Stopped Roof Rack Noise & Whistle

[ICE_Free]

Did some searching around before buying the roof bars and just did not want to spend $500 on the Tesla bars. I found a few that looked exactly the same and had good reviews about fitment so I took a shot on a pair from eBay that were just under $200 bucks. True to the reviews, they fit well and caused no issues, but they make a whistling sound over about 40-45-ish mph.

The whole point was to leave them on incase of a random home depot or big box store stop where I needed them, trips to the beach, etc. Putting them on and taking them off just sorted of defeated the purpose to me. So I started paying more attention to other bars in our area, and I noticed most of the Audi, Volvo, Land Rover, VW and GM SUVs that are everywhere here with the bars have these thick rubber groves on them.

Then I looked at the Tesla bars and noticed they have rubber grooves but they are very small and recessed. I looked at my bars and they have the rubber strip in the same spot as the Tesla bars, but it is not grooved. Many of the Thule bars have this feature too and it is supposed to make them quieter and more efficient. So before returning my bars I decided to see if I could find the grooved rubber strips to add to my bars. Amazon to the rescue!! https://www.amazon.com/Reduce-Crossbar-Whistle-Universal-Reduction/dp/B09VCCYPSP

These are awesome because they stick on, so you don't need to find a custom piece to inlay. I also really like that the rubber grooves stand up taller than the Tesla ones, because it makes it easier to keep things in place tying it down. There is a coupon now too, which saves a bit!

 

[WattWaster]

This is great and timely, thanks!! I've been having this issue and it has been driving us all nuts.

 

[JimmySure]

Doesn’t that strip now limit your ability to add attachments? Seems like it solved a design flaw and created other issues. I continue to feel better about purchasing the OEM rack. Sometimes saving a few $ is just not worth the hassle.

 

[ICE_Free]

Doesn’t that strip now limit your ability to add attachments? Seems like it solved a design flaw and created other issues. I continue to feel better about purchasing the OEM rack. Sometimes saving a few $ is just not worth the hassle.

Not at all, it will actually help some fit more secure and if not and you keep some attachments always on you can cut the strips as needed when placing. See the company photo, it's a nice addition and I'm personally glad to have this setup vs the regular Tesla bars.

 

[ICE_Free]

Doesn’t that strip now limit your ability to add attachments? Seems like it solved a design flaw and created other issues. I continue to feel better about purchasing the OEM rack. Sometimes saving a few $ is just not worth the hassle.

For reference, Thule arguably makes the best bars and the most accessories. If you look at their bars, which I had on my last SUV, the rubber is much more pronounced and sticks up a good amount. The Tesla ones are very recessed and so are the replicas. The only differences between the Tesla ones and the replicas is that strip is grooved or not.

But given that the Thule ones are much more pronounced, this is likely not an issue for most.

 

[Gas&Electric]

Hey, cool idea!! I had Thule roof racks on my X5 they had this type of design and it was great. It kept our soft top paddle board bottom from getting all marred up without need a big foam block and they were nice and quiet. I'll have to look into these, thanks for sharing.

 

[franthony]

If you don't mind can you link to the rack you purchased?

 

[ICE_Free]

If you don't mind can you link to the rack you purchased?

No problem! Got this set of bars: Tesla Model Y Roof Rack- Multi-Installations Ready

They work great but are noisy!

Add this and they perfect! https://www.amazon.com/Reduce-Crossbar-Whistle-Universal-Reduction/dp/B09VCCYPSP

 

[ICE_Free]

Got the OEM roof rack installed on my MYP and never heard any whistle noise at any speed.

That's cool but they are $500 vs 249 for a piece of grooved rubber and out of stock a lot these days. Options are good

 

[B_E_V]

Any experience reports from someone using the AeroGrips with Tesla crossbars?

I do notice a slight whistle noise with my Tesla bars. Though only if the radio is off, and I am driving at highway speeds. So I am considering buying these AeroGrips. However, they look difficult to remove if I decide I don't like them. They also have only one positive and one negative review on Amazon.

 

[ICE_Free]

Any experience reports from someone using the AeroGrips with Tesla crossbars?

I do notice a slight whistle noise with my Tesla bars. Though only if the radio is off, and I am driving at highway speeds. So I am considering buying these AeroGrips. However, they look difficult to remove if I decide I don't like them. They also have only one positive and one negative review on Amazon.

Not hard to remove, just slightly heat and peel off. In all honesty that negative review is user error after reading it. They list the strip as too narrow to cover the gap for the strip in their bar, but that is not the intent of it. Where most of these have the rubber tracks to slide into a specific bar type, these have adhesive. I feel like they do a pretty good job of showing and explaining on their website instructions that these are not a replacement, but to be used in addition to the included rubber strip. Not sure why that person was trying to cover their gap with it being that as it may. Either way, if it helps my strip is .5 inches wide. In addition to your rubber strip, you can place either in front of or behind it and it should do the trick. I don't have experience with the Tesla bars, but this took my whistle away. The key is, you need to make sure the bars are both installed right and you don't have any sports that should be covered open or it can cause a whistle these won't fix. The whole point is to break up air flowing smoothly over the bars, which I guess is a main source of that whistle noise on bars that have very smooth surfaces.

 

[rivets]

Thanks for posting this! I actually just removed my crossbars because of the noise. Will grab a pair of these and try them out.

 

[ICE_Free]

Thanks for posting this! I actually just removed my crossbars because of the noise. Will grab a pair of these and try them out.

Do you have the Tesla bars or aftermarket like mine? Let us know if they work for you! Happy with mine so far!!

 

[rivets]

Do you have the Tesla bars or aftermarket like mine? Let us know if they work for you! Happy with mine so far!!

I have aftermarket. Confirmed that the strips work! No more noise. It was driving me crazy with the whistling.

 

[Gaige]

Similar thing fixed the OEM roof rack noise I was getting. I got these rubber strips from Rhino rack which helped

Any solution to the excess wind noise from the Tesla roof racks?

I bought the roof racks for my 2021 MY and the wind noise is so annoying I had to take them off. Is there a simple fix out there anywhere?

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[xls_]

No problem! Got this set of bars: Tesla Model Y Roof Rack- Multi-Installations Ready

They work great but are noisy!

Add this and they perfect! https://www.amazon.com/Reduce-Crossbar-Whistle-Universal-Reduction/dp/B09VCCYPSP?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

Are these lockable (with a key) like the ones from Tesla?

 

[ddbbuu]

OMG, so helpful & effective, many thanks.

 

[reefer_bob]

a buddy of mine simply took a bungee cord and twisted it around the bar from one side to the other. That stopped his wind noise.

maybe not a permanent solution, but something that's really cheap to try in a pinch!

 

[ICE_Free]

Are these lockable (with a key) like the ones from Tesla? View attachment 802184

Sorry have not been on here in a while. The bars I have do not have the key like that. But it's not just a simple Allen key nut to get them off so I'm not concerned about heft. They have PDF instructions on the website!

 

[ICE_Free]

a buddy of mine simply took a bungee cord and twisted it around the bar from one side to the other. That stopped his wind noise.

maybe not a permanent solution, but something that's really cheap to try in a pinch!

Yep! I was looking for a solution on google and a video about that on youtube was the first thing I saw. It looks REALLY tacky though and it creates extra wind noise and drag. Stops the whistle 100% though, but this is much cleaner solution.The car the guy does it on is like an old beach beater, so it's not so tacky. Been very happy with these and a few months in, they are holding nice and still stuck on well!