I ordered the cross bars from the dealer the day I purchased my HHR. I needed them to move materials home from Home Depot and Lowes. I will take pictures and measure them and post as soon as I can.

 

How do the OEM rails attach? If the dealer did it how would he secure them to the roof?

I like the look but would be leery of having a dealer tech doing it(lining them up corrctly etc...off as little bit and you are hosed...no do-overs)


Goose

 

I dont have a photo but I have 2 12 foot Wilderness Pungo 120 kayaks. I purchased the longest Thule cross bars and also used my Yakima rack vertical center supports.(They fit the square Thule cross bars). The kayaks lie inverted (upside down) which is great because I have no worries about filling with rain.
We first tried them by driving in the car at all speeds on various roads to assure the roof would be okay. Everything was fine. Then towed same behind our motorcoach 1400 miles to Florida last week.
They were amazing stable and as solid on arrival as when we left.
Great color on your HHR, same as ours. Matches our coach.
Bernie

 

Max load is only 100 or 150 lbs. Better ask the dealer to be sure and distribute the weight evenly.

 

They are high density foam pads I purchased at a kayak dealer. They have slots so they wil secure to the cross bars. I used those slots to add another strap and kind of suspend them from the rails so the total weight was not on the roof. I did notice the roof bowing if I tightened the straps too much.

Cross bars will move the weight of the kayaks to the sides which are much stronger so they're probably a better option. Did you buy the steel Thule cross bars or the new lightweight aluminum ones? I now have the largest steel ones they make but they were very heavy. I wasn't sure if the HHR could handle the weight of those bars and two full-size sit-on-top kayaks. I just hadn't decided yet whether to buy the new Thule aluminum racks or the Chevy stock cross bars and use the blocks.

 

I'm sure mine are the steel ones. As I mentioned, the kayaks are strapped down around the cross rails. I really hauled them down tight but made sure all the tension was around the cross rails and not the HHR rails.
Although I haven't weighed the Thule rails and attachments, I guessing my load at around 110 to 115 lbs total. I experienced no roof flexing, at least that I could see after 1400 miles.

 

Does anyone have experience with the Perrycraft Sportquest roof rack? Apparently it comes with rails and crossbars and can be used when you don't have factory rails. They have the HHR listed with a specific model in their install guide (SQ5570-B carries up to 180 lbs. $235), but I'm wondering if their are any issues with install specific to this vehicle and if I can do it myself. I plan to use the rack for kayaks if it will work. Thanks

 

Fred!

 

to the site Fred!!! I have not heard anything of this brand before.

 

Thread started on 10-4-06, but have yet to hear of anyone getting a set.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/general-hhr-4/roof-racks-hhr-4971/

BTW........ Fred!