2017 Hatchback Roof Rack

[hans2vt]

and e-trailer explained why they claim KIT 1797 fits the civic hatchback

Thank you for asking the following question:
You say in other QandA that this fit kit will work on a 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback # THKIT1797 are you 100 sure?

The Thule web-site is saying they dont have anything that fits the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback
https://www.thule.com/en-us/us/fit-my-car?c=roof+racksandq=LML3wracw


Answer:

It is a weird situation because we did a test fit of the Thule roof rack fit kit # THKIT1797 on a 2017 Honda Civic hatchback and it fits. But Thule must not have performed a test fit. So technically we can't list it as a fit since they do not show it but we know that it does indeed fit the hatchbacks. I hope that clears it up some!

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[LunarSilverTouring]

UK hatch has a lot more.
Better advanced sensing.
More option accessories.
Any way here's the roof rack

 

[Scheker13]

I love my Seasuckers probably the best bike roof rack I have ever owned. It's so practice and secured plus you can take it off and on in less than 5 minutes. No harm to the body of the car or whatsoever. Totally recommend.

 

[BirchyBoy]

I love my Seasuckers probably the best bike roof rack I have ever owned. It's so practice and secured plus you can take it off and on in less than 5 minutes. No harm to the body of the car or whatsoever. Totally recommend.

I'd be the guy that forgot and tried to open the moon roof.

 

[Minty_tiger]

UK hatch has a lot more.
Better advanced sensing.
More option accessories.
Any way here's the roof rack

Man, look at that sunroof!!!

 

[Holtz]

update,

the kit is available... will anyone be ordering? does anyone have a pic installed?

 

[geolemon]

update,

the kit is available... will anyone be ordering? does anyone have a pic installed?

Edited:

Made my decision - I ordered the fit kit KIT1852 for $109 to adapt my existing Thule Traverse feet (fresh off my old Optima), will be painting (or powder-coating) my silver bars black to better suit the all-black-trim Civic Sport and make things look new again, and bought some miscellaneous bits to make everything new again - new bar end caps, new fairing clips, etc. since those parts were cheap anyway.

I'll update this thread when I get them and do the install.

On a related note:
ANYONE HERE FROM THE UK?
I'm still also interested in finding out more about, and even possibly buying that Honda factory roof rack that's apparently only sold in the UK.

I once had a Hyundai rack on my '08 Sonata - turns out the OEM's outsource these things to companies like Thule - the Sonata rack WAS a Thule rack, but with Hyundai logos rather than Thule logos, plus was a perfect fit.
I love this option - same high quality as Thule, less of a theft-target, and yet looking less added-on. Maybe the Honda rack is similar? Would love to find out - maybe wouldn't even mind paying the ridiculous fees to get it to the USA.

Any help is appreciated - and there's probably others in this thread interested as well.

 

[iscavnicar]

Edited:

Made my decision - I ordered the fit kit KIT1852 for $109 to adapt my existing Thule Traverse feet (fresh off my old Optima), will be painting (or powder-coating) my silver bars black to better suit the all-black-trim Civic Sport and make things look new again, and bought some miscellaneous bits to make everything new again - new bar end caps, new fairing clips, etc. since those parts were cheap anyway.

I'll update this thread when I get them and do the install.

On a related note:
ANYONE HERE FROM THE UK?
I'm still also interested in finding out more about, and even possibly buying that Honda factory roof rack that's apparently only sold in the UK.

I once had a Hyundai rack on my '08 Sonata - turns out the OEM's outsource these things to companies like Thule - the Sonata rack WAS a Thule rack, but with Hyundai logos rather than Thule logos, plus was a perfect fit.
I love this option - same high quality as Thule, less of a theft-target, and yet looking less added-on. Maybe the Honda rack is similar? Would love to find out - maybe wouldn't even mind paying the ridiculous fees to get it to the USA.

Any help is appreciated - and there's probably others in this thread interested as well.

I tried honda roof racks at dealer and decided not to buy it. Since i have Sport plus, it has glass roof so that model is not intended to use roof racks at all. Since i really need rack for vacation, I decided to go against recommendation. Honda roof rack rubbers sit on glass and are also double the price of Thule. Bought Thule KIT 1852 with wingbars, that doesn't sit on glass at all and price is half of Honda racks.

 

[geolemon]

I tried honda roof racks at dealer and decided not to buy it. Since i have Sport plus, it has glass roof so that model is not intended to use roof racks at all. Since i really need rack for vacation, I decided to go against recommendation. Honda roof rack rubbers sit on glass and are also double the price of Thule. Bought Thule KIT 1852 with wingbars, that doesn't sit on glass at all and price is half of Honda racks.

Isn't it just a power moonroof/sunroof? Not a complete "glass roof" like, say, a Mini Countryman?
I ask because I saw the Thule fit kit expressly states "2017 civic hatchback without glass roof". I assumed they just stated that because of opening clearances - I wouldn't expect the roof to be weaker, nor the sunroof to reach the mounting location - that should set squarely on the roof pillars above the doors, not on the actual roof panel itself...?

I was looking at the photos posted earlier in this thread too, and it looks like the factory roof bars don't extend beyond the feet. Arguably that looks a little sleeker, but there's times (for me) when I load something that requires looping a tie-down strap around the end of a bar that extends past the foot... like Thule bars do.

My KIT1852 showed up yesterday, so I tore down my old bars, and installed the fit kit on the feet. As I am awaiting a few replacement plastic parts to show up (new bar ends, new fairing bar clips) I'm going to paint both bars with a gloss black ceramic caliper paint and clean everything up to restore the set to a decently like-new state... and black to match my Civic Sport trim.

I'll put pics up after I reassemble and install.

