Bought a new car and wondering if your old Thule roof rack will still fit? You’re not alone - this is one of the most common questions we get.
Short answer: maybe... But there are a few things to check before chucking those bars back on. Here’s the breakdown on what works, what doesn’t, and what you might need to swap out.
🔄 What You Might Be Able to Reuse
- Crossbars - Sometimes, your crossbar can be reused if the length matches the new vehicle’s recommended bar width. If the bar is wider than recommended, the foot packs may not be able to fit the roof of the vehicle. If the bar is narrower than recommended, you may not be able to safely mount it on your vehicle.
-
Foot Packs - Foot packs can sometimes be carried over to the new vehicle if:
a) they have the same mounting style (fixpoint mount, flush rail mount etc),
b) there is a compatible fitting kit availble to suit the new vehicle,
or c) they don't require a fitting kit (vehicles with raised rails ie: 710410 etc) - Fitting Kits - Not usually transferrable between vehicles, so unless you have changed cars to the exact same model it's unlikely to be much use.
- Lock Cores - If you’ve got key matched locks in your crossbars or carriers, those can easily be swapped to your new Thule system.
- Roof Boxes - Pretty much all Thule Roof Boxes will be compatible between roof rack systems. The exception would be some of the really old models that use a U-Bolt style mount.
- Bike Carriers - Most Thule roof mounted bike carriers mount via a T-bolt, and are likely to be compatible with the mounting channel on new WingBar Evo systems.
- Kayak Racks - As long as your new crossbars are the same style (e.g. WingBar Evo), they should fit, however we have found some older non-evo generation kayak racks do not fit the channel on the newer WingBar Evo systems.
- Ski and Snowboard Racks - As long as your snow carriers mount via T-Bolts, then they should be compatible with the channel on newer WingBar Evo racks. Sometimes a longer T-Bolt may be required - check out Thule Spare Parts
WingBar Evo vs Non-Evo: What’s Actually Different?
Thule updated their crossbars on the WingBar Evo and WingBar Edge systems a few years ago, replacing the older “Rapid System” setup. If you have an older rack with a Rapid System foot pack or fitting kit, there are a few things to know before trying to reuse it.
- Fitting kits from the old system aren’t compatible with the new Evo foot packs - they attach differently underneath. So even if your new car has the same roof type (fixpoint, flush rail, raised rail, etc.), you’ll need a new Evo Compatible fitting kit.
- Foot packs are not interchangeable either - Evo and Edge foot packs (e.g. 7105, 7205) won’t work with Rapid fitting kits, and vice versa.
- Crossbars most older WingBars and SquareBars will fit Evo feet, as the underside mounting channel hasn’t changed much. Just double-check that the length is suitable for your new vehicle’s roof width - if not you can order new crossbars here.
Keep in mind: older Rapid System parts are no longer in production, and many of the fitting kits are becoming hard to find - even second-hand. If you’re switching to Evo, you’ll probably need at least a new fitting kit, possibly feet too.
Example Scenarios:
| Old Car Setup | New Car Setup | Can You Reuse? |
|---|---|---|
| WingBar Evo + Evo Foot Pack | WingBar Evo with Same Mounting Style (e.g. fixpoint to fixpoint) |
✅ Correct Bar Length - Probably will just need a new fitting kit if required ❌ Different Bar Length - Will need new bars and new fitting kit where required |
| WingBar Evo + Evo Foot Pack | WingBar Evo with Different Mounting Style (e.g. fixpoint to flush rail) |
✅ Correct Bar Length - Will need a new foot pack and fitting kit where required ❌ Different Bar Length - Nothing able to be swapped over, buy a complete new kit |
| Non-Evo WingBar + Non-Evo Foot Pack | WingBar Evo with Same Mounting Style (e.g. fixpoint to raised rail) |
✅ Correct Bar Length - Will need a new foot pack and fitting kit where required ❌ Different Bar Length - Nothing able to be swapped over, buy complete new kit |
| Non-Evo WingBar + Non-Evo Foot Pack | WingBar Evo with Different Mounting Style (e.g. flush rail to raised rail) |
✅ Correct Bar Length - Will need a new foot pack and fitting kit where required ❌ Different Bar Length - Nothing able to be swapped over, buy complete new kit |
Not Sure What You Need? 🔍
If you're unsure what parts will work with your new car, we recommend running both your old and new vehicles through the Thule Fit My Car Guide and seeing if the product codes match up. It'll show you the current recommended setup, and help you figure out what has changed.
If you're upgrading your setup, check out our full range of Thule WingBar Evo Roof Racks or the sleek WingBar Edge Roof Racks.
Need to replace parts? We stock a wide range of Thule Roof Rack Parts and Accessories you might need - including Thule Foot Packs, Fitting Kits, and Crossbars.
Still not sure what you need? Use the Thule Fit Guide or Browse Complete Roof Rack Kits for Your Vehicle.