Yakima StreamLine roof bar system with 127cm silver JetStream bars

Yakima's StreamLine - a new roof bar system for the 2020s We've now been trading in roof bars for well over 25 years, and reckon that Yakima's StreamLine roof bar system is one of less than a handful of significant step-up changes in roof bar technology during this time, usually required because vehicle aerodynamics have improved so much, and vehicle roof lines have changed so much, that existing roof bar systems can no longer cope. Thule's Rapid System at the turn of the century was the first big change we saw; this introduced modular fitting kits that were relatively very easy to use, and Yakima's Whispbar system was another, including modular fitting kits but also for the first time anywhere a wing-shaped roof bar profile that is low drag, low noise, and fuel efficient. Thule's Rapid System has been replaced by Thule Evo, and it's now time for Yakima's Whispbar system to be replaced by Yakima StreamLine.

Yakima's StreamLine - how and why it's different StreamLine takes the very best of these innovations to a new level, including (of course) fully modular parts and silent bars. The real innovation here is the roof bar feet (sometimes also called legs or towers), which are adjustable from side to side as well as front to back - this innovation, together with the steel clamping plates, provides for optimum grip on the vehicle roof, a stronger and more reliable fit than other systems can achieve.

This also means that the cross bars are mostly moved towards the horizontal via adjustments to the roof bar feet, rather than by creating specially-shaped rubber pads for each fitting kit, and sometimes also awkwardly-shaped clamping plates; StreamLine fitting kits have relatively few parts, and they usually use standard clamp shapes, which helps to keep the price down.

Other innovative features of Yakima StreamLine

• Communicating the foot pack settings and fitting clamps required is done digitally, via a QR code link to Yakima's central database. We recognise that mobile coverage in the UK and Ireland is patchy, to say the least, so you'll also find the crucial foot settings on the Fitting instructions tab.
• The fitting kit clamps are sold in pairs, one for the front bar and one for the rear bar; sometimes they're the same, sometimes not. Quite often we're lucky and find that existing fitting kit codes, already in stock, are all that's required for new vehicle applications, so Yakima can create the instructions and we can list the vehicle without any delay for manufacturing or shipping; very clever!
• The plastic foot cover parts are in a sophisticated-looking matt finish with the Yakima logo picked out in gloss, all made from ASA plastic for strength and so they won't fade in hot climates.
• These silver JetStream bars include Yakima's patented JetFlow™ noise-cancelling technology; the aluminium extrusions are so strong because of their specially engineered internal structure ('JetTruss™').

Other notes and specifications

• The T-track slots are the standard width and depth, suitable for all the T-track mounting bike carriers we sell (e.g. for the Thule ProRide 598 and Atera GIRO AF+ as well as for Yakima bike carriers with T-track adapters) and for all the roof boxes we sell (e.g. for all KAMEI roof boxes). They are permanently filled with Yakima's SmartFill™ rubber - filling the roof bar slots and keeping the wind out, yet with low enough friction for easy sliding and positioning of the T-track fittings.
• The load limit is 75kg for a pair of JetStream cross bars - but be guided by the roof loading limit of your vehicle if it is lower than 75kg.
• All necessary tools are included, including a torque tensioning tool which will click when the bars are clamped tight enough onto the vehicle roof.
• The feet sit on thin rubber pads, and the rust-proofed black-painted steel clamps have a permanent plastic coating on their inner face, to protect the vehicle from damage.
• StreamLine roof bar systems are exhaustively tested, with internal as well as external tests including the ISO City Crash test (ISO 11154:2006), RoHS and REACH (environmental safety).
• All Yakima products sold in the EU and the United Kingdom have a 5 year limited warranty, see [here] for details.

Yakima StreamLine - a modular roof bar system StreamLine is a modular system; the components are sold separately and in many instances it will be possible to transfer the majority of the system from vehicle to vehicle. Note that Yakima StreamLine roof bar components and Yakima Whispbar components are not compatible, except for the Same Key System locks and keys.

The aim of this note is to persuade you that kayaks should always be tied to the carrying vehicle at both bow and stern.

Untied kayaks have, in our experience, the greatest potential for a roof bar or kayak carrier failure. The massive forces that untied kayaks can generate have even been known to snap roof bar fixing bolts with the result that a complete assembly of roof bars and kayaks has ended up on the road. We know that this has happened with almost every brand of roof bar, and regardless of whether the kayaks are on a special carrier or just strapped to the bars.

You need to fix bow and stern lines, probably using the front and rear screw-in towing eyes to get strong and accessible fixing points on the vehicle. Kayak shops should be able to provide suitable 'paracord' for this purpose. Alternatively, we have sets of straps available that are perfect for the job and are really easy to use. Yakima make some excellent Bow/Stern tie down straps and Thule makes the QuickDraw 838 which we have listed together with every kayak carrier we sell.

Please note that kayaks should be strapped to the roof bars, or to kayak carriers, using straps that are suitable for the purpose, e.g. 25mm polypropylene straps with strong buckles. Bungee cords must never be used.

Please also note that all roof bar instructions point out the dangers of carrying unsecured long items, as of course do all kayak carrier instructions.

If you tie down your kayaks properly you almost certainly won't experience a product failure. If you don't you may or may not get away with it. If there is a disaster and the kayaks end up on the road, separated from the vehicle, then you were not using tie downs and you have subjected the roof bars to forces for which they were not designed. The costs of sorting this out are yours, not ours, and you may also have difficulties with your insurers.

