open the boot, pull the front wheel of the bike and pop it in the back, I dont know if they think its not going to fit or if I'm mad for putting a bike in a porsche!

 

[Mike_Pollock]

They are suction cups not magnetic and the o.ly thing I can think of that MIGHT save the paint maybe one of the plastic paintshield type coatings. But it may lift that and fall off!

 

[Frenchy]

Helicopter tape may do it, available from Demon Tweeks and the like it is a clear film that protects the paint, the 2 allen bolts on the C pillar underneath the glass hatch take the 944 roof rack, probably silly money but i would not be surprised if OPC can still source them.
Never saw a 944 fitted with one though ?

 

[barks944]

How do the original roof bars attach to the 944? I might have a go at making some up..

 

[Mike_Pollock]

The front bar has a flat rubber pad and hooked plate that clamps under the door opening and the rear just bolts on to the 2 bolts on the pillar at the top of the hatch opening.
Somewhere there is a promo video of a 924 or early 944 with them on, and I have seen 1 carrying a windsurfer many years ago.
I have also seen a pair of bars with side rails making a rectangle with a leg at each corner leading to a large rubber pad and from the centre of the side rails a clamp hooks into the rear of the door opening.
I think this was a "universal" type, but the idea may be of use.

 

[CarreraRSR]

Could be adapted for a fork mount and rear wheel strap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-ORIGINAL-GENUINE-PORSCHE-924-SKI-SNOW-BOARD-RACK-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5642510c29QQitemZ370479795241QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1861wt_932

 

[SUSIT]

ORIGINAL: barks944

How do the original roof bars attach to the 944? I might have a go at making some up..

Picture here


http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=559065&mpage=1&key=&#559914


could email you some close ups if you pm me your email

cheers

Stephen

 

[pauljmcnulty]

How do the original roof bars attach to the 944? I might have a go at making some up..

Does anyone know who made the original? It might be possible to get a limited run made, and I'm sure there would be an interest.

 

[SUSIT]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

How do the original roof bars attach to the 944? I might have a go at making some up..

Does anyone know who made the original? It might be possible to get a limited run made, and I'm sure there would be an interest.

Will check mine out for a name

 

[geoffbateman]

Cheap bike bag? You must need to take the wheels out to get it in the back (I do) so a cheap bike bag and a couple of wheel bags and job done. Keeps the bike safe in the car and keeps the car looking good and saves fuel. You burn quite a bit of petrol with a bike on top of a car, even with a rear fitting hatchback type rack. I always carry the bike in the car unless it is absolutely impossible ( 4 people and a tandem to Normandy, even in my Granada needs a rear mount rack).
If that is not to your liking, then if you can source and fit a towbar kit then there are several racks available to fit either on a hitch or to the bracket. These are strong, safe and usually still allow access to the rear hatch without having to take the bike off etc.

 

[SUSIT]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

How do the original roof bars attach to the 944? I might have a go at making some up..

Does anyone know who made the original? It might be possible to get a limited run made, and I'm sure there would be an interest.

Ok mine has the name ECKEL stamped on it, a google search did not reveal much, anyone know if they are still in buisness?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Ok mine has the name ECKEL stamped on it, a google search did not reveal much, anyone know if they are still in buisness?

They seem to have a great reputation for bike and ski racks made for German cars, but I can't find anything recent. [&o]

 

[sawood12]

Has anyone tried a roof rack retailer> There may be some in stock somewhere - though the price might be a bit unpalatable.

I've got a Thule roof bar system that has a rubber pad with a metal clamp that would probably work for the front bar on a 944, but the rear is somewhat different, but could be a good base for modification.

How does the rear attachment work? Obviously it has a pad that rests on the roof and screws in to the two screws on each side under the hatch lip, but are those screws the only attachments?