(keeping this old thread going as I'm picking up a Thule this afternoon)
theOz, I really like your setup and plan on using it for the same purpose. A few questions if I may (if you see this...):
1. How has it held up thus far in terms of the shell having to bear some of the load?
2. Regarding the top of the support risers and the welded plate, I'm guessing that the heads of the bolts are what slide into the crossbar channel and act as a fastener/locking mechanism? What size/type worked best for you?
3. With the load up top, how does it affect the trailer's stability?
Hi!
1) I have driven around a few times with the bar fully loaded with bikes and such and it is holding up fine. One thing I would add is to put some metal corner brackets inside the lid. My cargo top's corners were not "tied" together so I did this to give it more strength and stability since it is now supporting uprights. No signs of cracks or stress on the shell. Just make sure you get the front uprights bolted fully on the metal part of the shell and at least two bolts on each rear uprights. In hindsight, my bars are spread too far apart and should be closer together. I discovered after I had the bike racks installed that the rear part that clamps to the crossbar was where the rear tire also sits, thus preventing the rear wheel strap from being directly underneath. I would bring the rear uprights closer and you may be able to get all 4 bolts on each side on the metal.
2) You are correct that I am using bolts that slide into the Thule bars. I happen to have some spare Thule t-bolts that worked perfectly. However, you can find some panhead bolts (1/4" thick?) and grind down the top so it can fit in the slots. I did this to a couple before I discovered I already had t-bolts. Stick with Stainless Steel bolts/washers/nuts and you should be fine. As for size, I think nothing above 1/4" diameter will work (the head may be too wide for the slots.
3) I have not seen any issues with stability. Granted I don't drive around curves aggressively or at very high speeds (above 75+ mph). But I highly recommend that you always have the trailer loaded with at least 100+ lbs inside so it does not bounce around with bikes/boats on the top. The more weight inside, the better! If you want even more stability, I suppose you can weld on a 1" square aluminum bar b/n the uprights, just below the Thule/Yakima crossbars (even go as far as all the way around, fence-like). That would make the uprights much more rigid but might be overkill?
Let me know if you got any more questions/concerns!