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Re: Cargo Bars
Posted by Glenn Chambers (more from Glenn Chambers) on Tue, 25 Jul 2000 00:57:37
In Reply to: , Kok Chen, Sat, 17 Dec 1988 12:00:00 

Update on Cargo Rail/Load Bar 'problem' on 9-5 Wagon: A Successful
Resolution

Some of you, particularly 9-5 Wagon owners, will recall the mishap I
experienced with the Load Bars and Thule Bike Racks I experienced a couple
of months ago. Both the load bars, which you affix to the Wagon's cargo
rails, and the Thule 'Big Mouth' bike racks which attach to the load bars,
are purchased through the Saab catalog. NOTE: this applies ONLY to 9-5
Wagons because of the clamping mechanism on the cargo rails. Other load
bearing systems for 9-5 Sedans and 9-3s use an apparently tried and true
clamp which attaches directly to the auto bodies.

SaabUSA, via a local dealer (International Motors, Falls Church) listened
to my complaint and agreed to pick up my insurance deductible for the body
work resulting from the mishap. They agreed to this sight unseen. But
yesterday I had a remarkable and unplanned opportunity to show this
'problem' to the Saab guys firsthand.

To quickly recap, the load bars are attached to the Wagon's cargo rails
via a hand-turned clamp. You can't use a wrench -- it's only on as hard as
you can tighten it with your hand. In our mishap, the front load bar
clamps came loose on the rail, causing our whole rig, including three
bikes, to violently slide back along the Wagon's cargo rails and
cantilever over the rear hatch. This occured at freeway speed. Fortunately
the rear load bar held, otherwise there could have been a serious accident
with the cars behind us.

The BEST Part: This weekend I got the opportunity to describe and
demonstrate the problem first hand with a SaabUSA rep and the local
Service Rep from International Motors (both of whom were familiar with my
case.) It was at the Saab/Gary Fisher Ultimate Trails tour stop here in
Washington, DC, where they had numerous models available for test drive.
They also had a Gary Fisher edition 9-5 Wagon complete with load bars and
bike racks on display. As I explained the problem to the Saab reps, I
reached over to test the front load bar on the DEMO WAGON...AND IT WAS
LOOSE. Another Saab guy standing nearby said that he didn't tighten them
all the way because they weren't driving. OK. Maybe. But that's not the
point.

My point, and I think the Saab guys took it, was that whether or not one
is sure that the load bars are properly tightened, this is not a fail-safe
system. They ought to consider locking pins, beveling the rails, or some
other method of securing the load bars to the rails. They all seemed to
agree that this was a design problem. I wonder if they'll take it up the
ladder at Saab. They really should. I intend to check back with them to
see of this is a problem that other 9-5 wagon owners report.

In the meantime, as a satisfied Saab customer, I encourage 9-5 Wagon
owners who have the load bars to periodically check and retighten them, if
necessary. Make sure you carry a key for the locking load bar cover in the
glove box, otherwise you'll have to pry the cover off. And if you
experience a similar mishap with them coming loose while on the road, I
urge you to alert your local Saab dealer and mention that this problem has
happened before. 

In all fairness, this is a safe system as long as the load bars are
clamped tightly. But you have to stay on top of it, especially if you're
like me and you haul your mountain bikes all over the place -- the racks
are on the car most of the time and you can easily forgot to check them --
until it's too late.

Glenn Chambers
Potomac, MD
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