2015 Denali - adjusting fixed cross rails to fix cargo box?

[Big_DDenali]

With previous model years the cross rails adjusted to any position. The cross rails for a 2015 Denali XL seem to only be able to be screwed into 1 of 2 positions for the front cross rail and 1 of 2 positions for the rear cross rail. The Yakima cargo box I have has fixed attachments and no longer lines up. Maybe I'm missing something. Has anyone run into this or come up with a solution? Thanks

 

[MARider]

I was disapointed to learn this after taking delivery of our 2016 Suburban. I am looking into getting another set of mount holes tapped into the roof side rails. This is the worst roof side rail design I have ever seen. Just shocking that GM felt that limiting cross rail postion in this manner was accepteble. I will post what, if anthing, I come up with.

 

[Big_DDenali]

I ended up drilling addition holes in my cargo carrier. This worked because the clamps on my carrier could be removed. It's not ideal but it worked fine on a 10 hour round trip. The carrier I have is 10+ years old. I would have been upset if I had to do this on a newer carrier. You can see in the picture where the rail should sit on the carrier. Instead of the standard 36 inches between my carrier clamps my options with the fixes rails were 27 inches or 52 which is what I went with.

 

[Bigskirig]

I just took delivery of a 2016 Yukon xl Denali yesterday. When I went to mount my packasport cargo box, none of the whole positions will work. Really annoying given that we use it for skiing 5 months of the year. It does appear that if I made the front hole in the 2nd set of holes the rear hole and added (1) hole per side it would work. Has anyone attempted to add new mount holes?
Not anxious to drill into my new exceptionally expensive SUV, but all of the other box options either won't carry all our gear or fix in the garage

 

[Big_DDenali]

I'm not sure that it is as easy as drilling a second set of holes in the side rails. If you pry the plastic grommets out and look at the existing holes the female side in the rails is threaded. It is almost as if this female receiving hole is a piece that is welded into the rail. It may be worth asking your dealer if they could do it for you or come up with a solution. Bring your cargo box though. Mine couldn't understand it when I explained the issue over the phone.

 

[Trudee]

Frustrated as well and knowing that I needed new holes in my rails, I purchased a threaded rivet tool ($60 on Amazon). The existing holes in the OEM rails are actually threaded rivets. The thread is 6MM. The rivet tool comes equipped with 6MM threaded rivets. Once I marked the new hole locations, I used a nail set to make an indentation to make drilling the pilot hole easier and avoid drill bit from drifting. Next drilled larger hole to match 6MM threaded rivet. Used the rivet tool to set the rivets. Moved the cross bars to the new location and secured with the mounting screws. Took under an hour and is EASY even for a novice. Since I needed to plug the old holes and read elsewhere that GM charges $5 per plastic plug to match existing, I went to Ace Hardware and picked up 4 stainless steel 6MM screws at $3 a piece. Secured in old holes using an Allen wrench. Very happy the solution was this easy....so will you be.

 

[Demer]

Frustrated as well and knowing that I needed new holes in my rails, I purchased a threaded rivet tool ($60 on Amazon). The existing holes in the OEM rails are actually threaded rivets. The thread is 6MM. The rivet tool comes equipped with 6MM threaded rivets. Once I marked the new hole locations, I used a nail set to make an indentation to make drilling the pilot hole easier and avoid drill bit from drifting. Next drilled larger hole to match 6MM threaded rivet. Used the rivet tool to set the rivets. Moved the cross bars to the new location and secured with the mounting screws. Took under an hour and is EASY even for a novice. Since I needed to plug the old holes and read elsewhere that GM charges $5 per plastic plug to match existing, I went to Ace Hardware and picked up 4 stainless steel 6MM screws at $3 a piece. Secured in old holes using an Allen wrench. Very happy the solution was this easy....so will you be.

@Trudee, could you please post a link to the tool you got on Amazon? I'm now in a similar situation of needing to add new holes. (My snowboard doesn't fit on top with the Yakima Fat Cat 6 because the crossbars are too close together and my bindings are in the way. If I moved the crossbars to the next set of holes back then none of my kids skis, and my summertime road trip cargo box, would fit.) I'm hoping to leave the front cross bar where it is, and use 2 of the existing holes and drill 2 new holes for the rear cross bar. That should give me the extra clearance needed while still allowing me to fit everything up there.

I'm still scratching my head as to why GM would have such few fixed points on the roof..

 

[Fifty]

If anyone is near concord ca, I have the tools and am happy to help.

Astro tool makes awesome riv nut guns.

They make Matcos tool for them

 

[Trudee]

@Trudee, could you please post a link to the tool you got on Amazon? I'm now in a similar situation of needing to add new holes. (My snowboard doesn't fit on top with the Yakima Fat Cat 6 because the crossbars are too close together and my bindings are in the way. If I moved the crossbars to the next set of holes back then none of my kids skis, and my summertime road trip cargo box, would fit.) I'm hoping to leave the front cross bar where it is, and use 2 of the existing holes and drill 2 new holes for the rear cross bar. That should give me the extra clearance needed while still allowing me to fit everything up there.

I'm still scratching my head as to why GM would have such few fixed points on the roof..

Sorry for the late reply. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Astro-1442-Thread-Hand-Riveter/dp/B003TODXQW. The 6MM threaded rivet is the exact match for the existing rails.

 

[Fifty]

^^^ that's the one! They are awesome and have great customer service if you break something!