This thread is for the factory flat crossover bars without a slot in the middle. There are two sets of bars for the Impreza, so it is important not to confuse them.
You'll need:
- Set of factory crossover bars
- Thule fairing, for the 08-2013 i recommend the 872XT (44")
- Bike attachment clamp kit (4 clamps) (Subaru Part # E361SXA100)
I recommend ordering from the United States $20 vs $70 at the dealer
This clamp is actually designed to be used with the bolt behind the bar, but seems to fit well in reverse - Hack Saw
- 5/16" drill bit + drill
- 4 - 5/16" x 2" stainless steel carriage bolts, plus washers and nuts
You could alternatively use metric bolts, but I only had home depot to work with where it was Sunday
I originally had my fairing mounted using a modified Thule clamp, but i was unhappy with the look and lack of rigidity in the clamp.
More details can be found in this thread (Thanks! swifty1069):
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1949645Step 1:
Start by removing the factory Thule clip(or taking it out of the box if yours are brand new) You can see in my photo where I modified my clamp so it would fit on the OEM Bars
Step 2:
Drill the 1/4" hole in the factory Thule clamp out to 5/16"
(Note: In this photo I had already cut my clamp, but we will cut it shorter in the next step)
Step 3:
Cut the factory Thule clamp a 1/8" away from the drilled hole. The cut should be made between the depressed circle on the clamp and the printed words on the clamps. You may want to clean up your cut with a file.
Step 4:
Remove the brass nut from the bottom of the Subaru clamp. Its just sitting in there so pop it out with a bolt.
Step 5:
Cut off the little plastic tab that stick out in the middle of the Subaru clip.
Step 6:
Cut off the plastic lip that is also in the middle of Subaru clip
Step 7:
After making all of the cuts the clips should fit together like this:
Which is a much better fit than just the Thule clamp.
Step 8:
Put everything together, the square hole in the top of the Subaru clamp almost perfectly accepts a 5/16" carriage bolt. Alternatively you could use the factory brass nut in the clip in conjunction with a regular bolt, but I want more of a clean look. The brass nut accepts a 5/16" bolt. Home depot also sold 5/16" knobs rather than using a just a regular nut, but it was $5 each vs 30 cents.
Cheers!
