Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box

Product Details

Product Dimensions: 55 x 25 x 12 inches ; 20 pounds
Shipping Weight: 25 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
ASIN: B0000WZYF4
Item model number: 682

By : Thule

Item Description

Amazon.com Item Description
The Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box is compact roof box tailor-made for smaller vehicles that want to conserve space. The 682 Sidekick enables for 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box makes it perfect for carrying small loads such as camping gear or golf clubs. The box is constructed UV and influence-resistent ABS plastic, making certain years of sturdy put on. It is compatible with all Thule base racks, as well as most any aftermarket or factory roof rack, and installs/can be removed from your rack in minutes without the use of tools through the Thule U-bolt/knob mounting system. All the essential mounting hardware and straps are included, and the unit is covered by a lifetime limited warranty.

Get Your Gear Out of the Auto and onto Your Roof
Thule's cargo boxes are developed with your active life in mind. Compatible with all Thule rack systems, as well as round bar and most factory racks, they let you to get your gear out of your automobile and onto the top of your roof - saving precious interior space, keeping moisture out of your car when hauling snowsport or watersport gear and securing items that would otherwise roll about in the course of transit. They are innovative, built to last, are simple and easy to load and unload and break down quickly and quickly when the time comes. Finally, Thule's assortment of rooftop boxes gives you various choices to transport your gear safely, easily and in style. Merely pick the a single that finest fits the length of your automobile roof and rack and knowledge the distinction they make in your travels.
Installation with the U-Bolt Mounting System
Installation and/or removal of the Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box from your rack is straightforward and rapid via Thule's U-Bolt mounting technique. This nearly tool-cost-free mounting method enables you to attach your rooftop box to virtually any roof rack in minutes. Every corner of the Sidekick has a series of 4 pre-bored holes aligned along the length of the box. Included U-Bolt hardware is slid up from the bottom, across the crossbars of your rack and into two of these 4 holes. When via, the hardware attaches to one particular of the 4 supplied knobs. Merely twist the threaded knob to get a secure hold that you can count on, and very easily get rid of as you please. Also included as portion of this system are all the hardware necessary. Given that of the pre-bored holes, the Sidekick requires a minimum spacing of rack crossbars of 23⅝", and a maximum spacing of 32 1/16".
Easy Use, Stowage and Security
Once Thule's Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box is installed it is tremendously very easy to use. Simple access to gear is guaranteed with Thule's passenger-side opening method built into the lid of Sidekick that also enables for 1-handed usage, with the lid staying in location when opened. Lastly, the Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box offers for the security of your gear via two included locks to secure box contents and lock the box to the carrier.
What's in the Box
1-Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box, 4-U-bolts and brackets, 4-knobs, two-camlocks with keys, 1-sheet of vinyl hole covers, all required more hardware, 1-user's manual/warranty card.
Crucial Capabilities

Passenger-side cargo opening
Heavy-duty style protects gear and helps keep out the elements
Carries 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box
Contains 2 locks to secure box contents and lock the box to the carrier
Fits Thule rack systems, round bars and most factory racks

Technical Specifications

Storage - 8 cubic feet or up to 110-lbs of cargo per box
Length (in) - 54"
Width (in) - 25"
Height (in) - 15.5"
Weight (lbs) - 16 lbs
Mounting Method - U-bolt
Box Opening - Single-side
Locking Process - Dual side lock/lock bracket system
Capacity - Carries up to two sets of golf clubs (not compatible with skis)

Limited Lifetime Warranty
Thule will warranty all Thule brand car rack systems and its accessories manufactured by Thule in the course of the time that an original retail purchaser owns the item. This warranty terminates if a purchaser transfers the item to any other individual. No warranty is given for defects caused by usual wear and tear, cosmetic rust, scratches, accidents, unlawful car operation, or modification of, or any sorts of repair of a load carrier method other than those authorized by Thule.
About Thule
Thule was founded in 1942 by the Thulin loved ones, when Eric Thulen, a accurate lover of the outdoors, put the Thule name on a pike trap he designed and began to sell in Scandinavia. It wasn't extended just before he added other practical items to the company's portfolio. By the 1960s, the enterprise began to concentrate on vehicle-associated merchandise, like its initial roof rack. The Thulin family members sold Thule to the publicly listed business Eldon in 1979, and it has continued to grow both organically and via acquisitions ever given that. The Thule Group is a world leader in providing transport solutions for an active life.
Thule Sidekick Cargo Box

Thule 682 Sidekick Rooftop Cargo Box

Customer Reviews

I bought this with some skepticism, having read other reviews that gave it low marks, and also having bought Thule products in the past and cursed them as I tried assembling and installing them, what with missing pieces and the like.
Happily, this box is fine. It does seem flimsy when you're assembling it, and it even seems that way when it's open on top of the car. It seems to be engineered to be as light as possible, which it is, and that can be unnerving until you get it fastened down and locked closed.
Assembly: It's awkward. It took two of us, me and my 2 year old! Seriously. It's a bit hairy for one person to get it right, since you have to match the hinges with the sides of the "clam shell", and their fit doesn't seem quite right until you tighten them up well. Still, it went OK, about 20 minutes for me to do, far better than a Thule roof racks I installed some years back, where I was dealing with bent and missing parts. If you do this alone, you need to brace it well at an angle as you hook the top and bottom together. Much easier with two people.
Installation: Dead easy on the factory roof rack. (We have a Pontiac Aztek.) THERE IS NO NEED TO BUY ADDITIONAL BRACKETS, though when viewing ads for this, you might think so at first glance. The package includes 4 U-brackets which attach to your roof racks and are held inside by hand-swivel bolts (whatever they're called). One thing I added while doing the installation was to put duct tape over the inside holes for the U-brackets. There are several holes in each sequence, and you only use two out of 4 or 5; the others are exposed. Covering with tape might help keep spray out.
Performance: Pretty good! We drove 2300 miles with this unit, of which about 300 were in driving rain. During the worst rain, we did have dampness and some droplets of water at the bottom front inside, but the gear was sitting up on ridges and was fine - bag in front was damp but not wet. If you have cloth bags that press to the very bottom, I'd put them in plastic if you'll be hitting heavy rain (and ours was VERY heavy, and at 70 mph driving speed).
We noticed an increase in wind noise at high speeds, and in our rough tests, it knocked about 2 mpg off our gas mileage at 75 mph, but on a 50 mph stretch of several hundred miles we couldn't tell a difference.
Removal takes literally five minutes. You undo (by hand) four pairs of swivel bolts, and lift it right off the roof. Reinstallation is about the same.
Overall, we're extremely happy with it and very glad we bought it.

This item was fairly easy to assemble. Would be easier with 2 people but I put it together in less than 30 minutes. It was easy to mount onto the roof rack as well. Bought this for a long car trip but wanted to take a trial run with it of about 500 miles round trip. On the trip we ran into some rain and a couple of quick downpours. The carrier held up well. I had a couple of drops of water on the inside and that was my fault. It was obvious that it was from the unused holes in the bottom for attaching it to the roof rack and I forgot to use the covers for those holes. Overall it help up great and expect it will do well for our trip to Florida