trouble installing cross bars

[photontorque]

I got one (R1S)! It’s the best.

Now I’m trying to install cross bars. That’s not the best.

I get the cross-bars lined up. Instructions say there should be a double-click on each side to seat the cross bar in place. First click, no problem. Second click . . . lots of problems.

The instructions also say a little more pressure may be needed for the second click. I increased the pressure until I’m literally hanging off the cross bar and yanking. Carefully yanking. After many, many tries I managed to get three out of four seated, i.e. both sides for one cross bar and one side of a second cross bar. But that fourth one just won’t give me the blessed double click.

The mechanism seems simple enough. There’s some sort of cam-like thing in the cross bar that gets pushed by the receptacle on the roof. After peering and squinting and shining a flashlight, it looks like the receptacle in the roof just isn’t shaped quite right to fully push up the cam in the cross bar to achieve the second click. Or, the cam in the cross bar was manufactured/installed poorly, and is rotated too far on the first click so the receptacle on the roof doesn’t have anything to push against to achieve the second click.

Has anyone else run into this, and have any suggested tricks? I futzed around for over 1.5 hrs with something that Rivian videos show people installing in seconds.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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[Inkedsphynx]

The first click is the bar snapping into place. The second click is depressing the release mechanism till it locks down.

Those are the only 2 clicks I've ever heard on mine.

 

[Dark-Fx]

The mechanism is easy to adjust but I'd try flipping the bar around first.

 

[Chas60422]

I got one (R1S)! It’s the best.

Now I’m trying to install cross bars. That’s not the best.

I get the cross-bars lined up. Instructions say there should be a double-click on each side to seat the cross bar in place. First click, no problem. Second click . . . lots of problems.

The instructions also say a little more pressure may be needed for the second click. I increased the pressure until I’m literally hanging off the cross bar and yanking. Carefully yanking. After many, many tries I managed to get three out of four seated, i.e. both sides for one cross bar and one side of a second cross bar. But that fourth one just won’t give me the blessed double click.

The mechanism seems simple enough. There’s some sort of cam-like thing in the cross bar that gets pushed by the receptacle on the roof. After peering and squinting and shining a flashlight, it looks like the receptacle in the roof just isn’t shaped quite right to fully push up the cam in the cross bar to achieve the second click. Or, the cam in the cross bar was manufactured/installed poorly, and is rotated too far on the first click so the receptacle on the roof doesn’t have anything to push against to achieve the second click.

Has anyone else run into this, and have any suggested tricks? I futzed around for over 1.5 hrs with something that Rivian videos show people installing in seconds.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I find that by holding the cross bars a 1-2 millimeters above the anchor point, the moving latch will double click in place. You need to let the latch bring the foot of the crossbar down to the anchor as you close the door.

 

[CharonPDX]

Also, make sure the "release lever flaps" on each side are *UP* before pressing down. You'll get one click as you press the bar down, and the second click pushing the release lever flaps back down.

 

[connoisseurr]

What I do on the R1T, is get the bar in place. I then clip in both sides and lock with the key.

Then, as you’re closing the cover to hide the key port, push down towards the bar mount WHILE moving the bar back and forth so it fully seats and clips onto the mount. You’ll hear another click at this time, AND the key cover port will fully close.

If you don’t have that second click, they key port cover will not fully close.

 

[photontorque]

Hey all - thanks for the great suggestions and descriptions.

I finally got the fourth double-click. I was trying all sorts of variations and I can't remember exactly what it was that finally invoked the right magic. I do remember I was on a ladder, pushing down really hard on top and trying to simultaneously push the cover port closed.

This is all done, of course, over the giant, beautiful, and infamously fragile glass roof. The combination of trying to manipulate heavy cross bars with almost as much force as I can muster over a glass roof makes me wonder how much this particular aspect of adventure vehicle was thought through on the Rivian side.

Reading to the bitter end of the short cross bar manual, I did see "Over time, the crossbar latching mechanism may need adjustment. Contact Rivian Service if the crossbar does not securely latch in the accessory ports."

In my case "over time" means "immediately upon purchase". I've got something for the first service visit. I'm grateful it's not turtle mode!

 

[Dark-Fx]

This is all done, of course, over the giant, beautiful, and infamously fragile glass roof.

I've dropped a wrench on mine when attaching stuff to the rack and didn't even chip it. I don't think it's that fragile.

 

[RedDragon]

I am having the same problem and am sitting in the SC right now. The advisor said that the rubber boot by the bar latch mechanism can be removed and there are a few allen screws which can be used to adjust something like the pitch/yaw/roll of the mechanism.

He said sometimes it takes a few minutes of trial and error, and sometimes longer, like with the doors. He's going to try for me but wasn't very reassuring. He said the same thing about my door that drags a little with opening. UGH.

He said there are also some good videos on youtube about this adjustment but i don't see them....

 

[Mysta]

I am having the same problem and am sitting in the SC right now. The advisor said that the rubber boot by the bar latch mechanism can be removed and there are a few allen screws which can be used to adjust something like the pitch/yaw/roll of the mechanism.

He said sometimes it takes a few minutes of trial and error, and sometimes longer, like with the doors. He's going to try for me but wasn't very reassuring. He said the same thing about my door that drags a little with opening. UGH.

He said there are also some good videos on youtube about this adjustment but i don't see them....

He is 100% telling you the truth, it's just a latch adjustment to account for variance in production, you can probably get them seated without it but, may as well correct it.

 

[RedDragon]

He is 100% telling you the truth, it's just a latch adjustment to account for variance in production, you can probably get them seated without it but, may as well correct it.

Thank you. Have you adjusted them? I unfortunately only brought one today. Did you find any sources for how to do it? If not I will just wing it and am sure i can figure it out on the other one.

 

[SANZC02]

I am having the same problem and am sitting in the SC right now. The advisor said that the rubber boot by the bar latch mechanism can be removed and there are a few allen screws which can be used to adjust something like the pitch/yaw/roll of the mechanism.

He said sometimes it takes a few minutes of trial and error, and sometimes longer, like with the doors. He's going to try for me but wasn't very reassuring. He said the same thing about my door that drags a little with opening. UGH.

He said there are also some good videos on youtube about this adjustment but i don't see them....

@Mysta

He is correct, I had to adjust both sides on both of my crossbars. Took a couple of tries but was not difficult and they both latch and lock perfectly now. Probably spent 20 minutes total to get them clicking the way I liked.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Thank you. Have you adjusted them? I unfortunately only brought one today. Did you find any sources for how to do it? If not I will just wing it and am sure i can figure it out on the other one.

Pull the rubber piece off the bottom and turn the allen bolt that's inside from the bottom. Put the rubber piece back on before testing fitment. Generally I'd do a quarter turn at a time at most, but it might take you several tries to get it right.

 

[Mysta]

Thank you. Have you adjusted them? I unfortunately only brought one today. Did you find any sources for how to do it? If not I will just wing it and am sure i can figure it out on the other one.

As @Dark-Fx Said you just pull the rubber boot off and theirs a hex to turn, I think it's such that if it's too hard to latch you turn it left a bit then try again, if it is loose you turn it right.

 

[FooF]

I had one latch too tight and would not second click easily 1/8 turn to left (counterclockwise when looking at the bottom of the crossbar) on both screws fixed it.
I also had one latch too loose and it would rattle when in use and when I pull up and down while double latched. 1/8 turn to the right (clockwise while looking at the bottom of the crossbar) was enough to take out the slop and stop the rattle. I was able to leave the crossbar attached on the opposite side of the R1S and fully extend the crossbar with it resting on the roof of the truck during adjustments.

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