 

[iscavnicar]

Isn't it just a power moonroof/sunroof? Not a complete "glass roof" like, say, a Mini Countryman?
I ask because I saw the Thule fit kit expressly states "2017 civic hatchback without glass roof". I assumed they just stated that because of opening clearances - I wouldn't expect the roof to be weaker, nor the sunroof to reach the mounting location - that should set squarely on the roof pillars above the doors, not on the actual roof panel itself...?

I was looking at the photos posted earlier in this thread too, and it looks like the factory roof bars don't extend beyond the feet. Arguably that looks a little sleeker, but there's times (for me) when I load something that requires looping a tie-down strap around the end of a bar that extends past the foot... like Thule bars do.

My KIT1852 showed up yesterday, so I tore down my old bars, and installed the fit kit on the feet. As I am awaiting a few replacement plastic parts to show up (new bar ends, new fairing bar clips) I'm going to paint both bars with a gloss black ceramic caliper paint and clean everything up to restore the set to a decently like-new state... and black to match my Civic Sport trim.

I'll put pics up after I reassemble and install.

I'm afraid its full glass roof, check out picture.
I'll post picture with Thule rack tomorrow when i mount it.

 

[geolemon]

Well - that is cool in it's own right, but I can see the issue (I think).

The Thule foot fit kit has a shaped rubber pad - it's not just flat, it contours into the 'gutter' (and slightly beyond the gutter), to help grab into the roof.

Unless I'm seeing the image wrong, it looks like the glass doesn't simply extend to the gutter, but right across the gutter, essentially eliminating it - right? If so, the rubber foot can't really grab the roof... there may be nothing stopping it from simply sliding outwards as you tighten the clamp mechanism.

If so, if it was me, I'd use some sort of tool to cut the rubber off the foot that's supposed to go into the groove, so the force isn't directed into the glass. Then see if you can secure it without that portion of the rubber - you want all the weight on the metal rails, not on the glass.

If it's not as I think though (meaning: you have a gutter still, exactly like the metal roof car has), then I think your only real problem is the roof won't be able to open - the foot kit looks like it'll cover a bit of the glass. THAT should be a simple fix - I assume the sunroof has a separate fuse? Pull it to avoid accidents (you never know what stupid passengers will try).

Good luck!

 

[iscavnicar]

So I actually mounted it now and it looks ok in my opinion.

Well - that is cool in it's own right, but I can see the issue (I think).

The Thule foot fit kit has a shaped rubber pad - it's not just flat, it contours into the 'gutter' (and slightly beyond the gutter), to help grab into the roof.

Unless I'm seeing the image wrong, it looks like the glass doesn't simply extend to the gutter, but right across the gutter, essentially eliminating it - right? If so, the rubber foot can't really grab the roof... there may be nothing stopping it from simply sliding outwards as you tighten the clamp mechanism.

If so, if it was me, I'd use some sort of tool to cut the rubber off the foot that's supposed to go into the groove, so the force isn't directed into the glass. Then see if you can secure it without that portion of the rubber - you want all the weight on the metal rails, not on the glass.

If it's not as I think though (meaning: you have a gutter still, exactly like the metal roof car has), then I think your only real problem is the roof won't be able to open - the foot kit looks like it'll cover a bit of the glass. THAT should be a simple fix - I assume the sunroof has a separate fuse? Pull it to avoid accidents (you never know what stupid passengers will try).

Good luck!

 

[geolemon]

This spot (or similar, on any of the feet) is my only real concern:

If you know anyone with a router, I'd have them trim a notch down the inner edge of the rubber...
The left side on this photo, going down the entire left edge where it overlaps the glass.

Doesn't need to remove too much rubber, I'd just remove enough that tightening the rack fully doesn't (can't) put any (I mean zero) pressure on the glass.

Bear in mind, temperature changes can make things move, swell, etc., and it would not be fun to see a crack forming in that glass or worse - having it suddenly pop into a shower of glass particles as tempered glass likes to do!

And... I'd still pull that sunroof fuse just to be safe too.

Looks way better than I thought though - that'll totally work.

 

[Nistap]

So I actually mounted it now and it looks ok in my opinion.

Hi Iscavnicar,

Have you had any issues with the roof bars so far?

I’ve bought a 2017 hatchback with a glass roof and am experiencing the same problem. I need to have a roof rack installed so I can put my roof box on the car when going to ski.

Have you already used the roof rack and have you adjusted the rubber feet of the roof bars?

Please let me know, because I’m not sure what to do now.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nistap]

Edited:

Made my decision - I ordered the fit kit KIT1852 for $109 to adapt my existing Thule Traverse feet (fresh off my old Optima), will be painting (or powder-coating) my silver bars black to better suit the all-black-trim Civic Sport and make things look new again, and bought some miscellaneous bits to make everything new again - new bar end caps, new fairing clips, etc. since those parts were cheap anyway.

I'll update this thread when I get them and do the install.

On a related note:
ANYONE HERE FROM THE UK?
I'm still also interested in finding out more about, and even possibly buying that Honda factory roof rack that's apparently only sold in the UK.

I once had a Hyundai rack on my '08 Sonata - turns out the OEM's outsource these things to companies like Thule - the Sonata rack WAS a Thule rack, but with Hyundai logos rather than Thule logos, plus was a perfect fit.
I love this option - same high quality as Thule, less of a theft-target, and yet looking less added-on. Maybe the Honda rack is similar? Would love to find out - maybe wouldn't even mind paying the ridiculous fees to get it to the USA.

Any help is appreciated - and there's probably others in this thread interested as well.

Hi Geolemon,

Have you already installed and used the roof rack with the KIT1852 rubber feet?

And if so, what are your experiences?

Thanks in advance

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