How noisy is it to have rooftop cargo on LX 570?

[Charlielj]

I'm planning on a 18+ hours road trip. Does anyone know which rooftop cargo has the least noise on a 2014 LX 570? I'm considering getting one; however, since the LX570 is already not known for fuel efficient, I'm guessing the rooftop cargo will also adds to that. Any suggestion/recommendation is much appreciated.

 

[tbisaacs]

I never noticed any noise from rooftop box on my LX. It's well insulated. As far as fuel economy, no getting around physics.

 

[Charlielj]

Thank you for the input. Do you have any particular brand/model that you use?

 

[stonepa]

I have a Yakima 2100 and a Yakima Rocketbox. No noise.

 

[Charlielj]

I have a Yakima 2100 and a Yakima Rocketbox. No noise.

Thank you so much, I'll check it out.

 

[arock]

I'd say that any of the "wedge" shaped hard ones should be relatively quiet and the thinner you get the less of an impact on fuel economy you will probably notice. I would stay away from any of the soft or box shaped ones as they will create the most noise and no aerodynamics. I ran this Thule on my old Honda Fit and barely noticed it was there (though it was a lot cheaper when I bought it): Amazon product ASIN B0000WZYF4

 

[urinalcake]

I use Yakima Skybox 12 with no discernible increase in wind noise. On my rig, opening the sunshade generates more noise than the cargo box. The Skybox 12 is a long, skinny bullet compared to most cargo boxes. Here are a couple pics from a 2700 mi summer road trip with six people in the truck (including me) averaged 16.4 mpg running 75-80 mph.

The tailgate spoiler is big and in the open position hits bottom of the cargo box. To address that, I install my Yakima rear cross bar to the truck's roof rails to lift the back of the cargo box up a few inches to clear the spoiler.

I purchased the Skybox so I can load the cargo box + 4 bikes on the roof. Packed for a family camping trip.

Even on my Passat.

 

[bloc]

I just did a 3000 mile ski trip with a Thule box on my roof, the front of which is directly over the sunroof. It definitely added some noise but it was hardly intrusive. I’d say I got used to it within an hour.

Now the truck just sounds more quiet after removal..

My typical highway mileage after mods is around 15.5, the box lowered that about 1mpg when averaged out.

 

[thammer62]

C&D just did an article w the crossbars on vs off and mpg, respectively. I think it was Telluride or something where they are elevated/exposed above the roof a bit more than average. At ~75mph they measured a 3 mpg difference. So it is pretty cool these long bullet style carriers can slip through the air and only ding 1 or 2 mpg.

 

[Charlielj]

I use Yakima Skybox 12 with no discernible increase in wind noise. On my rig, opening the sunshade generates more noise than the cargo box. The Skybox 12 is a long, skinny bullet compared to most cargo boxes. Here are a couple pics from a 2700 mi summer road trip with six people in the truck (including me) averaged 16.4 mpg running 75-80 mph.
View attachment 3231298
View attachment 3231299

The tailgate spoiler is big and in the open position hits bottom of the cargo box. To address that, I install my Yakima rear cross bar to the truck's roof rails to lift the back of the cargo box up a few inches to clear the spoiler.
View attachment 3231292

I purchased the Skybox so I can load the cargo box + 4 bikes on the roof. Packed for a family camping trip.
View attachment 3231303

Even on my Passat.
View attachment 3231310

Thank you for all the pics, much appreciated!

 

[Charlielj]

Thank you for all the help. Now I have a better idea of what I'll need. Thanks again.

 

[CharlieS]

Same as others, we've use rooftop boxes for many years. Currently a Thule Force XL. I don't experience it as especially noisy, unless I try to open the sunroof. They are super convenient for large family trips and long outdoor winter sports gear.