Through alot of effort I believe that I have found that I can NOT get Kia Telluride roof racks for my LX! Someone feel free to prove me wrong! And what I am also hearing is that the only roof racks that do fit are from Yakima! Can anyone comment on this? Love my Telluride and the LX has many more features than the competition and their lower model but to Not be able to fit Kia roof racks on the LX seems pretty silly. Thoughts anyone?
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Roof Racks for the Telluride LX!
- Thread author wpxbow
- Start date
bruesjoh04
Well-known member
The LX does not have roof rails, which are the mounting point for a roof rack.
Your only options are going to be ones designed for vehicles with bare roofs.
I hear you but I don’t have a bare roof, could send a pic if that would help.
If you have a Kia Telluride LX then you don't have rails for the cross bars to attach to the vehicle. This is a bare roof. So you need a bare roof rack system or sometimes called a naked roof rack. This link is on eTrailer with a recommendation. https://www.etrailer.com/question-387624.html Google "Yakima Baseline System" to see more pictures of the finished product. You basically have to buy a system that has feet that sit on the roof and clamp onto the car using the door jam instead of the rails that are on the S, EX and SX that never get removed from the car even if the crossbars are removed. https://www.etrailer.com/multi-prod...7442&HHYear=2020&HHMake=Kia&HHModel=Telluride is $690 with locks. The benefit to a bare roof rack system is that you can remove it when it's not in use less drag and less road noise. It may also be rated for higher weight rating than the Kia crossbars with roof rails.
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Will check it out thank you! See pic., if that is the definition of a bare roof I guess I'm ok with that.
Attachments
Here is a video on a 2019 Kia Sorento with a bare roof install:
There might be one other style that the LX might use. But it would not be removable if it works. It’s called Factory Tracks or Fixed Mounting point. You might be able to install the feet permanently into those black flush tracks on either side. See this website: Overview of the Types of Car Racks But before your go this route you might want to confirm compatibility. This video is an older Sorento with fixed point. It’s not removable but it might be possible:
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Same Problem as above. Just bought an LX, and disappointed with the lack of factory roof rails. Purchased the Yakima Baseline System. Happy with the look after install. 
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tikigoth
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Where’d you end up buying the baseline system from? And which components did you need?
G
G-763943
Looks good! Unfortunately I have the stock vent visors which cover the window frame where you would hook on to, oh well, sticking with the rear basket.
I got my set in but no where in the instructions does it say which clips go on the front or rear. Does it matter? Which clips did you use in the front and the rear I have the 125 and the 165 clips.
The Yakima Cross bars for the naked roof really look great on the Telluride LX, however they seem expensive. Is there any alternative roof rails that someone else have tried?
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for naked roofs i only found 2 options.
1. purchase factory rails, then find a dealer/shop to install which for what i have seen means you have to drill and install the rails because the supports and brackets for the LX were never installed at the factory level.
2. when i purchased my roof system yakima was the only big name manufacture that had a system made for 1st gen telly. I looked into to Thule and they do not make a "naked" system for the vehicle yet.
i think i did find a china vendor that made a universal rail system but that seemed super sketchy. It does seem a little expensive but i sourced most of my parts on ebay, offerup, craigslist in my local area. The only thing that was brand new unopened were the bars. everything else i got a little bit cheaper. ( openbox, b stock, water damaged boxes, used in good condition, 3rd party non OEM)
tellymebananas
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I have a question for those that have owned yakima stuff before. Does the placement of the towers really matter? Can I move them ? or does it need to stay in the location stated on install? Is it there for weight distribution or something? I would like to move them to align with the black panels that separate the front and rear doors. Visually I think this will look better with the black clips inline with the doors.
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Xonthebeac
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Purchased the Yakima Baseline towers last week and put them on for a trial fitting today. I can say I am pretty pleased with them. Unlike alot of others I needed a very small amount of extra cargo room so I purchased a Malone 12 CU FT box from E-trailer. For those wondering you can adjust the placement of the towers with a little trial and error ( Just an opinion). This particular box required a 25 to 27 in crossbar spread.
