Thule rack mounting troubles...help!

[ChE Outback XT]

I have the 415 feet on an OBXT, and it's worked great. I was a limited in placement due to my Evolution 1200 box. I have it as far forward as I could go, and it does still hit the wing on the back gate. So it goes. I have a 3000+ mile ski trip coming up, and I was concerned about the mileage effects of the box. Yesterday I went 300 miles with the box off for the first time since I drove the car home from the dealer. To my surprise, there was no mileage difference. Most of the driving was on the freeway at 75-80mph, and the mileage was right at 20.1mpg, where it usually is. One thing I did notice was the extreme whistling from the bare bars. It wasn't a problem with the box (I have a kayak mount on the non-box side, which I assume disturbs the air enough to prevent whistling there), but was horrible without it. Has anyone tried the Thule fairing? I don't have a sunroof, so that's not an issue. (I was planning on getting the Ltd., but one look at that gorgous glass right under the rack and I had visions of putting a bike fork through it.)

[Joe05GTMT]

Any update from Thule on their kit? or are people still having to get out the demel. Also, is this kit quick release? On my other car I got the quick release bars (just a button to press on each corner -- once unlocked) which was nice, since I'd just keep the bars in the trunk when not in use. Joe

[jaycee]

I wouldn't call the Thule setup exactly quick release but it's pretty easy - maybe a minute to take it off. You just spin each of the bar ends a bit and the clamps become loose enough to remove. As for the whistling of the bare bars - you might want to wrapping a bungie cord along the length of the cross bar. Someone in an earlier post reported that removed the whistle.