We're sorry to be so firm about this, but "things coming off the tops of cars" is the stuff of nightmares, and we want to do all we can to prevent accidents of this sort from happening.

Delivery charges and arrangements:

We charge a contribution towards delivery costs, depending on what you order, where you live, and how quickly you want the goods.

These are our standard charges; there are usually surcharges for all offshore destinations and some remote postcodes - for details please see our delivery information page.

Delivery of other items

Delivery times

Delivery times are calculated in working days (Monday to Friday, excluding Bank holidays).

Cut-off times for Express Delivery orders
Express Delivery orders placed before before the cut-off times shown below will usually be desptached on the date of order. Express Delivery orders placed after these cut-off times will be despatched the next working day.

Delivery FAQs

When will my order arrive?
There are no deliveries on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays, except for postable items where Royal Mail has a Saturday delivery. Express Delivery orders placed on a Friday (before 1pm) should be delivered on the Monday or Tuesday, Express Delivery orders placed on a Saturday or Sunday should be delivered on the Tuesday or Wednesday. The arrangements for Very Heavy Items are different and are shown above.

What about Next Working Day delivery?
Most Express delivery orders will arrive on the next working day, if the order is placed before the cut-off time (see above). Some will arrive on the second working day if there has been a "split-delivery". So-called “split deliveries” happen when the couriers do not have enough trailer space for everything that should be moved around the UK, so they will load what they can and leave the rest for the next trailer.

Is my delivery day guaranteed?
No retailer or courier company can ever "guarantee" a Next Working Day delivery. As well as split deliveries, all courier companies occasionally have the same transport problems as can happen to everyone else, including snow blocked roads, closed roads, traffic jams, mechanical breakdown, an inability to find the delivery address, or to gain access to it if, for example, it's in a block of flats. We work with some of the best couriers in the business, and overall they provide an outstanding service.

Do I need to be at home?
We are very flexible with our deliveries and will aim to deliver to an address which suits you – this does not need to be your home address. Goods can usually be left without signature - we prefer this with roof boxes. There's a "Special Delivery Instructions" box in the checkout area where we'll ask you to choose a typical instruction and then amend it to suit your particular requirements.

Payment options:

We take the following cards, and also PayPal. Please note that the entry on your card statement will be from "The Roof Box Company".

Secure payments

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Roof Tents should NOT be fitted to vehicles with clamp-mount roof bars

Roof top tents are becoming increasingly popular, but we advise they should not be carried on vehicles that use clamp-mount roof bars. There is too much risk of damage to the roof, which would also be a massive safety issue because the roof bar clamps would not work correctly.

Clamp-mount roof bars

If you are reading these notes then your vehicle has a plain roof and uses clamp-mount roof bars.

Our advice is that plain roof vehicles are not suitable for carrying roof top tents; we only recommend fitting roof tents to vehicles with roof rails, fix points, T-tracks or gutters, because here the roof bars and the roof load sit on the roof welds, where the sides of the vehicle are welded to the roof part; these are strong points. Clamp-mount systems for modern cars often sit outside these roof welds, on the ordinary unreinforced roof steel towards the edges of the vehicle roof.

The danger is that a plain roof may well not be strong enough to cope with the static weight of a roof tent and the occupants. This weight can cause the roof bar feet to make dents in the roof, which not only damages the vehicle but means that the clamping plates can no longer work as designed, so the safety of the whole roof bar system is compromised.

The weight of a tent can easily be 65kg (hard top tents can be over 75kg) plus roof bars at 8kg and two adults at let’s say 90kg each, that’s a total 253kg, well over 3 times the typical 75kg dynamic loading limit. If there are three occupants at let’s say 80kg each then we get to 313kg.

We supply tents made by Thule and by Yakima, respectively the world’s biggest and second biggest car rack manufacturers. Their tent instructions state that clamp-mount roof bars are not suitable for plain roof bars - ‘DO NOT use’. These brands would not turn away business if this matter is not important.

Thule's guidelines or instructions should be available via the Fitting instructions and videos tab.

We realise that this advice is confusing because these specific instructions are part of Thule’s and Yakima’s roof tent instructions, but are not included in their roof bar fitting instructions. We also supply CRUZ and Atera roof bars; again, no mention is made of roof tents in their roof bar instructions.

It is the roof bar feet that can make dents in vehicle roofs, even though it is a roof tent plus human(s) that caused the overloading; where we have supplied the roof bars, customers may look to us for repairs to their vehicles. The safety implications are a much bigger worry for us than the vehicle damage implications, which is why the safe option is to advise that no roof tents should be fitted to clamp-mount roof bars – all roof tents are very heavy, and many or indeed most of them are heavier than Thule or Yakima tents.

We can only advise you; we can’t stop you from carrying inappropriate loads. But if you do purchase clamp-mount roof bars from us, and use them for carrying roof tents, even where you have informed us that you wish to carry a tent, it is reasonable that we will accept no liability for damage to the vehicle, to the roof tent, or to third parties. If in doubt, we suggest that you obtain a written statement from the roof tent supplier to the effect that their tent may be carried on clamp-mount roof bars; this should provide you with some ‘cover’ in the event of any need for a claim.

Roof top platforms

Full size platforms such as the Thule Caprock and the Yakima LockNLoad platform should also not be used on clamp-mount roof bars; they tend to be heavily loaded, and to be walked on.