VW OEM Roof Bars won't fit

Ting Tong · Oct 28, 2019

My nephew is trying to VW fit roof bars to my sister's 2019 Cali but says the protrusion circled in the photo stops the foot seating properly on the roof channel.

I'm not sure if he's doing something wrong but our bars don't have that protrusion. Obviously the protrusion engages with the cut out in the foot plate (also circled), so has to extend into the channel alongside the bolt: but perhaps the problem is the channel isn't wide enough for both side-by-side?

Both ours my sister's are Part no: 7H7 071 126. Our bars are new whereas my sister's were from ebay.

Unfortunately, we're on the other side of the UK and so I can't see the problem, but I wonder whether anyone has any experience of fitting bars with these protrusions particularly to newer Calis (if that's the issue)?

TIA

Beeechke1 · Oct 28, 2019

This thread may help you - if I read it correctly suggests your nephew may have transporter bars not california, sorry but I have no personal experience of this. https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/genuine-vw-roof-bars-not-fitting.14705/

Ting Tong · Oct 29, 2019

Beeechke1 said:
This thread may help you - if I read it correctly suggests your nephew may have transporter bars not california, sorry but I have no personal experience of this. https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/genuine-vw-roof-bars-not-fitting.14705/

Thanks for that! The earlier thread dries up but it seems the Transporter rack has the projections and the Cali rack doesn't...but weirdly they both have the same part number! She bought them on ebay from Kernow Transporters so I'll suggest she contacts them but I guess the projections can be removed with an angle grinder.

MattBW · Oct 29, 2019

Can confirm I have Cali ones and they don't have those protrusions just a flat plate.

Amarillo · Oct 29, 2019

I bought my Thule ones from here:

Roof Bars from The Roof Box Company

The UK's NO.1 specialist website for car roof bars. Our roof bar brands include Thule, CRUZ, Atera and Whispbar. Check out our amazing bar package deals.

www.roofbox.co.uk

I gave my vehicle [ >VW >T6 >California 2015+ ] and the website put together the three Thule parts:
- feet
- bracket
- bars

The VW roof bars are unbranded Thule, but as far as I know there is only one choice of Thule bar through VW. The above website gives a choice of four distinct Thule Bars (five in total) and two other makes of roof bar.

I paid £155 for black square roof bars. They look very smart on my yellow van.

However, with solar panels (6Kg), roof bars (5Kg) and a tandem carrier (10Kg) it is difficult to push up the roof, but pulling it down can be done with one finger!

MattBW · Oct 29, 2019

My VW roof bars are Logic not Thule but I have T5.1

Adamvanman · Oct 29, 2019

Agreed, the genuine Volkswagen ones are not made by Thule, they are totally different

Amarillo · Oct 30, 2019

Adamvanman said:
Agreed, the genuine Volkswagen ones are not made by Thule, they are totally different

The plot thickens...

I've looked at the VW accessories brochure, and you are right. The VW roof bars are not Thule. But neither are they the ones I was offered as the only choice by the accessory department at my local dealer.

Similar to the bars I was offered - my tandem carrier would not have fitted these.