Road Toad Tour

Yeah sounds perfect. I want it to look nice as it can. I pulled the trigger because I had a good price in front of me. I guess that means I have this project to replicate now. If there is a pre fab option I may investigate that so thanks for pointing that out too.

 

Having done three different variations: (1) no awning, (2) regular awning, and (3) awning extended up a couple of inches, did you find any measurable differences in mpg? We have an electric vehicle and losing efficiency because of an awning jutting up could be disastrous haha (they need to build more fast chargers Stat).

 

I’ve not been keeping MPG records, and our CI travels are highly varied with mountains, flats, ferries, etc. Basically we’ve not had enough experience to properly answer your question.

With that disclaimer, here are a few thoughts & opinions! That’s all I got!

* I think the MPG hit comes with cross-bars. If you’re carrying watercraft or bicycles or a cargo box I’d guess you’d notice an impact.
* The ARB awnings only present a few square inches to the airflow. That seems like very little.
* Likewise, risers like mine present no airflow resistance… well, a wind-tunnel test might show differently if the airflow is already messy, but if the apparent wind is coming fore to aft the risers are nothing.
* Don’t go for Yakima round bars. They are less popular now, no need to pursue them. For me, I have ski racks, canoe racks, bike racks, towers, & other attachments based on this older tech. If I didn’t have that existing investment I’d get…
* If Yakima, get the newer Aero bars. Less wind resistance, better product support, current line of accessories, etc.

My roundbar system is almost completely removable. The towers come off, only leaving the anchors, small and don’t stick up much from the CI roof. Everything I put on them is unboltable and removable. My point is that if you don’t like the risers you can take them off. Awning? The same. There’s a lot of flexibility in these systems.

 

The newer "aero" bars are also completely removable --- the only thing you have left is a little socket inthe rail -- and it has covers over it to further reduce drag. I suspect though you wont even see a difference, probably 99% cosmetic.

This is where I am glad I have a vehicle that I can refuel in 5 mintes and know there is a gas station at about every exit. Electrics sound good on paper...but I'm not sold on them yet.

 

I bought my raindrop with the thin bars. I pulled it to Washington from Wisconsin and they seemed to cause a lot of air disturbance so I took them off halfway and have never used them.
I’ve never used the roof bars on the Outback either.