Thule Xsporter Pro?

NORDNDED · Jul 1, 2019

Anyone here using the Xsporter Pro adjustable rack on their Gladiator? If so, any issue mounting it? And how low will the load bars be at their lowest point? I'm guessing they won't drop all the way down because of the bed shape. I'd like to use this rack if it'll work as I really like the adjustability it offers. I have their much older model on my F150 and love that for long road trips in that I can keep my roof top tent below the roof line for mileage but if I need to haul the kayaks or some lumber it can be raised up to do so.

abugarcias · Jul 2, 2019

I was considering the same until I saw the yakima overhaul. It can adjust up and down (adjusts on top of the bed rails instead of inside like the xporter) plus I like the way it looks compared with the thule. It also has more accessories for fuel/water cans, etc...

https://www.yakima.com/overhaul-hd

jhale1800 · Jul 2, 2019

abugarcias said:
I was considering the same until I saw the yakima overhaul. It can adjust up and down (adjusts on top of the bed rails instead of inside like the xporter) plus I like the way it looks compared with the thule. It also has more accessories for fuel/water cans, etc...

https://www.yakima.com/overhaul-hd

I like the Yakima Overhaul as well, but be careful. It looks like it only comes with the supports for the cross bars, so you still have to drop another $200+ to get the Yakima cross bars. Is the Overhaul $200+ better than the Thule?

abugarcias · Jul 3, 2019

jhale1800 said:
I like the Yakima Overhaul as well, but be careful. It looks like it only comes with the supports for the cross bars, so you still have to drop another $200+ to get the Yakima cross bars. Is the Overhaul $200+ better than the Thule?

True. My plan was to wait for REI to give one of their 20% coupons they do a few times a year which will bring it down some.

NORDNDED · Jul 9, 2019

So I ended up going with a Yakima Outpost setup along with the rail adapters for Toyotas. I did have to remove the rails to slide the hardware for the rail adapters inside of them but was a perfect fit otherwise. I also ended up cutting the drop leg for one adapter for better spacing/clearance of the gas filler bump.

abugarcias · Jul 9, 2019

NORDNDED said:
So I ended up going with a Yakima Outpost setup along with the rail adapters for Toyotas. I did have to remove the rails to slide the hardware for the rail adapters inside of them but was a perfect fit otherwise. I also ended up cutting the drop leg for one adapter for better spacing/clearance of the gas filler bump.

That looks real nice. What's in the bed? I'd go with that setup but I want to be able to carry longer things that go over the cab at times. I'll probably end up getting the overhaul.

Bobzdar · Jul 9, 2019

I installed the Thule TracRac using the tacoma 2016+ mounts, they also work with the Xsporter. However, you'd have to mount the front a little further back to clear the gas tank bump out if you wanted to lower the rack more than a few inches, and even then it'd probably only lower about a foot due to the rear wheel wells. Not sure if that'd be worth the $400 premium over the tracrac, which is non-adjustable.

Jason C · Jul 10, 2019

NORDNDED said:
So I ended up going with a Yakima Outpost setup along with the rail adapters for Toyotas. I did have to remove the rails to slide the hardware for the rail adapters inside of them but was a perfect fit otherwise. I also ended up cutting the drop leg for one adapter for better spacing/clearance of the gas filler bump.

Looks good! What size rails did you go with?

NORDNDED · Jul 10, 2019

Jason C said:
Looks good! What size rails did you go with?

I went with 60” crossbars. They are pretty close to the width of the cab which is what I was going for to eliminate any chance of wind noise.

ChipFernandez · Jul 15, 2019

NORDNDED said:
I went with 60” crossbars. They are pretty close to the width of the cab which is what I was going for to eliminate any chance of wind noise.

Do you have a picture from the back that shows the width of the 60" crossbars compared to the bed of the truck?

Whitepanther · Jul 25, 2019

Wanted the Yakima overhaul HD but they seem tough to come by so I grabbed the xsporter pro. This is them at their lowest setting

Bobzdar · Jul 29, 2019

Whitepanther said:
Wanted the Yakima overhaul HD but they seem tough to come by so I grabbed the xsporter pro. This is them at their lowest setting

The 2016+ Tacoma bed rail mounts work with the trail rail setup if you modify the feet, looks like you removed the side trail rails instead. Do you plan to leave it permanently mounted?

Whitepanther · Jul 29, 2019

Bobzdar said:
The 2016+ Tacoma bed rail mounts work with the trail rail setup if you modify the feet, looks like you removed the side trail rails instead. Do you plan to leave it permanently mounted?

I had messaged Thule asking if the Tacoma mounts worked and they told me to remove the trail rails and use the c clamps. If the Tacoma bed rail mounts work I'd prefer that so I can put my trail rails back on. Also, you can kind of see it in the picture but the c clamps were making the side rails start to bow.

Bobzdar · Jul 30, 2019

They work if you modify the feet like so.

I got the same bowing but it went away after removing the rails so I wouldn't worry about it.

RedGlad · Sep 21, 2019

I looked over this thread before I bought a rack. I tow a 20' travel trailer and I wanted the rack to be above my cab so my 8' and 10' Kayaks I carry didn't extend past my tailgate towards the trailer behind. I decided to go with the Xsporter Pro. I ordered the XK48 Xsporter Pro Adapters to mount to the cargo rail system inside the Gladiator bed. I saw the bit about modifying the feet, but after playing with it for a few hours I decided to return the adpators and use the C-Clamps that came with base rack package.
The alterations I had to make were:
1. Take off the two cargo rails from each side of the truck bed.
2. Drill a 3/8" hole through the bottom chord of both cargo rails at 10-3/8" from the front end.
3. Drill a 3/8" hole through the bottom chord of both cargo rails at 17-1/2" from the front end.
4. Drill a 3/8" hole through the bottom chord of both cargo rails at 29-5/16" from the front end.
5. Drill a 3/8" hole through the bottom chord of both cargo rails at 36-9/16" from the front end.
6. Reinstall both cargo rails to the truck bed.
7. The C-Clamps wouldn't fit (shims were too thick) using the Rubber Shims (Part P from the Thule directions) under the Base Assembly (Part E from the Thule directions), so I bought 1/8" thick by 4" wide neopreme rubber strip grade 65A from Amazon for $19.00 and cut them to match the same size of the stock model with an exacto knife.
8. I then placed the Base Assembly over the 1/8" rubber shim I built and slipped the (2) C-Clamps on each. The bottom of the C-Clamp slips inside of the cargo rail. I then pushed the 3" button head cap screws throught the holes I drilled in the bottom sides of the rails and turned them into the C-Clamps factory treaded hole in the center of the clamps.
9. Before I cranked these tight, I took the factory shims that were too thick and cut them into 10-1/4" by 1-9/16" pieces.
10. I sprayed both side of the rubber lightly with WD-40 and slipped them into the space above the top of the cargo rail and the bottom of the factory plastic bed rail cap. This acted as a washer to keep these two surfaces from squeezing together and warping when I tightened the cap screws down with a ratchet and hex tip from below.
11. I cut the crossbars down to 63" which is about the width of the cab.

The Thule system is definantly not cheap but niether is the Gladiator. It took more time then Thule stock parts to mount to the Jeep cargo rail system but in June thiis wasn't an option (still dont know if it is). The other parts I used to mount the Kayaks were : Thule 834 Hull-a-Port J style & Hull-a-Port T-Track Adaptor KIT. Theres no wind noise from the rack (empty or loaded with kayaks) with or without my trailer in tow. I'm very happy with it and I'm glad I bought the adjustable model.