[FireBrick]

After installing an Element Roof Rack, I experienced a very annoying wind noise.
Reading the threads on this issue I saw the suggestion to try and change the air flow over the roof rack cross bars.
The cross bars are semi sort of flat, leading edges are sharp with it widening for strength at the middle of the crossbars midsection.

I had considered a fairing, but wasn't crazy about it.

On a recent stop at Casa Depot's plumbig department, I happened on black foam pipe covering/insulation.
This type has a seam along it's length, and each edge has a pull away strip covering it's contact adhesive.
You slide the foam over around the existing pipe, pull off the glue strip covering and the two edges bone together.
Very Expensive $1.69 a 6 foot length (inner diameter would fit a 1" pipe.

So I gave it a try, slid it over the leading edge so that the glue strips would be equally almost cover the entire width the the rack crossbar.

Well today was my first chance at high speed driving to test this out.

Wife and I were on the tollway about an hour when I asked her if she noticed anything?
"Yes, no wind noise." "What did you do?"

I didn't expect her to notice as the wind noise hadn't really bothered her before.


But the bonus is I can put my Yakima storage box right over the foam covered rack bar with no trouble.

Not sure how long this will last in Chicago's winters. But for another $1.69, I can put a new one on each year.
Here's two not so good pics.
Hope it shows better than I could explain.

 

[paulj]

Most people don't have wind noise problems with the Honda rack - unless they are missing the rubber strip in the groove along the top of the bars. Then they get a whistle due to wind blowing across the gap (like blowing over a bottle top).

The fairing is often needed with round or square Yakima and Thule bars. The pipe foam can also work. Usually only the front bar needs this treatment.

 

[FireBrick]

Unfortunately I must have been the unlucky one then.

Most people don't have wind noise problems with the Honda rack - unless they are missing the rubber strip in the groove along the top of the bars. Then they get a whistle due to wind blowing across the gap (like blowing over a bottle top).

The fairing is often needed with round or square Yakima and Thule bars. The pipe foam can also work. Usually only the front bar needs this treatment.

As I had very noticeable noise after I installed the H&A Element roof rack.
Sure looked like all the parts were there. )
I only installed the foam on the front bar.

 

[paulj]

Was the noise a distinct pitch, a whistle, or white noise (just the wind blowing past an object)?

 

[FireBrick]

I wouldn't call it 'white noise'

As that would imply it was just in the background and not distinct.
No, it was loud enough to be distracting.

Wasn't so extreme as to make me uncomfortable.

Whatever was the contribuiting factor that caused it.
Rounding the crossbar with the foam removed most if not all of it.

I think part of the problem maybe my age/occupational hearing loss, and the noise was loud enough or at a frequency that was wrong for me.

My wife heard it but didn't find it overly annoying like I did.