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XC90 Roofbox Height Clearance - Under 2.1m?

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Old Jan 8th, 2024, 13:16   #1
Balistaff
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Default XC90 Roofbox Height Clearance - Under 2.1m?

I have recently bought an XC90 SE LUX ('63 Plate) and am busy getting it ready for a skiing trip, as I've done many times before with my beloved V70 SE.

Trouble is the Clearance Height when adding a roofbox into the mix.

I purchased a Thule Spirit 780 roofbox many years ago and it's provided good service over those years. It's a slimline roofbox and a max height of 330mm.

The XC90 has a height of 1784mm AFAIK which includes the roof rails.

The roof bars I have (came with teh XC90) are Thule Wingbars Edge bars with 7204 feet. So they are as low as possible AFAIK.

The trouble is with the XC90, Bars and Thule Pririt 780 roof box the unladen height is an estimate of 2114mm; which is 14mm greater than my garage estimate (might have to take the internal handle off the door) and also the maximum height of a couple of underground garages I've used on previous trips abroad.

So my question is, are there any height-reducing possibilities other than:
  • Letting air out of the tyres - Pump up with a compressor afterward
  • Loading the car up (as it will be, with luggage) to compress the suspension and thereby maximum height
  • Take more beer
  • Buy lower roof bars - not my preferred option
  • Just take the risk that the clearances quoted at car park entrances allow for some tolerance

Any other ideas or your experience with roof boxes is welcome
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Previously - V70 2003 SE 2.4L 170BHP Petrol/Auto
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Old Jan 8th, 2024, 13:17   #2
Balistaff
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Default Current XC90 & Thule Spirit 780 Setup

Here is the current setup:
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Old Jan 8th, 2024, 13:21   #3
Balistaff
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Default Old V70 SE & Thule Spirit 780 Roof-box plus Thule Aero Bars

Old V70 SE & Thule Spirit 780 plus Thule Aero Bars, allowed me to go on the Channel Tunnel without having to declare the roof-box, as with or without the roof-box the car was under 1.85m in height.

I think the Wingbar Edge bars are slightly lower than my old Thule Aero bars:
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Old Jan 8th, 2024, 13:47   #4
Balistaff
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Default Local Parking Restriction

Just to put this into further context, it seems that old car parks have in many cases lower (worse) height restrictions than newer car parks etc.

All seem to accommodate 1.8m or over i.e. just an XC90 (1.784m) without roof-box

I don't intend to go shopping locally with a roof box, however, just to get a feel for various height restrictions:
  • 2.2m Local Train Station
  • 2.0m Old Multi-story
  • 2.0m Old Large Town center Multi-story
  • 2.6m Newer Sainsbury's Multi-story
  • 2.8m MacDonalds - They know their customer base well
  • 2.1m Local Sports Club - Bar across open-air carpark

A couple of others I've seen are 2.1m restricted. One has signage for 2.06m or 6ft 9inches quoted.

I also appreciate that the measurements are designed to accommodate slopes/ramps within the carparks and also overhead ducting in places.
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Last edited by Balistaff; Jan 8th, 2024 at 13:51. Reason: Spelling
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Old Jan 9th, 2024, 12:11   #5
Balistaff
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Default More detailed options.

Actually I think the roofbars and feet are the slightly older 958x Wingbars, but I don't think the newer ones buy me any height reduction.

So back to the list of options, to possibly reduce the hieght:
  • Temproarily letting air out of the tyres - Pump up with a compressor afterward
  • Loading the car up (as it will be, with luggage) to compress the suspension and thereby reduce the maximum height - how much weight per Cm of movemnet
  • Take more beer i.e. greater weight to volume ratio to help with the point above. Distribution is the problem as the majority of the weight will be in the rear
  • Buy lower roof bars - not my preferred option and I'm not sure there are any better (i..e lower) options currently available
  • Tale the roofbox off the roof bars (and the roof bars off the car) resting the roofbox on the car roof ... far too much hassle, especially at the height of an XC90 and the weight of a full roof box
  • Just take the risk that the clearances quoted at car park entrances allow for some tolerance

Any other ideas or your experience with roof boxes is welcome
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Old Jan 9th, 2024, 21:37   #6
prjames
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Default Needs must!

Our old way to do this was unload family, unclip roof box and stow it in car!
Nearly got caught out in Tenby's multistory car park half way up as the roof lowers, but this way saved our day.

PS HM Customs + French Customs think it peculiar when you travel with the roof box in car as I once did and make you unload everything for inspection!
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Old Jan 11th, 2024, 12:14   #7
Balistaff
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by prjames View Post
Our old way to do this was unload family, unclip roof box and stow it in car!
Nearly got caught out in Tenby's multistory car park half way up as the roof lowers, but this way saved our day.
That's not a half-bad idea, I might attempt that and take a picture at the weekend if it fits. When fully loaded I doubt there would be room in the boot to pass the roof box through, as we tend to travel with all manner of things the missus finds (last minute as always) and up to the gunnels so to speak.


Quote:
Originally Posted by prjames View Post
PS HM Customs + French Customs think it peculiar when you travel with the roof box in the car as I once did and make you unload everything for inspection!
I've traveled numerous times in my old V70 across the channel with a roof box and never encountered any issues. The closest I got was (with several other cars) having my car door handles and steering wheel swabbed, which is no big deal.
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Old Jan 11th, 2024, 12:31   #8
Balistaff
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Default Roofbar Compression/Spring Feet & Potential Solution

I've just taken the roof bars off to clean/adjust and to me it looks like they compress easily (with springs within the feet).

So theoretically for a trip into and around a car park, at slow speeds, I could un-attach the roof bars from the roof rails and rest them (along with the still attached roof box) onto the car roof and reducing the overall height by 50mm or greater.

The Thule Wingbar feet on the roof bars are rubber and the load capacity for the roof box is approx 50kg max. So 12.5 kg on a rubber foot at the edge of the roof, held in by the spring feet, roof rails, and perhaps a bungee or two. Genius! Again, I'll try it out and take a picture & measurements if it looks to work, before I even consider it for real.

We often only carry ski boots and helmets. winter boots and lighter stuff in the roof box, like the dirty washing on the way back home! Any Beer and wine is safely locked in the boot
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Old Jan 11th, 2024, 21:14   #9
prjames
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Balistaff View Post
I've traveled numerous times in my old V70 across the channel with a roof box and never encountered any issues. The closest I got was (with several other cars) having my car door handles and steering wheel swabbed, which is no big deal.
With the top box inside car?
Following a breakdown in France I went back to collect our car from garage and couldn't be bothered to re-attach roof box hence some attention at Customs.
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Old Jan 11th, 2024, 21:17   #10
prjames
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Default Soft top box

Have you considered soft roof luggage? - sits on actual roof between bars.
Very portable - ours breaks down into 3 large bags.
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